If you live in a small town you may have a Town Hall that is available to residents for a nominal fee(the one in my hometown is only $25) not fancy but clean and has a kitchen available. we've rented it for everything from anniveraries to graduation to Xmas parties. Also, is DH a member of any org. like VFW or Knights of Columbus? some have halls to rent and the cost to members is usually low. If you can do something like that, call up your close friends and see if they will "help" with the suprise by doing a potluck for it.