I have tried to do something like that a couple of times, but my wife isn't really a big fan of surprises. She is more of a planner and she likes to know what is coming. Plus, I suck at keeping secrets from her, so I always end up giving her the full details ahead of time anyway. If the photos are just a small indication of what it was like, it looks amazing!
Well, this wasn't a surprise or a secret, she knew what was happening, because I asked her prior. Maybe give that a try? You might both enjoy something a little different.
Actually, we did have a nice trip that we planned together. We were going to catch a sight we haven't seen before and then get a nice dinner, but that morning ended up being the day we decided it was time to say goodbye to our dog, so the plan kind of got shot to hell. We still haven't made the trip yet and I am not sure when we will just because of the memories it evokes now.
That's such a devastating time in a person's life so completely understandable your plans shifted. Maybe one day you'll get there and turn the memory around into something special.