Few things are as exciting and entertaining as a murder mystery dinner party. Funny, customizable, and completely Instagramable, these themed get-togethers have become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s no wonder since they’re the perfect dinner table games for any birthday party, anniversary, or Saturday night bash.
If you’re interested in hosting one, a little research is all it takes to become a champion of house parties among your family and friends. Follow this guide, and everyone in town will be clamoring for their next invite.
Here’s how to host a murder mystery dinner party game.
Organizing the Essentials
Organization is the driving force behind any well-planned shindig. Simple steps such as creating lists and delegating tasks can help your event go off without a hitch.
Start by deciding who you wish to invite, themes you may want to use, and any supplies you might need. If this seems overwhelming, don’t worry. Here are a few tips for getting started.
Creating a Guest List
Sometimes the most straightforward place to start is the guest list. By knowing who you want to invite, you can make informed decisions concerning time and space.
You’ll want to consider who will have a good time at a dinner party of this nature. Murder mystery dinner parties are highly theatrical and involved. Of course, feel free to invite anyone your heart desires, but remember that introverts and timid people may not enjoy such an occasion. Try to find people who will play along.
Knowing who’s on the list will also make it easier to get a headcount and deal with potential dropouts. Last-minute cancellations aren’t usually a big deal, but some games will require you to know exactly how many players are left.
Selecting a Theme
Next, you’ll want to pick a theme. Choosing a suitable theme will be influenced by several factors. Is it a formal get-together? Casual? Will you be celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or holiday?
One of the great things about murder mystery Is that it is easily customizable to any event. From characters to the color scheme, there is no shortage of options.
It’s also essential to bear your budget in mind. Going with a simple theme or game can help keep your funds tight if you have a small budget. Something as simple as snacks and a game of Clue will suffice if you want to host a party on the fly.
Time is also a crucial element in planning your party. If you intend to drag out the event over the evening and into the night, consider a variety of dinner table games and activities. Otherwise, select one game or activity, and wrap things up as soon as the murderer gets caught.
Picking Out Decor
Decorating your party shouldn’t be a headache. Sometimes, though, selecting the right decor to establish an atmosphere can be mind-boggling.
A good rule of thumb is to keep it simple. If designing an elaborate theme based on everyone’s favorite crime series sounds like more work than it’s worth, it probably is.
Instead, choose a standard color scheme. Play around with the tones of the box your game comes in. You can also do some research and see if you can find out what your character’s favorite colors might be. Think Colonel Mustard.
Most importantly, you will want to ensure you have all the right props. Some games require characters or rooms to have specific items that represent clues. Make a list of these things because they will be some of the essential elements of the game. Function over fashion every time.
Also, remember that your guests can help create the right ambiance. Make sure to include in your invites that the party is themed, and your guests should dress accordingly. Coordinating with everyone beforehand to come costumed as certain characters is a lot of fun and make excellent photo ops.
Choosing a Meal
Lastly, you will want to plan the meal. Although the food doesn’t have to be the star of the show, you certainly don’t want it to be lacking either.
Having a headcount and knowing your budget will influence food choices as much as game and decor selection. If you don’t have much room left for a multi-course meal, don’t worry. A light dinner and some ice cream are usually enough to please your guests. Even a grazing-style snack table can serve as your entrée.
If you have the time and room in your budget, you can consider making your meal on the theme. Select dishes that are favorites of your characters. Or, pick out popular recipes based on your party’s time frame or location. If you’re going for a 50s motif, try serving diner-style burgers, fries, and milkshakes.
Popular Murder Mystery Games
If you are unsure what murder mystery dinner table games you want to play with your guests, check out a few of these popular selections.
Clue
Many of us have played clue around the dinner table with our families since we were young. Six suspects and one murderer must use their ingenuity and wit to reveal the truth.
High Noon at Dead Man Saloon
This murder mystery kit is perfect for large groups. You and your fellow Cowboys will get a kick from wrangling the murderer terrorizing the Wild West.
Masquerade Murder
If you want to go all out with your themes, costumes, and decorations, pick up the masquerade murder mystery kit. Who doesn’t love dressing up for the ball and a night of scandal?
Avoiding Disasters
During your party, there will surely be hiccups, but likely nothing serious. If you want to do everything in your power to mitigate such occurrences, there are a few steps you can take.
Avoiding messy foods like spaghetti with red sauce or crumbly cake can help keep your space neat. Manageable plates can be exceptionally helpful if you intend to move around a lot. If your crowd plans to drink, this may be even more important.
And, of course, if you plan to serve alcohol, don’t overserve anyone.
Staying within your budget and time limit and making sure your guests do the same will also take a lot of pressure off of hosting. If you have kids or pets, don’t be shy about letting them play along, but make sure they are put away or sent to bed within a reasonable timeframe.
Remember that everyone is there to have fun, and if things don’t go exactly as planned, it usually doesn’t matter. Family, friends, and food. What more could you need?
Other Themed Activities
You might be interested in incorporating other murder mystery elements during your dinner party. While you want your main focus to be on solving the murder, it can be really fun to include side entertainment and challenges for your guests to complete.
Have everyone compete to find the most pieces of evidence during the game. You can hide them around your home and the one that gathers the most wins a small prize. Or hold a challenge for the first one to alert the media by posting a selfie on Facebook.
It might also be fun to create a themed photo wall. Just decorate an open expanse of wall in your home for your visitors to pose in front of. Add props like a most-wanted poster or sheriff’s badge.
Party Tips
Now that you know how to host a murder mystery dinner party game, you’re almost ready to send out the invites. Before you do, here are a few last-minute tips for managing the evening:
- Keep things light-hearted and fun
- Stay within your budget
- Ask your guests about any potential food restrictions
- Respect everyone’s time, including your own
- When in doubt, just make things up as you go along
Your friends and family will likely have fun spending time with you no matter what, so try not to stress too much about making your party perfect. Chances are, no one but you knows how the game will end, so improvise if you have to.
Wrapping Up
As your party comes to a close, you may wonder how to wrap things up. Do you make an announcement? Do you take a final bow, skip town and never see your friends again?
Fortunately, there are some rules of etiquette you can follow for dismissing guests. This is where the setting of start and end times can come in handy. No one wants to spend hours trying to scoot stragglers out the door.
When the murderer gets caught, this is your chance to start winding down the evening. You can start by giving the murderer a round of applause. If your character can, have a speech ready, or ask the person that caught them to share a few words. You might even offer them a prize.
Next, you can thank everyone for coming. Doing so clarifies that you are ready to turn in and start cleaning up after the party. After that, make yourself busy. By declining to hang around and chat, you free yourself from the responsibility of being the host. Most people will take the hint and move on.
Offer your guests goody bags on the way out the door If you want to go the extra mile.
Conclusion
Figuring out how to host a murder mystery dinner party game is a lot of work. Fortunately, the fun you’ll have will make up for it.
Borrow inspiration from places like Pinterest and Instagram. You’re sure to find that there is no end to the themes and niches you can come up with. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your dinner party today.
