In the spirit of Halloween, I hosted my first murder mystery party last week. I love having a theme when I get together with friends. It gives me an opportunity to be intentional about the environment, food, and music I choose. I also find guests generally are more excited to get together when there is a theme to the gathering.
Hosting a murder mystery party has been on my bucket list for some time now. I bought a murder mystery game at a thrift store a few years back but sadly it sat in storage for a long time. I was cleaning the attic this summer and came across it again and decided it was time to make this happen.
The murder mystery game we used was A Taste for Wine and Murder. If you’re wondering if as the host you can participate in the evening, the answer is YES! You will not know who the murder is. You can still plan and play along even though you are the host!
Here are some tips and tricks I learned along the way.
1. Send Invitations Early
As soon as I decided I wanted to make this game come to life, I texted a few close friends to see if they’d be interested. The first thing people usually ask is if they have to act. Murder mystery parties are for everybody, even those who aren’t comfortable with “acting.” The game comes equipped with scripts, costume descriptions and prompts for each character, making it very easy for anyone to follow along. One I explained this to my friends, they were down to give it a try.
Our game required 6 characters – 3 men and 3 women to play but can have up to 8 characters in total. In order to have the right mix of men and women, I had to start asking people early and verify they can come on the date I had selected.
The game was also equipped with invitations that included the character descriptions. I had to be sure everyone who was interested could commit to coming before sending the invites since I only had a limited number of invitations to send.
If you decide you want to host a murder mystery party, send your invitations one month in advance. This gives people a chance to find their costumes if they want to get into character. It also gives you time to plan any food and decorations.
2. Plan Your Menu and Schedule
My murder mystery game came with a party planning guide. This was incredibly helpful when planning my menu for the evening and overall theme.
Suggested Grocery Plan
The game outlined a few menu ideas to match the theme of the game. I modified with Pinterest recipes but still similar to the menu ideas given for the game.
I did my grocery shopping in two parts. First, I purchased a few items in bulk from Sam’s Club. Depending on the size of your group, it may be cheaper to buy some items in bulk. I did this a week before the party. Then, the week of the party, I went back to the grocery store for items that had a shorter shelf life.
A huge help to me was asking each of my guests to bring something from my menu to share. This saved me time and money in the end. Plus, asking guests to bring something gives them a sense of contribution to the evening.
Menu Sample
This was my menu to serve 7 people.
Appetizers: Variety of cheeses, meats, crackers, naan bread, spinach and artichoke dip, hummus & grapes
Estimated cost: $40
If I were to do this again, I’d have fewer appetizers. We had a lot of leftovers.
Main Meal:
Cornish game hens – This was actually pretty easy to make and made for an amazing presentation! Just allow up to two hours to cook 6!
Creamy lemon herb orzo
Spinach salad with sugar snap peas
Estimated cost: $50
Dessert: Vanilla ice cream and Pirouline Cookies
Estimated cost: $15
Drinks: Variety of wines, a sangria mix & punch
Estimated cost: $40
Again, ask guests to bring drinks of their choice. Unless you already have a full bar that you’re willing to share, alcohol can add up fast!
Suggested Schedule
The murder mystery can usually be divided into three parts – appetizers, dinner, and dessert. Overall, plan the game to be played over a course of 3 hours.
Here is a rough idea of the schedule I used.
7 p.m. – Guests arrived. Marvel at each person’s costume!
I also had each person take a “mug shot” photo, which was a lot of fun. See those below.
7:20 p.m. – Character introductions & first round is played while mingling with food and appetizers.
8 p.m. – Dinner served
We choose to have a later dinner for this party. With a later start time, people could loosen up a little more easily and enjoy their drinks. Except for me of course! I stuck to sparkling punch since I’m drinking for two!
8:30 p.m. – Second round
We sat at the dinner table after plates were cleared. The second round was fairly short.
9:00 p.m. – Third round
We moved to the living room and continued to mingle. The third round took a while longer since it is the final round. Characters give their last defense and then the accusation process starts.
9:30 p.m. – Game concluded
The murder is revealed! We then enjoyed some ice cream and treats before people headed out.
10:30 p.m. – People left for the evening. Rinse down any major dishes and then kick up your feet! You did a great job hosting and the dishes can wait for tomorrow.
3. Plan Your Decorations
Your murder mystery game should come with a party planning guide to help you establish a theme. Our game took place at a winery called, Underwood Estates. I used this as inspiration to create a look and feel that matched the game. It is nice to add small touches here and there that really set the tone.
Don’t be afraid to go the extra mile! I put some small touches on details that I think overall really added to theme and feel. Be creative and have fun with it! Also, don’t be afraid to use your space. Our house is small but we used the kitchen, dining room and living room as a part of the evening.
Recycle What You Have
I did my best to find items around my home that already fit the theme of the party. This eliminated buying very temporary junk for the sake of one party. Almost 90% of what I used for the dinner table were decorations and place settings from our wedding. It was fun to dig these fancy glasses out again!
Borrow
A few items on my list, I did not own. I asked friends and family if they had something that could work. For example, I did not have black table napkins.
Cloth napkins added to the overall look of the dinner presentation, however, they were too costly for me to buy. My mom had a set of cloth napkins that worked out perfectly! It’s likely someone will have something that you can borrow. I also was short one chair and asked a friend to bring a folding chair we could use. It is nice to save a few extra bucks by just asking a friend if they are willing to help.
Reduce Waste
Anything I did have to buy, I tried to make sure it was something I could use in the future. For example, I’m not a huge fan of disposable party trays and serving bowls. I’d rather spend an extra couple of dollars at a thrift store to get a nice serving dish I could use again in the future. If it was absolutely something I’d never use in the future (caution tape for example), I made sure to prioritize it low on my list and only get it if I really felt I couldn’t have the party without it.
4. Take Lots of Photos
It’s a fun evening that you’ll want to remember! Take photos as you go or encourage your guests to take photos and share them. Although you’re hosting, try to remember – be in the moment! The evening will go by quickly. You put a lot of work into planning the night, so be sure you take some photos to remember it by.
I really enjoyed hosting my first murder mystery party and would consider doing one again in the future. It can be simple or complex as you’d like, but I encourage you to find those special details that make your theme come to life!
Have you ever hosted or participated in a murder mystery party? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Please share your support by liking, sharing or commenting. I love to hear from you all!