Ever wondered how to host a murder mystery party? In this post, I’ll be sharing a recap of the planning process and details behind my Vampire themed murder mystery party for Halloween.
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After taking a small hiatus from Halloween hosting, this year felt like the perfect time to plan something that’s been on my bucket list for a while now: a murder mystery party.
Seen as how I had never even attended a murder mystery party before, to say I went into this a complete novice is quite an understatement. Nonetheless, I think I was able to pull off a successful and engaging night for all to enjoy!
Today I’m sharing a recap of the planning, preparations, and final outcome of the party. Complete with a large DIY project and tons of great party product recommendations.
Click here to check out my complete list of VAMPIRE THEMED party must haves!
So, if you’re interested in hosting your very own murder mystery party, or just a vampire themed party in general, I hope you find a few useful tools throughout this post!
Phase 1: The Planning
Phase 2: The Preparations
Phase 3: The Party
DIY Standing Vampire Coffin Prop
Phase 1: The Planning
Start early! This isn’t a party you can throw together last minute.
As the host, you need to decide if you’ll be participating in the game as a character within the storyline, or just hosting as an “outsider” – you can do either!
Since this was my first time hosting a murder mystery party, I really wanted everything to go smoothly and make sure the storyline unfolded properly. I was worried that hosting, making sure the party flowed, and also trying to solve the mystery as a character would be a bit too overwhelming. So, I opted out of playing and instead focused on being the host. I was there to welcome everyone, read instructions, pass out the clue cards at each stage of the game, and keep track of time. As a first-timer, I think this was the right choice and it was still really fun to watch everyone mingle in character throughout the night.
Pick a theme and color palette
I wanted my first murder mystery party to be as uncomplicated and straightforward as possible – both for myself and my guests, many of whom were also first-timers. So I opted for a classic Halloween theme: vampires!
As usual, I ran to Pinterest for all the inspiration and party planning ideas. Click here to see my vampire party themed board.
I figured the decor and food would be achievable given the party’s location (my home) and I also knew this party would be sometime during the middle of October, so not exactly Halloween weekend. Because of this, I didn’t want my guests to stress about having to put together a super elaborate costume… although most of them really outdid themselves and came through with some amazingly thought-out looks!
Carefully consider the guest list
When thinking of a guest list, I highly suggest considering people who would be enthusiastic about participating, dressing up, role playing, and truly enjoy the entire experience versus those who may not – and possibly even view it as a chore. It’s important to understand that this isn’t an average party, and will require quite a bit of extroversion, imagination, mingling, reading clue cards, etc., and isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
You may want to start putting the feelers out there and ask your friends ahead of time before sending invitations to get a better idea of who’d be interested in this kind of gathering.
Select and purchase a game kit to match your theme and guest list
There are so many independent websites and Etsy shops that sell amazing murder mystery party kits. You can search for the one that works best with your desired theme and the number of guests – even down to the number of males and females who’ll be attending. Or, you can browse through all the different game options to help you pick a theme if you’re not sure of one yet.
Since I was pretty set on a vampire theme, I went with this exact kit from a company called My Mystery Party, and also purchased the expansion pack of extra characters because, as it turned out, we had quite a lot of friends interested in attending and a pretty large guest list of 18 characters total.
The game we chose was called Murder At Twilight and the synopsis read:
For three weeks, vampires around the world have been murdered at an alarming rate by the Global Vampire Slayer. Stat LeBacourt, the leader of the International Vampire Coven and most powerful vampire in the world, has called an emergency meeting of vampires at the Red Haven Cottage in Three Forks, Colorado. You’ve been summoned, and plan to attend. This is where your story begins.
Phase 2: The Preparations
Once the guest list is finalized and your game kit is purchased, it’s time to start getting all the moving pieces together.
Start by assigning a character to each person on your guest list. I chose to do this at random, but if you also want to play a character, be sure to ask someone for help so that you’re not reading any spoilers. Most game kits will give you the option to hide spoilers or tell you which materials you should and shouldn’t read depending on whether or not the host is also playing a character in the storyline.
Some murder mystery kits include extra optional materials like invitations, decoration ideas, food recipes, and more. It’s up to you how much you want to follow this. I personally LOVE the creative process of party planning, so I opted to take my own path with custom designed invitations, and kind of did my own thing for the rest of the party when it came to things like decorations, menu, etc.
I essentially just used the kit I purchased for the characters and storyline, which I followed to a T. The game kit was very easy to follow and everything was sent to me as a digital download including clue cards for each round, a victim sign, character name tags, investigation sheets, and other materials. It was as easy as having everything printed and sorted into the different envelopes for each round with the character names.
As a bonus and just for fun, I also designed a few certificates for BEST COSTUME and BEST ACTING, along with a few extra name tags that I used as placeholders for some party favor frames (more on this later!)
Invitations
If you choose to create your own, I suggest using Canva and making a standard phone screen size that you can send virtually via text or email. I ended up designing a “save the date” to send out before the official invitation.
On Canva, I used the following keywords when searching for graphic elements to fit the vampire theme: gothic frame, victorian frame, vampire, bats, spooky illustrations. The fonts I used were: ITC Edwardian Script, ITC Century Handtooled, Engravers Old English, and Libre Baskerville.
The invitation is what really sets the tone for an event, which is why I decided to design them from scratch. Plus, I enjoy graphic design so this part is fun for me! But, you could always just use the ones that come with the murder mystery game kit instead!
When sending the final invitations to each of your guests, be sure to include their character name, a brief description, and a plot synopsis, along with some suggested attire ideas for their specific character. This is super helpful and may ease the nerves of those who haven’t attended a murder mystery party and aren’t quite sure what to expect.
Decorations
I usually like to go all out on the creepy decor for my Halloween parties, but for this vampire themed night, I knew I wanted the ambiance to lean more elegantly spooky, with romantic details like layered tapered candles and wilted roses, plus a few other elevated yet eerie details to set the gothic vampy vibe.
faux florals | DIY gothic skull frame | red curtains
Another reason to start prepping early is so that you have time to order specialty or hard to find items online, then slowly accumulate things from different stores along the way. This helps decorating feel like less of an overwhelming task.
For parties, I particularly like to thrift things like: tableware, fabrics for table runners, backdrops, etc. Also, be sure to shop your stash before buying. If you host often, you likely have things you can repurpose. Lastly, I like to go the DIY route as often as possible.
bleeding skull candle | animal skeleton decor | DIY spell book thrift flip | black creepy cloth
A few vampire themed decor ideas: red velvet or taffeta fabrics, large coffins, red light bulbs and flood lights for ambient lighting, wilted red roses, tapered candles, gothic shaped frames, black and silver tableware, and black lace details.
To keep the lighting dim, I removed most of the bulbs from my living room chandelier, and turned on a few table lamps covered with creepy cloth or lace runners.
I highly suggest decorating as early as possible. Leave only the last minute items like candles and food for day-of. Everything you can do ahead of time will just make the day of the party that much smoother for you as a host.
Food
You can decide if you’d like a sit down dinner party, or have a buffet-style grazing table set up. I think a sit down dinner works best if you have 8-10 people max. Most murder mystery kit games allow spaces in the storyline for “dinner” breaks but if you have a grazing table or apps floating around, your guests will stay focused on the gameplay.
red wall backdrop | red tapered candles | bleeding tapered candles | candelabra | assorted tapered candle holders | skulls | silver plate chargers
I went with a grazing table set up and also made a cozy slow cooker beef stew (left warming in the kitchen) for those who preferred a heartier meal throughout the night.
Some food ideas for a vampire themed grazing table: bruschetta, baked brie pastry with black cherry jam, red velvet popcorn (I suggest making these in bite sized pieces), cherry cheesecake brownies, a charcuterie board, grapes… and anything with a bit of RED on it. I like to balance the sweet and salty as much as possible, and always make sure to have some veggie/vegan options. Find links to all recipes via this Pinterest board!
Signature Drink
This isn’t necessary, but always a plus in my book. I think this type of party is ideal for a signature drink because you can hand it to the guests as they walk in or set them out on a welcome table. A signature drink can also set the tone for the theme and act as a great ice breaker for guests who may not know each other very well.
vintage style glassware | spider webs | gold tray
I went with a drink called Vampire’s Kiss that I was able to premake in a large batch, and set them out on a welcome table in these gorgeous vintage crystal-look glasses. If you do this, leave enough room in each glass for some ice or a splash of sparkling water once guests arrive. Click here for the Vampire’s Kiss cocktail recipe.
Dress Code
By now, you should have already sent each guest some suggested attire ideas based on their character. But, if you want to go a step further, you can create a Pinterest board with inspiration and links to any items you find online for guests who are in need of a little more help. I didn’t do this simply because I was getting some great feedback from my friends about their outfits, and everyone seemed to be having a fun planning out their looks.
As the host, if you’re playing a character you obviously want to dress accordingly. But if you aren’t playing and opting to just host for the night, you still want to fit the vibe and dress on theme.
For my vampiress/host look, I went with a simple black dress, velvet burnout bell sleeve shrug, gothic jewelry, and a tiara. I had plans to wear this standing lace collar but it interfered with my ponytail, so an updo would’ve worked out better in hindsight. To complete the look, I also added a pair of fangs and some icey grey contacts.
As usual, I was overly ambitious with my schedule for the day and ended up really short on time to get ready. So for my makeup, I kept it simple with a red smokey eye and extra glossy lips. I had also planned to apply this set of red stiletto press on nails and some added faux blood drips, but just didn’t get around to it.
Music
Nothing sets the tone of the night like music. I highly recommend creating a Spotify playlist, or finding a mix on Youtube that you can leave running in the background while your murder mystery game is underway. Make sure it’s at a decent volume as your guests will be having conversations and mingling throughout the night.
I opted to play this exact video called “Dining With A Fatal Vampire” and loved the way it added just the right amount of eerie ambient music to the background. The visuals were also stunning and worked as a great backdrop to the night.
Game Materials
As previously mentioned, murder mystery parties require an extra level of prep involved, as you need to print out things like character sheets, clue cards, and faux money if needed. Once printed, you also need to put the materials together and organize everything by stuffing envelopes, making name tags, setting up the victim props, etc. This will all depend on the specific murder mystery kit you purchase.
mini gold frames | bleeding pillar candles | halo headband
Some websites also offer physical copies of the game where they send you a box of the printed material. But if you go the digital download route, you’ll need to print and prep all of this in advance. Again, do this ahead of time so you’re not rushing last minute. Then before the party, organize all the game materials in one hidden yet easy to access spot so that you are organized as the game progresses throughout the night. Be sure to provide enough pens for everyone to take notes and fill out investigation sheets, etc.
Phase 3: The Party
The murder mystery kit I purchased came with an amazingly detailed schedule of the game/night. As my first time hosting, I followed the timeline pretty closely to make sure everything flowed properly and we were able to complete the storyline without any hiccups along the way.
Before guests arrived, I made sure the final details were set: colored ambiance lighting, candles lit, music on, and I also took a few photos and videos of the decor and food. The one thing I totally forgot about was the fog machine! It was all set up in the corner behind a coffin, but I just didn’t get around to hitting the start button. I guess there’s always next time!
tapered candles | spider webs | black lace coverings | gothic frame mirror | black crows | large coffin prop via The Sugar Cottage Miami
A general schedule for the night:
Set a time for guests to arrive, and leave a 15-20 min window for latecomers. Upon arrival, offer guests a signature welcome drink and take a Polaroid or Instax picture for a “suspect wall” – my version of this was a set of mini frames with placeholder name tags. The idea was that each guest would add their printed photos inside the frame and take them home with them at the end of the night as a party favor. (I even glued magnets on the back of each frame for the perfect fridge accessory!)
Instax film camera | red tablecloth | mini frames
Next, gather guests together and read the official game “instructions” for the night. Remember this may be the first murder mystery party for some guests so it is important to make everyone feel at ease. This would also be the perfect time to snap a few group photos!
Then commence the game, completing different rounds, and following the instructions provided with the murder mystery kit until the murder is solved or the final solution is revealed.
After the game, my plan was to have an “awards ceremony” – with small prizes for best dressed and best actor. However, our game took quite a while to finish and we sort of ran out of time for this before a few of the guests had to head home for the night!
Side note: 18 people was definitely a little chaotic and it took quite a while to get through each round. If this is your first time hosting a murder mystery party, I suggest keeping the group to around 10-12 people max.
I was still able to count the votes and hand out the award prizes to our night’s best dressed and best actor guests, which consisted of little coffins filled with a mini bottle of alcohol, Halloween candy, and a bat shaped bottle topper. The coffins were from Dollar Tree. I just painted them with black chalk paint and added some gold details with Rub n Buff. The bat wine toppers were from Joann Fabrics – definitely a great spot to pick up unique holiday decor and gifts!
After the game ended, we switched over to party music, poured some celebratory shots, and enjoyed the rest of the night dancing and sipping on blood bag cocktails.
Cheers to our first murder mystery party!
Overall, I think the night was a success. Everyone mixed and mingled in character, looked amazing, and seemed to have a great time trying to figure out whodunnit. I was so thrilled to see how engaging the game turned out.
It was such a memorable night and I can definitely see myself making this an annual thing… maybe even sprinkled throughout the year on different holidays or occasions other than Halloween. Is it totally wild that I’m already thinking of the next possible theme?!
For now, I’ll leave you with a few shots of the party and a bonus DIY (almost 7 ft tall) standing coffin prop!
DIY Cardboard Vampire Coffin
Sadly, I don’t have process shots of this DIY because quite frankly… I really wasn’t sure if it would even work out! I watched this video tutorial, but for the most part, I was just winging it and crossed my fingers it would work out.
However, after hearing such great feedback from friends and seeing how well it held up for our party, I figured I’d at least share a step-by-step recap of how I made it.
Materials
- cardboard boxes (a lot of them!) – this is the perfect chance to recycle all those Amazon shipping boxes
- packing tape, heavy-duty electrical tape – I’ve been told that gaffing tape would actually be ideal for this!
- tape measure
- sharp scissors or a box cutter
- long ruler or sturdy straight edge
- black chalk paint and angled paint brush
- fabric of choice for lining
- large safety pins
- hot glue gun
How To
- Start by cutting out the pieces of cardboard according to the measurements in the photo shown above. You may need to join together several pieces of cardboard to achieve the correct sizes for each panel. I did this and just used a lot of tape to combine the cardboard together. Tip: when cutting, use a long ruler or sturdy straight edge to run the box cutter (or sharp scissors) along and score the cardboard pieces before cutting. This will make it easier to cut.
- Once you have all the panels cut, start attaching the side, top, and bottom panels of the coffin to the base using tape. Take your time to make sure all the edges are lined up properly – but this will all be covered in tape so it doesn’t have to be perfect.
- Reinforce all of the inside edges and corners with hot glue, then glue a few more pieces of cardboard to the inside of the base and walls for extra stability. They can be imperfect and random sizes as this will be covered with fabric later on. But just make sure it is a somewhat uniform layer of cardboard throughout. I think this added layer is what gave the coffin more sturdiness and allowed it to actually stand up on its own.
- Continue adding layers of tape over the entire coffin – around the outside, wrapping over and around the top and bottom, across the back, etc. The more tape the better. So, when in doubt, just add tape.
- Once the coffin shape is nicely taped up and it feels sturdy, test to see if it stands up. It may want to lean slightly to one side, so you can glue more cardboard here and there until it is nicely balanced and stands up straight.
- Next, paint the entire coffin, inside and out, using flat matte paint (my go-to is black chalk paint). I found that using an angled paint brush was ideal for getting into the corners.
- Once the paint is fully dry, lay your coffin down on the floor again. Take your fabric and start lining it up along the top edge of the inside of the coffin. Depending on how much fabric you have, you can use large safety pins to create “faux” pleats along the top and bottom. Secure the fabric in place using a combination of hot glue and tape. Place a bit of hot glue along the inside edges of the walls of the coffin to secure the fabric in place as well. This is the part I was kind of winging and wasn’t sure about. Just keep securing the fabric along the edges of the coffin using tape and hot glue until you like the way it looks.
- Create a faux “lip” or border around the entire edge of the opening of the coffin. I did this by cutting thin 1.5 inch wide pieces of cardboard to fit along all the exposed edges, mitering the corners (just eyeballing this and cutting as needed) so that they joined together properly. To secure the borders down, yet again… use more tape! Paint this border black to match the rest of the coffin and you’re done!
This entire thing is essentially held together by A LOT of tape and wishful thinking!
I suggest using the sturdiest boxes you can find. But, if it still has a hard time standing up, you could also attach some kind of stand to the back using scrap wood, or just lean it up against a wall.
The flat matte paint really helps to disguise imperfections and looks even better at nighttime in really dim light. For the lining fabric, I used a thrifted taffeta curtain with a slightly iridescent red and black sheen, but I think some crushed red velvet would also look amazing.
The border or lip around the opening also makes the coffin appear to have thicker walls, and finishes it off nicely!
Overall, the coffin stands at around 6 feet 8 inches and is the perfect focal point (and photo backdrop!) for a vampire themed party.
For the party, I styled it in a corner next to draped fabric, spider webs, hanging chains, and added red LED flood lights around the base. As I mentioned before, I totally forgot to turn on the fog machine… but that would’ve added such an amazing eerie effect to the overall installment. Oh well… there’s always next time!
I hope this inspired you to host your very own murder mystery party this spooky season – or save this post for an upcoming holiday, birthday, or whenever you’re itching for a themed gathering with a fun and engaging twist!
Click here to check out my complete list of VAMPIRE THEMED party must haves!
If planning is your jam, check out The Perfect Gatherings Digital Party Planner and keep all of your party plans, tasks, to-do lists, and moreโฆ organized in one easy-to-access digital file!
If you like this content, check out these posts below:
– Elevated Halloween Decor Guide
– Spooky Chic Halloween Tablescape
– DIY Gothic Skull Wall Decor
Xx Laura
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