When the pandemic started, everyone was feeling sorry for the March birthdays, then the April birthdays…then May, June, July—Do I need to go on?

Now, as we are still dealing with COVID-19, it’s becoming clear that most of us are probably sacrificing the chance to have a birthday celebration this year. While it’s certainly the least of our worries, the meme of the sad cat sitting alone with a candle and a birthday hat still comes to mind.

Fortunately, you don’t have to sacrifice a spectacular birthday party just because of social distancing. By taking advantage of the latest video chatting software you can throw a Zoom birthday party and have a memorable virtual birthday celebration without ever having to leave the house. Plus, you can still have fun and enjoy an amusing time with those who matter most.

For example, why not throw a virtual murder mystery birthday party? It’s a fun way to break up the quarantine routine while celebrating someone special. However, hosting a murder mystery party requires a lot of planning and work, both leading up and during your party. Read on for the easiest way to host a virtual murder mystery birthday party so that you can enjoy yourself too!

What Are the Basics for Hosting a Birthday Murder Mystery Party?

Throwing a murder mystery birthday party is guaranteed to be a hit for you and your guests. After all, who doesn’t love a good whodunit game?

However, many hosts that begin to DIY their own virtual murder mystery party quickly find themselves overwhelmed with planning. If you’re planning this for your own birthday, you don’t want to spend this special time being stressed out! Here are some questions that might come up in the planning process:

• Do I have a strong storyline that will keep guests engaged and on the edge of their seats?
• Do I have knowledge of the use and full features of an online platform to host this murder mystery birthday party virtually?
• Do I have access to this online platform (whether it is free or paid)?
• Do I have a plan for each event or scene of my murder mystery party?
• If I’m hosting and moderating the party, will I be able to really enjoy myself?

If you’re worried that your party will be difficult to plan and enjoy, don’t be. By following a few simple steps, you can plan out a unique experience that will have everybody talking.

1. Decide on a Guest List

As with any in-person party, your first step in planning a birthday murder mystery party is deciding who’s going to be on your guest list. Think about your closest friends, coworkers, and family members. Pick out whoever you think is going to enjoy (and add to) the whole experience. What’s great about virtual parties is that you are not limited to friends and family members that are within driving distance—you can invite anyone around the world! 

For virtual murder mystery parties, our best recommendation is to start with 8 guests (including yourself). From our experience, this is the perfect number to have a ton of fun but not feel too crowded… on the screen.

2. Book a Host

Your murder mystery birthday party is still your birthday party, so you don’t want to get stuck hosting the event. Instead, you should be enjoying the experience along with your guests.

Doing everything virtually can make it tricky to get everyone in character and following along with the plot. Even if you get one of your friends to do it, it’ll still be a first-time attempt and may not go the way you’d like it to.

Luckily, there are professional hosting services that provide your party with a professional actor. They’ll host the whole event for you and give you a complete experience. This will free you up to sit back and enjoy your virtual birthday party alongside all your guests.

By booking a host, everyone will be surprised and enthralled by a tried-and-true plot. Best of all, you won’t have to spend much energy planning the murder mystery birthday party yourself. They’ve done it all before and can help you easily get everything together.

3. Assign Roles to Your Guests

Part of what makes murder mystery games so fun is that everyone gets their own part to play. This is the step where you get to be creative and decide which of your guests fit which roles within your theme. Have fun with it and reach out to your guests for suggestions if needed.

Once you find the perfect host for your murder mystery party, they will have a list of characters that you and your guests can assign to each other. 

Switch things up by thinking ironically; in other words, which character in your theme is least like one of your party guests? Watching them struggle is sure to bring on laughs.  

4. Dress Up and Decorate!

Once the party is booked and ready to go, reach out to your guests about the theme and their character, and encourage them to dress up for their parts. For added ambiance, they can decorate the space around to fit the theme as well.

Plan Your Murder Mystery Birthday Party Now

Just because we’re social distancing doesn’t mean you have to spend your birthday alone singing “happy birthday to me.” By planning out a virtual murder mystery birthday party, you can still have a fun and memorable time with all your friends. Now that you know how easy it is to pull off, you can start picking birthday cake flavors, party invitations, and all the other virtual birthday party ideas that spring to mind! Contact us today to speak with one of our professional party planners and book your Zoom murder mystery birthday party!