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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » How to Host the Ultimate Game Night

    Published: March 13, 2019 / Updated: October 28, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    How to Host the Ultimate Game Night

    2947 shares
    Ultimate Game Night Game Plan

    This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. This content is intended for readers who are 21 and over. ​


    Plan a fun night IN with good friends. Here's your ultimate game night game plan full of party planning, wine, and menu tips!

    people toasting with glasses of red wine

    How often do you get together with your girlfriends?

    If you follow my Instagram stories and if you've followed this blog over the years, you know how important it is for me to spend time with my girlfriends. Between mom friends, blogger friends, gym friends, college friends, and Bunco friends, I treasure all of my groups of girlfriends and value our time together.

    And, recent research actually shows that spending time with good friends twice a week is good for your health. Cheers to that!

    red wine and game night

    So gather your besties and get ready to host a super fun, rockin' girls' night in. I've gathered my years of party hosting tips and condensed them into this Ultimate Game Night Game Plan!

    The Ultimate Game Night Game Plan

    First, plan the basics of your party: location, date, time. Four hours is generally a good time frame to plan for the ultimate game night. That gives you enough time for people to wander in, chat, get food, settle in, and play a game or two.

    Then, plan your guest list. You'll want a small enough group to have good, quality conversations. Yet you want to be sure to have enough friends to play the games.

    Boen pinot noir and charcuterie board

    Next, create the ultimate game night menu. Focus on finger foods that are small and easy for guests to nibble on while playing the games. Stay away from sticky finger foods since nobody wants sticky sauce all over game cards.

    Ultimate Game Night Menu

    I'm a big fan of keeping girls' night menus simple. For a group of four to 10 guests, a good rule of thumb is to serve one main dish, 3-5 appetizers, and 1-2 dessert options.

    red wine, charcuterie board, game night with girlfriends

    Main dish ideas:

    • Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Nachos
    • Honey Bourbon Meatballs
    • Thai Chicken Pizza (dairy-free, vegan)

    Appetizer ideas:

    shrimp cocktail
    • Shrimp Cocktail. I like to serve this in small party cups or spoons with a dollop of cocktail sauce, topped with large shrimp, and dill.
    • Charcuterie and cheese boards. I always have/bring a charcuterie, cheese, and fruit board to girls' nights. My Go-To charcuterie board items include 3 different charcuterie, 2-3 cheeses, grapes, almonds, olives, and 2-3 types of crackers.
    • "Cheezy" Vegan Tomato Pesto Bites
    • Ham, Melon, and Mozzarella Bites
    • Caprese Bites: small party skewers of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

    Dessert ideas:

    • Pinot Noir Brownies. To add to the Game Night theme, spread frosting over the tops of the brownies and use chocolate chips to create brownie dice! (Another awesome way to enjoy Böen- yum!)
    • Swedish Visiting Cake Bars
    • Soft Citrus Sugar Cookies

    Game Night Wine Pick: Pinot Noir

    pouring red wine

    Being from the West Coast, y'all know I love a good Pinot Noir. This medium-bodied California red wine is an ideal wine to serve at game night. It goes well with so many different foods, and is a nice even keel, crowd-pleasing wine.

    For our game night, I served Böen Pinot Noir.

    Boen Pinot Noir red wine at girls night

    Sourced from various vineyards throughout selected regions, the Böen Pinot Noir is smooth and well-balanced. Richer and bolder than many lighter Pinot Noirs, this wine is the purest expression of winemaker Joe Wagner's signature wine style. Wagner is a 5th generation winemaker who has been working closely with some of California's top winegrowers for over nearly two decades. His Böen wines are beautiful reflections of the land from which the grapes are grown, which all us wine lovers can appreciate.

    Boen Pinot Noir red wine

    The Böen Pinot Noir is an amazing wine for girls' nights and game nights, at just around $20 per bottle, and readily available at retailers near you! 

    What can I bring?

    girls' night game night with red wine and food

    Guests often ask what they can bring to the girls' night in. A bottle of wine is always a good idea. But so is food to supplement and complement your game night menu. Think chips and guacamole/salsa, pita crisps and hummus, cookies or other finger food desserts.

    When they ask, feel free to tell friends what you plan to serve, and what others are already planning to bring as well. This way you'll avoid duplicate dishes.

    game night girls night in with red wine and appetizers

    Game nights are ALL about the fun, so don't sweat the small stuff. Focus on inviting fun friends, buy or make a few yummy dishes, serve a delicious wine (such as Böen​), and have fun!

    More party planning guides

    • How to Plan a Fun Moms' Night In
    • Tailgating Party Tips
    • How to Host the Ultimate Holiday Wine Pairing Party
    • Tips for Hosting the Perfect Summer Party
    • Backyard BBQ Tips

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    Ultimate Game Night Game Plan

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Cassidy says

        March 16, 2019 at 7:38 pm

        Looks like so much fun! Great post!

        Kasey Ma
        TheStyleWright.com

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:05 pm

          Thank you! :)

      2. Brooke says

        March 15, 2019 at 12:43 pm

        This looks like such a good time! And such wonderful suggestions! Where did you get your coffee table?? It's so cute!

        xoxo
        Brooke

        Reply
      3. Mariela says

        March 14, 2019 at 11:15 am

        That looks like so much fun! Love this idea!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:05 pm

          Thank you, Mariela!

      4. Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says

        March 14, 2019 at 10:31 am

        Some awesome ideas here for planning a fun girls night! Look forward to throwing my own party soon!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:05 pm

          Thanks, Carrie! I love a good girls night!

      5. Diana says

        March 14, 2019 at 8:58 am

        That looks like an amazing time! The food looks great! I wouldn't have thought about sticky fingers, but you're so right! No one wants sticky game pieces or cards.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:04 pm

          Thanks, Diana! :)

      6. herfavfood says

        March 14, 2019 at 7:36 am

        This looks like such fun! I'm going to give it a try next weekend!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:03 pm

          Yay! I hope it's a blast!

      7. Geeky Daddy says

        March 13, 2019 at 9:16 pm

        I need to party with you. Game nights at my place are no where near as fancy. I need to up my game! (all puns intended)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:02 pm

          LOL! I love going all out!

      8. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        March 13, 2019 at 7:20 pm

        I love this idea! It's been so long since I've had a game night with friends... But I think you've given me an excuse to host one now with all these amazing recipe ideas!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:01 pm

          You should! They're always so much fun! Thanks, Erin!

      9. Leanne Wong says

        March 13, 2019 at 12:01 pm

        What a lovely post on hosting the ultimate game night! Love your choices on the appetizers :)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:01 pm

          Thanks so much, Leanne! :)

      10. Mz_Ola says

        March 13, 2019 at 11:55 am

        So much thought and effort go into hosting a good game night. Now I know to properly appreciate my hosts for what they do when hosting. This is a good one.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          March 28, 2019 at 10:00 pm

          It's a lot of work, but so worth it! Thanks so much!

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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