Key Takeaways
- Prepare a mix of classic and funny Newlywed Game questions to suit all types of wedding celebrations.
- Customize the game to fit different event styles, from bridal showers to game nights, by planning ahead.
- Keep score in a fun and easy way to see who knows their partner best at the end.
Whether played at an engagement party, bridal shower, the wedding, or a game night at home, the Newlywed Game is a fun, popular activity that puts your favorite pair in the hot seat. The Newlywed Game revolves around quizzing the couple on their partner and relationship, and any question—from when was your first date to who takes longer in the shower—is fair game. While it is most commonly played at the end of bridal shower, it's a fun addition to just about any gathering, and it can be played by dating, engaged, or married pairs.
If you're technologically savvy, it's also a fun addition to a bachelor or bachelorette party; just record the honoree's soon-to-be spouse ahead of the trip, then play back the answers after quizzing them at your group getaway. It's the perfect low-key activity if you're looking to fill a quiet night.
Best of all, the Newlywed Game can be as long or as short as you'd like, and there's no shortage of topics to cover. To help you plan your own Newlywed Game, we're sharing 100 of our favorite questions to ask, including both classic and funny options. If you’re thinking about playing it with the newlyweds, speak to them in advance to make sure they are comfortable doing this at any of their events.
What Is the Newlywed Game?
Though the Newlywed Game is often played at engagement parties, bridal showers, and even wedding receptions today, that's not where it originated. The original iteration was actually a television show: The Newlywed Game premiered on ABC in 1966 and was initially hosted by television personality Bob Eubanks and was a play on The Dating Game. The show featured four couples who were married for less than a year, then took the wives off stage while husbands answered questions based on how they thought their spouses would respond; the wives then returned to the stage and gave their answers. Couples who had the same responses were awarded points.
The show has continued to air on and off over the years, but it's now most commonly played as part of wedding events. At a bridal shower, for example, the groom might come towards the end of the event and play against his bride-to-be. At a wedding reception, the newlyweds might answer questions before opening up the dance floor or cutting their cake. Ultimately, when you choose to play is up to you!
It's important to note that origins of this game were very focused on heterosexual couples, but it's a game that any couple can play and can be easily customized to any pair.
How to Play the Newlywed Game
There are different ways to play the Newlywed Game, so before planning to play it a wedding event, make sure you decide on your process. For instance, you may choose to ask the couple all of the questions and have them come up with answers on the fly. However, this approach can be tricky and slow since the couple will need time to think.
With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of how to play with some advance planning.
Step 1: Prep Ahead of Time
Send the couple your list of questions, from funny to sentimental, to answer about one another. Request that they send you their responses separately, without discussing them with one another! You can hold on to the answers until the big event when all is revealed.
Step 2: Run Through Basics
When it comes to playing the game, someone will need to act as the host. That person—usually a member of the wedding party—should start by introducing the game and explaining how it works. To kick off, read each question from your list and have the couple guess what their partner has said. For example, for the question "Describe what you first thought of them in one word," they should each guess what their partner said about them. Next, the fun begins when you compare those guesses to what the couple actually said about each other.
Step 3: Keep Score
Keeping score is relatively simple. For every answer each member of the couple gets right, they get one point. Someone should be assigned the task of writing the points down. Whoever has the most points at the end of the game knows their partner the best and is declared the winner.
Photo by Lauren Ashley Photography
70 Classic Newlywed Game Questions
Ready to give it a whirl? If you’re scratching your head and wondering what questions to ask, we’ve got you covered. Here are some questions to get you started:
- How did you meet your spouse?
- What did they wear on your first date?
- Where did you go on your first date?
- Describe what you first thought of them in one word.
- When did you know that they were "the one?"
- Who said “I love you” first?
- When and where was your first kiss?
- Who is a better kisser?
- Who is the tidiest?
- Who is the funniest?
- Who is their celebrity crush?
- Which one of you is the better driver?
- Who does most of the cooking?
- Who is the best cook?
- Who is the saver in your relationship?
- Who is the spender in your relationship?
- Who does the most cleaning?
- Who is more organized?
- What’s your spouse’s favorite TV show?
- What’s their favorite movie?
- What would be your spouse’s ideal date night?
- What is their pet name for you?
- What's their go-to pizza order?
- Who is more romantic?
- What was the first movie you saw together?
- What’s their favorite band and/or artist?
- Do you have a song, and if so, what is it?
- Which celebrity couple are you most like?
- What is their favorite junk food?
- Which ice cream flavor do they love the most?
- What is their favorite candy bar?
- Name the best gift they ever gave you.
- If your spouse was a Disney character, who would they be?
- What is their star sign?
- How does your spouse like their steak cooked?
- How many cousins do they have?
- How often do you go on dates together?
- What's their go-to bagel order?
- What was the name of your spouse’s first pet?
- If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy together?
- Name your spouse’s favorite restaurant.
- What is your spouse’s best feature?
- What would they say is your best feature?
- How would they spend the day in an empty house?
- What is your spouse’s dream job?
- Who has the worst handwriting?
- How does your partner like their eggs in the morning?
- Who is more adventurous?
- What's their favorite holiday?
- Who is more honest?
- Which of you finishes your meals first?
- Who would win in an eating contest?
- What color are your spouse’s eyes?
- What was their first job?
- Who is the better listener?
- Who is more emotional?
- What is your spouse’s favorite color?
- What was the last date you went on?
- If your spouse needed a lift at 3 a.m., who would they call?
- What high school did your spouse go to?
- Who would play your spouse in a movie?
- What is your spouse’s favorite book?
- If your spouse were an animal, which would it be?
- What’s your spouse’s best personality trait?
- How many children does your spouse want?
- What’s your spouse’s worst habit?
- What’s their hidden talent?
- How does your partner take their tea or coffee?
- What is your spouse’s ideal vacation?
- If money were no object, where would you live?
30 Funny Newlywed Game Questions
Want to make the Newlywed Game even more enjoyable? For an experience packed with laughter, add some of these funny questions to your list or use them to inspire your own prompts.
- Who has the most exes?
- Who would you say is the better catch?
- Who is most likely to steal food from your plate?
- Who takes a longer shower?
- Who is most likely to get lost?
- Who has the messier closet?
- Who hogs the covers more?
- What's their go-to karaoke song?
- Who does your partner think would play them in a movie?
- Who should actually play your partner in a movie?
- What is one thing they’d most likely end up in jail for?
- What is one thing they’d most likely go viral for?
- Who wants to arrive earliest at the airport?
- Who has gotten more speeding tickets?
- What is their guilty pleasure?
- What was your worst date?
- What is their most annoying habit?
- Who is more likely to cheat at a board game?
- What is the weirdest gift they've ever given you?
- What's your partner's favorite emoji?
- If your spouse had a superpower, what would it be?
- Which one of you would win at Trivial Pursuit?
- What would their last meal be?
- What would their three "desert island" movies be?
- What do you do that makes your partner laugh every single time?
- What’s one wild animal they’d willingly keep as a pet?
- What is your partner's silliest fear?
- Who spends more time researching a restaurant menu before a date?
- What's their go-to late-night snack after a night out?
- What's the one thing you never agree on?
FAQ
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It depends on the amount of time you're willing to dedicate to playing the game. We suggest 15-20 questions for a fast-paced game that won't completely overtake the event.
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Start with who, what, where, and when style questions to keep things simple and avoid confusion. Throw in a few "Who is more likely to..." questions for a bit of competitive fun.
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Of course! The game can be modified to fit whoever is attending the event. We especially love it for a bachelorette party to see how well a bride-to-be knows her squad.
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