100 shoe game questions for the wedding reception

The shoe game is the reception game most guests have seen at least once. The couple sits back to back, each holding one of their own shoes and one of their partner’s. The MC asks “who is more likely to…” questions, and both of them raise the shoe of the person they think it is. The room can see both answers. The couple cannot, and the laughs come when they disagree.

The 100 questions below are sorted into funny, sweet and family-safe, so you can pick fifteen or twenty that suit your crowd. At the end there is a version where the guests play along.

How the shoe game works

1. Put two chairs back to back where every table can see them, usually in front of the head table or in the middle of the dance floor.
2. Each of you takes off one shoe and swaps it with the other, so you each hold one of your own and one of your partner’s.
3. The MC reads a question. You both raise the shoe of whoever the answer is, without turning around.
4. The MC says the result out loud for the back tables (“Both say the groom!” or “Ooh, they disagree”) and moves on quickly.

Fifteen to twenty questions is a good length. That takes about ten minutes, which is enough for the room to warm up and short enough that nobody drifts to the bar. The MC holds the microphone; the two of you just raise shoes and pull faces.

Some practical things:

• If one of you is in heels that took twenty minutes to buckle, use something else: wooden spoons with your names on, or two paddles with your photos.
• Let the couple read the list beforehand and cross out anything they do not want asked in front of their parents. Do not rehearse the answers, or you lose the disagreements that get the biggest laughs.
• The game works the same for any couple. Use names instead of “the bride” and “the groom” if that fits you better.
• Start with an easy one, put the funniest in the middle and end on a sweet one. A favorite closer is “Who is the luckier one?”, where you each hold up your own shoe.

Funny shoe game questions

These tease a little, but nothing here should make a grandparent leave the room.

1. Who takes longer in the bathroom?
2. Who snores louder?
3. Who is more likely to get lost with the GPS on?
4. Who eats the last slice without asking?
5. Who takes longer to choose something to watch?
6. Who steals the covers?
7. Who would last longer in a zombie movie?
8. Who talks to the dog like a person?
9. Who is the bigger baby when they have a cold?
10. Who owns more clothes they never wear?
11. Who takes more selfies?
12. Who sings louder in the car?
13. Who leaves the cupboard doors open?
14. Who is more likely to set off the smoke alarm while cooking?
15. Who forgets where they parked?
16. Who would win a dance-off right now?
17. Who has worse taste in music?
18. Who checks their phone first thing in the morning?
19. Who is more stubborn?
20. Who loses their keys more often?
21. Who is more likely to cry at a TV ad?
22. Who would order dessert before the main course?
23. Who is the pickier eater?
24. Who has more unread messages right now?
25. Who laughs at their own jokes?
26. Who was more likely to be late today?
27. Who looks up their symptoms online at 2 a.m.?
28. Who buys things from late-night ads?
29. Who puts the empty carton back in the fridge?
30. Who would be the worse contestant on a cooking show?
31. Who cannot speak before their first coffee?
32. Who turns the heating up when the other is not looking?
33. Who has the louder sneeze?
34. Who takes longer to tell a story?
35. Who is more likely to fall asleep at a party?

Sweet shoe game questions

Save a few of these for the end. The last question is the one people remember.

36. Who said I love you first?
37. Who fell in love first?
38. Who made the first move?
39. Who is the bigger romantic?
40. Who remembers every anniversary?
41. Who plans the surprises?
42. Who was more nervous on the first date?
43. Who knew first that this was it?
44. Who writes the better cards?
45. Who cried first today?
46. Who is the better listener?
47. Who makes the other laugh more?
48. Who says sorry first?
49. Who is more patient?
50. Who gives the better hugs?
51. Who brings breakfast in bed?
52. Who keeps the old tickets and photos?
53. Who calms the other down?
54. Who wanted to get married first?
55. Who was more excited about today?
56. Who will plan the first anniversary?
57. Who chose the first dance song?
58. Who leaves the little notes?
59. Who looks after the other when they are ill?
60. Who reaches for the other’s hand first?
61. Who would give up the last bite?
62. Who introduced the other to their parents first?
63. Who proposed?
64. Who got the better deal today?
65. Who is the luckier one?

Family-safe shoe game questions

Everyday life at home. Good for weddings with children and grandparents in the front row, and good fillers when the funny ones run out.

66. Who is the better cook?
67. Who does the dishes?
68. Who is the early riser?
69. Who is tidier?
70. Who takes out the trash?
71. Who looks after the money?
72. Who controls the TV remote?
73. Who forgets to water the plants?
74. Who packs the suitcase?
75. Who picks the restaurant?
76. Who calls their mom more often?
77. Who is better at putting furniture together?
78. Who does the laundry?
79. Who is more organized?
80. Who reads the instructions?
81. Who is the better dancer?
82. Who is more competitive at board games?
83. Who is better with kids?
84. Who has the better sense of direction?
85. Who is the bigger sports fan?
86. Who wanted a pet more?
87. Who spends more time on the phone?
88. Who talks to strangers in line?
89. Who makes the bed?
90. Who is the night owl?
91. Who is better at saving money?
92. Who invited more guests today?
93. Who chose the furniture?
94. Who gives better presents?
95. Who remembers the family birthdays?
96. Who is more active in the family group chat?
97. Who will try any food once?
98. Who fixes things around the house?
99. Who plans the weekends?
100. Who would win a quiz about the other?

How to let the guests play too

In the classic game the guests only watch. With a small change, every table plays along.

With paper

Put two cards on each table, one with each of your names. Before the two of you raise your shoes, the MC counts down from three and each table holds up the card it thinks is right. Tables that match your answer get a point, and someone at the head table keeps score on a napkin. It is low tech and gets loud fast.

With phones

Turn ten of these questions into a quiz with two answers each: your two names. Guests answer on their phones while you sit back to back, and the screen shows how the room voted.

In Say Kampai, each question has a right answer that you set when you write the quiz, so agree on the answers together beforehand. On the night, the question goes up on the screen, the guests answer, and while the timer runs the two of you raise your shoes. Then the reveal shows the answer you typed in weeks ago and how many guests got it right. If one of you raises the wrong shoe against your own answer, the room will not let it go. The leaderboard after each question keeps the tables competing, and the top three get a podium at the end.

For more questions in the same style, see our wedding quiz questions about the couple, which include ten “who is more likely to” questions and fifty about how you met, the proposal and your favorites. If you are planning the rest of the evening, our list of wedding reception games for guests has games for the tables and for the whole room. And if the shoe game becomes a full phone quiz, this guide to running wedding trivia on the big screen covers the screen, the WiFi and what the MC says.