Welcome back to Thoughts & Musings!
It’s the spookiest day of the year… HALLOWEEN!! And in the spirit of this holiday, today’s blog will be about how to throw the best Halloween-themed wedding.
Now, I know what you might be thinking… holiday inspired events almost always end up being tacky, or a complete bust. If I’m being honest, I’ve attended a handful myself and loved the idea and appreciated the attempt, but was a bit disappointed in the result (keep in mind that because I do what I do for a living, I also am much more critical than most when it comes to details). The upside to this, though, is that I have some firsthand experience in what NOT to do when throwing a holiday-themed event, particularly a Halloween one!
So, if it is your dream to be a zombie bride, check out the list of do’s and don’ts below to ensure a tasteful and spooky wedding day:
DON’T feel obligated to wear an all black wedding dress. There is symbolism behind white wedding dresses, and if your heart is set on following traditional with a spooky twist, consider this…
DO wear a silvery grey dress instead! It has a romantic Halloween twist, while still coinciding with the “white wedding dress” tradition.
DON’T feel obligated to have an all dark color scheme, and/or make everything black and pumpkin orange.
DO choose a palette that is sophisticated and a bit ominous. Maybe instead of a bright, pumpkin orange, you use a muted, burnt orange accent on a plum purple base and a splash of burgundy. If you need color inspiration, I encourage you to search “Dark Autumn Colors” on Pinterest.
DON’T feel obligated to make all of your guest come in costume. Not everyone celebrates Halloween as enthusiastically as the next, for one reason or another.
DO encourage your guests to wear one if they are comfortable doing so, and for those who would rather glam up the usual way for a wedding, grant them the opportunity to join in on the festive fun by having masks and Halloween props to use while taking photos!
DON’T feel obligated to use black and orange cellophane and streamers to decorate your tables and venue.
DO splurge a little to set a really gorgeous table (after all, you’re only planning to do this once)! Order linens that fall within your color palette, maybe velvet ones, or use a generic black linen and spruce it up with an overlay.
DON’T feel obligated to have a Halloween inspired wedding cake.
DO offer some sort of sweet for your guests. Need another idea? 3 words: HALLOWEEN CANDY BAR!
DON’T feel obligated to decorate the room with orange and purple string lights and/or strobe light.
DO bring in different lighting options to create the ambiance you’re going for. Ask your DJ about uplighting options and colors. And if you really want to “wow” your guests, dim the lights in the room as low as possible and surround the ceremony in candlelight. It’s a romantic way to say “I do” (plus, think about how uniquely wonderful your pictures will be)!
DON’T feel obligated to have monsters and ghost and ghouls lurking in the corners of the venue.
DO offer your service staff and bartenders the opportunity to tie in with the wedding theme. Consider allowing them to dress up in a costume you choose for them to work your wedding. It’s a touch most people don’t think about, and your staff will enjoy working for you even more (trust me ;) ).
There is so much more that goes into wedding planning as a whole, let alone a specific holiday inspired event between the food served to the favors for your guests to the music played, but here’s a taste. To learn more tricks and treats, reach out to one of our expert planners at:
laurie@yourperfectlyplannedoccasion.com
missy@yourperfectlyplannedoccasion.com
brittney@yourperfectlyplannedoccasion.com
Until next time, stay spooky!