Tired of winter wonderland themed weddings, or spring weddings teeming with the usual suspects of customary flowers, framed by white dresses, white cakes and white decor? How about celebrating this traditional occasion with a non-traditional Halloween wedding? If done correctly, guests will be impressed by the perfect fusion of everlasting love in a macabre setting.
Every bride and groom must know their audience, and know which parts of the theme they can incorporate to make their wedding day special. Here are a few Halloween wedding ideas for the arsenal; choose wisely, ensuring that the intensity of the theme matches the anticipated tone of the day.
The Decor
The decor sets the mood and tone for the nuptials as well as the reception. Obvious colour palette choices would include black and orange. Fall colours, including deep reds, greens, browns and purples can nicely complement the traditional colours. Red, has the benefit of being associated with blood, and as an added bonus may give a greater sense of sophistication. Lighting can be on the softer side, calling on ideas of darkened corners, and things that go bump in the night.
Some fun elements can also be included in the decor: skeleton cake toppers and caskets with an RIP date of the wedding day can add some laughter. Brooms in place of bows on the ends of seating rows, and carved pumpkins with candlelight can give a warming effect to the ambiance. If calling on the autumn season to match the Halloween wedding theme, consider interspersing leaves among the other decorations for a natural touch. Of course, more showy sides of Halloween can also be included, such as displays of witches, ghouls, or any other such conventions. Use wisely.
The Food
There are many options for food served at a Halloween wedding. Finger foods, in the real sense of foods that look like dismembered fingers, can add to the humour of the day. Spaghetti can be used to conjure images of soft, fleshy body parts, as well. Remember, the food served has a double purpose – it feeds guests and also counts as decoration. Using Halloween colours such as orange and black in food or drinks can give a unique spin on refreshments.
When it comes to the wedding cake, simple decorations can be deployed onto a regular cake, such as plastic spiders, bats, witches, goblins and ghouls. A talented cake artist can add these in edible forms for a more authentic feel. In extreme cases, eyeballs or other extreme imagery can be used to give a more grisly tone to the day.
The Dress & Dress-Up
What could be more important than the dress? White dresses are not particularly inspiring with Halloween wedding themes. A more interesting choice would be a bridal dress in orange or black. Those with a greater sense of adventure may choose to wear an actual costume – Bride of Frankenstein, anyone? If there is a pull toward tradition for this very important part of the wedding, consider wearing a white dress with black detailing, or consider having a conventional white dress for the wedding and a second dress, or costume, for the reception.
Maybe bucking all tradition is the goal? In such cases, suggesting costumes for guests so they can join in on the fun might be in order. Forcing guests to participate, however, might not be prudent. Offering masks to guest, or even setting up a craft table where guests can make their own masks can be great fun – this way guests can still choose to wear their own wedding attire, but also “dress up” for the occasion. A table with fake fangs and washable fake-blood products can be an interesting addition to any Halloween wedding theme.
The Wedding Favours
All guests expect some sort of personalized thank you from the bride and groom; treat bags, particularly the orange bags with flying bats and eyes that glow in the dark, are a nice touch. A candy table where guests may pack their own bags can be even more special – just remember to have a personalized thank you note either on some candy or already on the bags themselves.
The Music
One final consideration is the music. This is an easy way to score some points with your guests. What is a Halloween wedding without a little “Thriller” and Vincent Price’s laughter in the background? Help your guests get down on the dance floor with “Time Warp”, “Monster Mash” or “Werewolves of London”. If multimedia is available, consider movies or music videos for a backdrop.
In the end, the ultimate decision of what to include rests with the bride and groom. Ensuring the moods stays fun and light, while embodying more playful elements of Halloween, can add a great deal of character to any wedding. When many weddings blend into one another, having a unique take on a theme is one way to ensure a wedding is memorable, and a bloody good time!