Planning a wedding for the fall opens up a whole host of ideas. Add in an October 31st wedding date, and it’s a creative wedding planner’s dream come true. Halloween is one of the holidays that has a lot of fans, and there are many couples every year who choose a Halloween wedding because they love it so much.
So when a couple comes to you and wants to have a Halloween party (or other weird theme) for their wedding, you might find yourself overwhelmed. There are a lot of choices and avenues to go down when it comes to Halloween nuptials. But never fear—we’ve broken it down for you below.
Types of Halloween Weddings
While certain decorations and ideas may come to mind when told a client wants a Halloween wedding, there are, in fact, multiple different types.
Not every Halloween wedding will be a costume party. Some may prefer a more subtle homage. So when planning a Halloween wedding, make sure you know first and foremost how filled with tricks and treats they want it to be.
An Homage to the Pumpkin
Some clients who want a Halloween wedding may be more interested in the autumnal aesthetic than trick-or-treating. Couples who want a Halloween wedding but want to keep it classy can opt for this sort of wedding. Think pumpkin lined aisles, piles of leaves and seasonal flowers, hot apple cider, and warm colors.
There are a ton of ways to plan a fall wedding, especially one really highlighting the season. Clients may want more subtle nods to Halloween, like Jack-o-Lantern centerpieces or maybe even a candy bar. Pumpkin and cinnamon filled desserts are great options, as is a photo booth with some classic Halloween costumes like a witch’s hat and a vampire cape.
Here Comes the Undead Bride
One of the most popular types of Halloween weddings are gothic-themed nuptials. Everything macabre and ghoulish you can put together will likely please these couples.
Gothic weddings can be extravagant affairs, with candelabras and a black lace wedding dress for starters. They can also be simple and almost resemble a traditional wedding, with everything just being darker. Skulls will be a prominent decoration, and chances are, if a couple wants a gothic Halloween wedding, they probably have some DIY decoration ideas themselves.
Gothic weddings are also a favorite for vampire fans. The aesthetics match, and if you know your clients like vampires, this may be a great way for them to incorporate that theme into their wedding. Little coffin petits fours for dessert, perhaps?
It’s a Halloween Costume Party
Halloween is synonymous with dressing up in costume, and if your couple is a bit more on the fun and whimsical side, this may be a great choice.There are a lot of ways to do a costume party, from guests wearing them the whole time or just changing into costumes for the reception.
Costumes can be themed, like monsters or superheroes, or just a free for all. It all depends on how specific the couple wants to be, or if they really are looking for a monster mash of characters.
For a slightly more subtle costume party, guests can have a choice of masks to pick from for the reception. This way, guests who maybe aren’t comfortable dressing up will feel less intimidated. It also allows a blend of formal dress and costumes. You can tell your clients it’s more of a masquerade than a costume party.
Seasonal and Spooky Food Offerings
One great way to really liven up the Halloween spirit at a wedding is the food. Again, there are multiple ways clients can go with this, so based on the type of Halloween wedding they want, offer them a matching type of food.
For those who want a more refined Halloween approach on their wedding day, pumpkin bisque and miniature pies are great ideas. Encourage these couples to lean into autumn with their flavors, including , hearty meals as opposed to light offerings meant for spring and summer.
For those who are much more into the costume part of Halloween, the food is where they and you can have a lot of fun planning. Spaghetti and “eyeballs,” hors d’oeuvres of crudites carved to look like fingers, ghost cookies, and so much more. The possibilities are really endless.
Themed drinks are another great way to bring in the Halloween aspect for any type of wedding. Blood sangria, apple cider martini, a pumpkin spiced coffee, or any type of crazy-colored cocktail with a floating eyeball in it would be fun. They will be conversation starters and match the date perfectly.
Make sure you have some vendors that can do themed food, especially desserts. Cake artists are great to have in your Rolodex for weddings like these, and you’ll never know when they may come in handy in the future.
13 DIY Tricks and Treats for a Halloween Wedding Party
Halloween is a holiday that already has a strong DIY aspect. People make their own costumes all the time. So, chances are, couples who want a Halloween wedding may want to do some DIY decorations and wedding favors.
If they’re stuck on certain ideas or need some inspiration, here’s a great list of options to pass along to them.
- Candles with the wax dripping over the candle holders
- Plastic or wood pumpkins carved into Jack-o-Lanterns
- Vampire teeth napkin holders (spray paint them gold or black for an added effect)
- Trick-or-treat bags
- Candy and caramel apples
- Ghost, pumpkin, and bat-shaped cookies
- DIY decorated mini pumpkins
- Pumpkin seeds to throw at the happy couple
- Decorated masks or ones guests can decorate themselves
- Mini black cauldrons with air plants in them
- Test tubes with “blood” in them (could be alcoholic or just juice)
- Mini alcohol bottles decorated to look like potions
- Blood-colored cocktails (just add beet juice!)
- Small coffin boxes filled with candies
There’s so many options out there (and more everywhere you look). Make a Pinterest board for different types of Halloween weddings and send them to your clients to use as a guide.
Fun Halloween Wedding Ideas
One way to make a wedding memorable is to have it on Halloween. Another way to have the event never be forgotten is to have Frankenstein marry the couple. When it comes to the goofy, whimsical, or downright weird, Halloween weddings can do it all.
When you’re helping couples plan their Halloween nuptials, remind them to think about incorporating the holiday into all aspects of their special day. This could include a night time ceremony, for starters. Or what about a candlelit one to just add to the spooky atmosphere?
Outside Halloween weddings by the campfire are great for those really embracing All Hallows Eve, but having a reception inside a haunted hotel is also fun. For couples more aligned with the macabre, a fortune teller or even a seance is a must for the reception. What a way to really make a wedding memorable: speaking with the dead.
For music there are classics like the Monster Mash, Ghostbusters, This is Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Thriller by Michael Jackson, just to name a few. Throwing in some of these types of songs in a regular wedding playlist can add to the overall feeling of the night without overtaking it entirely.
A Halloween Wedding is Special
Yes, all weddings are special. However, it’s not everyday you get to plan a wedding on October 31st. Whether it is filled with hauntings and ghosts or pumpkins galore and a few crazy costumes, Halloween weddings are a great way to stretch your creativity as a wedding planner.
There will always be people who want to get married on their favorite days, so if you pull off a few heart-stopping Halloween weddings, well, you’ll build up a massive clientele of vampire lovers in no time.
