Planning a Halloween wedding can be fun, but it should be tailored to meet the personalities of the bride and groom. It's important to decide if the couple wants an over-the-top theme, or something that just matches the season. Start out by asking, "Will there be cobwebs and a skull on the cake?" If yes, then pretty much anything goes. If, however, the bride and groom are seeking something more traditional, seek out subtle ways of suggesting Halloween, such as chocolate brown tablecloths with orange napkins.
Basic Reception Theme Ideas for Halloween
The wedding reception is supposed to be a celebration. It's a chance for the couple to let their personalities shine through, but it's also important to keep the comfort of guests in mind. Use these reception theme ideas for inspiration for a Halloween wedding:
- Masquerade ball – provide guests with feather masks
- Full costume party – request costumes around a theme, but be flexible about expecting guests to comply
- Candy, candy, candy – decorate everything with jars of candy, candy-themed items, and bright, fruity colors
- Farm folly – chooses pumpkins, Indian corn, fall leaves and maybe some scarecrows
- A “tricky” reception, with lots of surprises and treats
Wedding Favor Ideas for Halloween Themes
Wedding favors are small gifts from the couple to their guests. They are a wonderful way to bring some extra fun into the reception without losing an overall theme of class and elegance. All of these favors would be perfect for fall and Halloween weddings:
- Potted plants, such as mums in fall colors
- Roasted pumpkin seeds in cute little boxes
- Small gourds
- Chocolates shaped like leaves
- Day of the Dead sugar skulls
- Maple sugar candy
- Feather masks
- Candy corn
- Spider rings
- Mini plastic pumpkins filled with candy
- Gag items, such as disappearing ink, squirting cameras and whoopee cushions
Wedding Centerpiece Ideas for Halloween Weddings
Wedding centerpieces set a specific mood at each table. They can be simple and elegant, or wild and crazy. Just have some fun!
- Pumpkins – Couples with extra time on their hands can carve table numbers into the pumpkins
- Cornucopia - Fill a cornucopia or basket with gourds, indian corn and fall leaves
- Simple white pillars with fall leaves around the base - use fake leaves for a cleaner, safer centerpiece
- Rubber Halloween masks – scary, cute or funny and filled with stuffing or recycle materials
- Jars of Halloween candy – go with traditional Halloween choices, or choose bride and groom favorites. Give guests small boxes to bring some home. For more emphasis, use those large plastic trick-or-treating buckets to hold the candy.
Wedding Cake Ideas for Halloween Weddings
Halloween weddings are the perfect time to break away from a traditional wedding cake to something a bit more unique. Shy away from vanilla cake and try a fall favorite such as spice, pumpkin or red velvet. For fillings, option for something decadent like cream cheese or maple buttercream. Talk to your baker about one of these fall-themed cakes:
- Sculpted cake in the shape of a pumpkin, ghost, skull
- White wedding cake with black and orange roses
- Brown frosting with orange roses or orange marzipan pumpkins
- Choice of cake draped with cobwebs and small spiders.
- “Dirt” cake (cover with chocolate cookie crumbs) and decorated with tombstones or gummy worms
- Choice of cake with white fondant and a Halloween design pressed into it. Cobwebs would mimic lace!
- Cupcakes with Halloween creatures on top, or a single orange pumpkin or rose.
Ready to tackle the Halloween themed wedding? Just be creative and have fun.
