If you’ve planned your nuptials for Halloween and want to add a dark and slightly Gothic vibe to your wedding, there are plenty of elegant ways to go about it…
1. Wedding Stationery
Your invites are the first little taster of your wedding your guests will get, so if you’re planning on a bit of dark romance for your wedding party, set the tone with some elegant black stationery. Opt for a chic black envelope pared with gold or white calligraphy, Gothic lace inspired prints or some simple black embellishments.
2. Decor Ideas
There are so many great ways to add a little bit of drama to your reception space and tablescapes from dark beads or petals scattered on tables to chic black ties for your cutlery, crisp black napkins or striking birdcage centrepieces or candelabras. We stock both large and small black and cream birdcages in the weddingsonline shop, perfect for favours, centrepieces or as a spot to collect cards. Shop more décor ideas here!
3. Drinks Reception
We’re a sucker for a good cocktail and for those throwing a Halloween inspired wedding bash, creating a signature drink for your nuptials could be a fun way to give it a personal and festive feel. But if you’d rather opt for champers and soft drinks, there are lots of cute ways to add a ghoulish feel to the drinks table – some of our favourites include black liquorice straws, mountains of blackberries, dark flower adornments, stripy black and white straws and some sugary glass rims.
4. Flower Fun
You don’t have to hightail it to the dark roses to give your bouquet a distinctly Halloween feel. If you’re partial to your white roses or pastels shades, give your flowers a fun and interesting twist with the bouquet tie – satin black ribbons, velvets, fun black and white stripes or gothic lace will add an eerily enchanting vibe to blooms.
5. Fashion
If you’re after a timeless shade for your maids dresses, think black (make them a little more festive by opting billowing tulle or lace). Or if you’d rather just a hint of this timeless shade, a black ribbon will tie the look together nicely. We also love a pop of striking black when it comes to wedding shoes. This particular pair are from Kurt Geiger but you can add a dark twist with lace, crystal embellishments and studs.
6. Dessert Table
For us, a big part of Halloween is the sweet stuff. Trick or treating is a festive highlight for all the kiddies so why not treat the big kids at your wedding with a fun and ghoulish candy buffet! In terms of dessert tables, you don’t have to load them high with just Barnbrack (although fruit loafs could be a cute little addition and you could even have a few fainnes in there for the craic) – an elegant dessert table spread can include everything from cupcakes garnished with liquorice to blackberry macarons and lots of rich, dark chocolate delights.
7. Lighting
Lighting is one way to have some fun with your Halloween wedding. Add an intimate ambience with some gentle flickering lights. We love the idea of lots of old wine and water bottles overflowing with waxy candles to create a gorgeously intimate and eery vibe. Or if you’re looking to add a little drama, opt for black candelabras or black beads draped over silver ones.
8. Little Extras
You may want to steer well clear of pumpkins but with a little bit of spray paint they can be easily transformed from a bright orange squash in to a glitzy or striking décor piece. They also have many a use from centrepieces (with or without flowers) as a quirky place to store some beers for the drinks reception or as an elegant sign – cover in white paint and stencil a chic black monogram on them to welcome guests to your party. Another fun detail we love is this idea of Love Potions – whether you want to leave perfumes or soap in cute containers in bathrooms for guests to help themselves, or make a batch of something pretty for the guests as favours. We also think a photo booth with some fun masks and props would be a great little addition to any Halloween wedding bash and a fun nod to the dress-up tradition!
Credits:
1. In Love Stationery Suite image by Aubrey Renee Photography via Ruffled and Dark Floral Stationery Suite image by Astrid Photography via United with Love | 2. Place Setting Image by Rebecca Hansen via Style Me Pretty and Birdcage via Etsy | 3. Champagne with Blackberries via WeddingOMania and Drink with Black flower image by Astrid Photography via United with Love | 4. Bouquet with Black tie and brooch by Ashley Biess Photography via Ruffled and roses with black tie image by A Bryan Photography | 5. Bridesmaids in Black via Tumblr and shoes by Kurt Geiger | 6. Cake Image by Derek McClure Photography and Macarons via Twigg Studios | 7. Candles in bottles image by Rebecca Hansen via Style Me Pretty and Candelabra via WeddingOMania | 8. Pumkin sign by Joyelle West Photography via Style Me Pretty and Love Potion via Tumblr