2010 Halloween Wedding Reception Trends

Don't want the" typical" Halloween party that would emulate a children's party? Don't want Halloween decorations at your celebration? Are you afraid to offend someone by celebrating your "biggest day" on Halloween? Well, couples are not leaving any grave unturned, when it comes to planning their Halloween wedding this season. Here are the latest Halloween trends that will please everyone including "the dead!"

This Halloween season, brides are choosing "haunted venues" for their reception sites. Couples are choosing ballrooms in Victorian hotels or old mansions with rumors of "unusual activities" going on. These ballrooms are adorned with architectural details (such as wainscoting and crown molding), chandlers, and furnished with antiques. Perfect for a sophisticated Victorian wedding theme!

Popular reception colors are: purple, plum, burnt orange, red, black, white, silver, and pewter. These colors, combined, can give an elegant flair to your celebration. How about combining black, burnt orange, and silver?

When picking your table cloths, choose black or dark jewel tones in velvet, damask, silk, brocade, satin, or pintuck taffeta. Pick an accent color for your napkin color in fabrics listed above. For example, pick burnt orange velvet napkins with black velvet or brocade table clothes. Add silver or pewter chargers, ornate goblets, and antique candelabras. To create a mysterious and romantic atmosphere, add many black, white, ivory, or accent colored votives and candles to the table. Pick a dark color chiavari chairs padded with dark color seat cushions. I recommend black! Go to www.classicpartyrentals.com/ for rental information.

You don't have to pick dried dead flowers for your reception. Unless, you don't want the headache of fresh flowers! I highly recommend red, black, ivory, white, plum, or orange flowers. Calla lilies and roses are the most popular flower choices this Halloween! To add interest and texture to your centerpieces add dried branches, black feathers, or peacock feathers. Speaking of black feathers - - add black feather wreaths to windows and doors for added whimsy.

If the ballroom doesn't already have antique chandeliers, I would add them, especially over the dance floor! Add illuminated pumpkins up the entrance walkway, gift table, food station tables, entry way table, or seating chart table. If money isn't an issue, add gobo lighting throughout the room, giving the room an "ominous" feel.

Want a creative idea for your seating chart and table numbers? Want ghost stories told during your wedding reception? Have your table numbers represent different hotel room numbers that are synonymous with a "ghostly haunting." Give a brief ghost story under each table number at the table. This will be sure to bring back the "dead" at your celebration!

Don't know what to play during your reception? Don't want the obvious "Monster Mash" played at your wedding? How about organ music or classical music? If money is not a concern to you or whoever is paying, hire a string quartet, pianist, or organist for "dinner music." Worried about that you won't be able to dance your first dance to classical music? Maybe you can convince your "honey" to learn the waltz!

It's Halloween! Why not add pumpkin as an ingredient to your dinner menu? Along with fall inspired "comfort food" hors d'oeuvres, I recommend serving pumpkin tarts, pumpkin cheese balls in shape of a pumpkin, or pumpkin hummus with pita chips. Don't want to serve bowls of peanuts during your cocktail hour? Have you chef serve roasted pumpkin seeds instead! For the first course, offer pumpkin soup in hollowed pumpkins or serve butternut squash soup. Add pumpkin seeds to the salads, served with warm pumpkin bread. And for the main entrée - -offer roasted chicken with pumpkin gnocchi! And finally, along with your wedding cake, serve pumpkin cheesecake bites and mini pumpkin pies with whipped cream.

Want some Halloween inspired cocktails? Serve your guests caramel apple, green apple, or pumpkin martinis. Don't like martinis? Serve Bloody Marys or hot rum apple cider! If you need martini recipes and ingredients, go to www.martiniart.com.

Don't want to serve Halloween candy for your candy bar station? Want to carry out the wedding theme? Serve "penny candy," "candy floss," and a variety of old fashion chocolates. If you need to purchase old fashion candy in bulk, go to http://thepennycandystore.com/. They offer penny candy from 1800-1900!

And for the wedding cake - -pumpkin spiced cake or red velvet cake with butter cream or cream cheese frosting. A simple ivory cake with black or dark accent colored satin ribbon adorned around the bottom of each tier would be beautiful! Want to personalize your cake? Wearing an old fashion lace wedding gown? Have the baker incorporate your pattern of your lace dress onto your cake! To add elegance to your cake, sit your cake on an antique silver or pewter cake stand! To shop for a nice selection of cake stands, go to http://www.theknot.com/.

Halloween weddings are becoming the "rage. " However, this season, couples are choosing "sophistication" instead of "cutesy" Halloween themes. From venue, table and room décor, food, cocktails, and cake - -couples are carrying out every little "ghostly" detail. Your guest get to take advantage of celebrating the best Halloween celebration ever - - your wedding! However, you might want to remind them - - "Don't forget your death certificates!" Happy Wedding - - Happy Life!!

Sources:

Cait Rohan, "Halloween Weddings: 5 Haunted Halloween Wedding Sites,"www.theknot.com

The Knot, "Halloween Weddings: 13 Stylish Halloween Wedding Ideas,"www.theknot.com

Cait Rohan "Halloween Weddings: Real Brides Share Their Halloween Wedding Ideas,"www.theknot.com