A Halloween Wedding: The Trick to Making it Classy

Trick-or-treat! We know what this time of year is all about--candy, costumes, and pumpkins. It's also a festive time that many people enjoy, and therefore can create a fantastic back-setting to a wedding. The trick is not to get carried away with all of the cliche elements--this can be tough without planning. Here are some ideas to throw a festive but classy Halloween wedding gala. Throw in some of the classic elements, but as accents. Sure, it's okay to carry some black and orange through your venue--the key is to ensure that they are accents and don't over-dominate. For example, use black and orange ribbons on the centerpieces or as bows on the chair covers. This can pay homage to this most festive time of year without overpowering or turning it into a kids event.

Use the typical Halloween colors and a couple of images to set the tone for the event. Sure you're having a Halloween wedding and that likely means that you love this holiday, but you want to be sure that it's a classic adult gala. Set the tone by using black and orange as the font colors on the "save the date" cards and invitations--use it on all of your stationary for consistency and a theme. Include an image of a classic pumpkin or full moon on some of the decorations or even the invitations, just don't get carried away.

Use autumn flowers to help carry out the theme. This can include beautiful Mums or carnations in the colors of your affair. Remember that a little goes along way and if you choose to have one or both of the traditional Halloween colors (such as black and orange) in your palette, include one or two additional colors that can dominate and offset the bright and vibrant hues.

To play up the theme without going crazy, offer favors that celebrate the event in a classic way. A beautifully decorated caramel apple or candy corn in a tasteful container can be playful and festive. You could even offer a cute mask to each guest with your wedding date on it for something fun that the guests can take with them to remember your wedding day.

Offer some classic foods in your menu to celebrate all the great parts of Halloween. Autumn is a great time of year to plan a menu around, be sure to include some favorites such as squash soup, salad with fresh pumpkin seeds, and perhaps a chicken with a pumpkin vinaigrette or sauce. These subtle elements remind you of the season and holiday, but in a way that doesn't detract from the event. Having a sweet table that offers fresh apple dumplings and pumpkin pie is an excellent way to end the meal.

If you want to go all out and are including kids in your event, then open the option for costumes. You could even include events catered to kids such as bobbing for apples if this is appropriate for your event. (if it's a more casual affair) A hayride through the property can be a fun way to get guests to the wedding venue, but remember this will only work if guests are expecting to come to a more casual event.

You can really have fun with Halloween and go all out or simply introduce a few classic elements to celebrate this time of year. Depending on the formality of your affair, you can introduce subtle elements and still pay homage to this most celebrated time of year.