Ghosts, goblins, ghouls and grown-ups! Halloween is not just for kids these days. As one of the second most celebrated holidays in the country, Halloween deserves its very own moment. Planning a frightening fête to die for needn’t be a chore — simply let the magic of Halloween inspire you.
We love a chic, dark theme to weave the tale of all the fun and mayhem ahead. Here, we’ve gathered a few ideas to inspire everything from your decor, food and of course a few dastardly delicious adult beverages.
Tainted Table: Guests are sure to be in the mood to mingle and show off their creative (and maybe not so creative!) costumes, so we recommend keeping your menu to light bites, spooky sips and a sweet ending — with plenty of candy of course!
We love the idea of layering linens to build up the drama and give your table a bit of texture. You can easily mix and match black and orange linens, table throws, table runners and napkins from our Fete collection for a striking combo. Or for extra Halloween glam, use pieces from the Festive Collection in Black/Festive Shimmer. Spook the look up by scattering plastic spiders, worms and other creepy toy creatures to amp up the fun. (Want more ideas? Check out our complete Halloween collections!)
For a dramatic table centerpiece, gather a variety of clear glass vases and apothecary jars in various heights. Fill each halfway with water tinted red with food coloring. To finish the look, add in faux black flowers — you can find some with fake blood droppings or do it yourself, splattering red paint.
Blood-Thirsty Beverage Bar: The possibilities are endless here, but our best tip is to conjure up a specialty cocktail (or two) that your guests will love and be sure to have lots of red wine on hand to go with the bloody theme. For a clever way to elevate your spread, use a red marker to write different blood types (A +/-, B+/-, O+/-) onto plain white office labels and stick them on the assorted wine and liquor bottles, as well as any non-alcoholic sips. Be sure to have glasses and a bucket of ice nearby so guests can feel free to serve themselves.
Frightening Feast: Finger foods are the way to go here so conjure up a spread of tasty treats with a creative twist. Think soft breadsticks with pointy almonds baked into the tops to resemble witch fingers or a charcuterie board that’s flanked by plastic skeleton head and bones. Pigs in a blanket can be instantly transformed into spooky mummies with the addition of mustard eyes or whip up your favorite chili or guacamole dip and use long crackers to resemble gravestones — use an edible food marker in black to decorate.
Dastardly Desserts: No Halloween party would be complete without the addition of sweets. Cupcakes decorated to resemble favorite Halloween icons such as a witch, mummy or spider are easy to eat and pair well with wine and bubbly, if that’s what you’re serving. A tray of cookies and fall-colored chocolate covered pretzels jazzed up with orange and black faux (or real) flowers bring a touch of elegance while bowls full of Halloween candy are a must for grown-ups and kids alike. We also love the idea of tinting melted caramel with black food coloring and dipping a green apple into it. Set out mini goody bags as a favor with a beautifully personalized name tag, of course.
