By Helen Feliciano Bailey
October is a wonderful month for many reasons: fall colors, pumpkin patches, cooler weather, and of course, Halloween. October 31 (and weeks leading to) is also becoming a trend for Brides who want to turn their wedding into the ultimate party. The best part? You can make it as funny, spooky, daring, classy, or subtle as you’d like! There are so many ways to incorporate this Holiday into your wedding plans. Here are some ideas to get you started.
ENGAGEMENT SHOOT
The beauty of engagement shoots is that they can be fun, luxurious, laid back, or a combination of ideas. For a Halloween inspired October wedding (or a Halloween any-time-of-the year wedding) you can do horror movie inspired theme complete with FX makeup or grab smoke bombs and do a more subtle spooky session. Or if you’re feeling fancy, go for a more dramatic goth vibe. If you’re worried about the parents wanting more traditional photos, ask your photographer to make time for those; most are very accommodating. But hey, how cool will your save-the-dates be when you go all out for these shots?
DECOR
Color palettes are your best friend. What vibes are you going for? Loud and fun or classy and romantic? Decide what you’d like your vibe to be and go from there. If you’re trying to avoid traditional Halloween colors such as bright orange and purples try deep reds and grays or burnt orange and matte black. Gold accents are also a great way to add a pop without sacrificing sophistication. Emeralds, though often reserved for winter weddings, can also fall perfectly in place with an October wedding. Paired with black and gold, it would certainly blend well with the dark charm of an October wedding.
THE CAKE
There are 1000 ways to infuse your cake table with Halloween vibes. The cake is most often a piece of art and a focal point. You can channel your preferred Halloween vibes by using your cake as an art piece to bring everything together.
BOUQUET
Good florists will literally create a masterpiece for you by just hearing you describe your style. Whether you prefer big bouquets or small, the perfect color blend and flower selection will certainly add a dramatic element to any wedding.
WEDDING DRESS
It is a total misconception that if you want to have a dark/goth style wedding, the bride must wear black. While black dresses are just as stunning, a bride wanting white can channel the same style without compromising tradition.
Mariposa by Wear Your Love
Hair accessories by Katabanko
INVITATIONS & THANK YOU CARDS
Circling back to engagement sessions, I am always an advocate for couple’s portraits before or after the wedding in the couple’s wedding attire! It is an easy way to have fun with your portraits without the fast-pace of a wedding day. Plus, you can get as crazy, fun, wild, or creative as you’d like!
LOCATION
A good place to start is by finding a place that means something to you or strongly fits the style you’d like to achieve. Cathedrals, ruins, rocky beaches, or known locations such as Bodega Bay (“The Birds”)! And while most people may not want to attend a wedding at an old cemetery, an elopement or engagement shoot would be pretty cool.
BRIDESMAID DRESSES
Dark red, Navy Blues, Golds, Burnt Orange and, of course, Black are great colors to incorporate. You can add some drama with lace and amazing shoes! Not to mention the accessories.
Short dress and long dress by Lulu
GROOM
The vegan groom can opt for a total black look adding Halloween inspired colored accents (bow-tie and pocket handkerchief) or wear a statement jacket, like this one from Old Town Tuxedo we’ve seen before on this Vegan Vintage Glam Styled Shoot
GROOMSMEN
Groomsmen are easy. While the boutonnieres can match the bride’s bouquet; you can also add fun details to their attire such as spooky or color coordinated socks, ties, or bows.
Socks photo courtesy of The Knot
Have more suggestions? We’d love to hear your ideas in the comments! Happy Halloween everyone!
All photos, unless captioned, by Helen Feliciano Bailey
Helen Feliciano-Bailey is a wedding & portrait photographer based out of Maryland State and a self-proclaimed coffee-obsessed, vegan-travel-blog enthusiast and wanderer. She is a believer in veganism as a moral compass to inclusivity, compassion, and justice for all sentient beings. Her passions for human connection, storytelling, and artistry can be seen in her professional and personal projects. Read Helen’s articles
