It's easy to go all-out crazy with the decorations for a Halloween party. Think black rats, spiderwebs, glittery skulls, and hanging jack-o'-lanterns.
Throw in orange lights and lots of candles for spooky intimate lighting. Cover the table with a festive printed cloth.
Serve the food on black platters and in black bowls. Place skull glasses near the punch cauldron. Lastly, don't forget lots of your favorite Halloween candy!
How are you decorating for Halloween? Share your ideas below!
Last week I told you step-by-step how I was planning my Halloween party. I showed you the invitations, the menu, the drinks and the decor. The party took place this past Saturday and although it was a fabulous success and the majority of my guests had a glorious time, there are a few things to make note of for the next time.
Here are my after party reflections:
Bloody candles and geometric pumpkins aren't the only fabulous decorations that will transform my friend Emily's house on Saturday night for our Halloween Bash.
The natural lighting will be replaced with orange Christmas lights and an excessive amount of votives. Black rat silhouette cut-outs will scurry up the staircase while spooky music plays in the entryway. The tables will be covered with black spiderweb tablecloths and piles of skeletons will act as creepy centerpieces.
The food and candy will be served in bright orange bowls, the drinks in orange plastic keg cups, and the cupcakes will fill the cupcake stand. Black, glittery candelabra add a touch of chicness. The punch bowl will rest inside a large fog making copper cauldron.
Now that you know how I am decorating my Halloween party, how will you be decorating yours?
At a blowout bash, like the costume party I am hosting this Saturday where the guest list tops 50, it's important to get a large amount of alcohol. I'll be buying a keg of easy-to-drink beer — Miller or Bud Light — that both guys and gals can enjoy.
Along with the beer, I'll serve a friend's recipe for deliciously dangerous punch that tastes so good you can hardly tell it's alcoholic. When my guests ask me what they can bring to the party, I'm suggesting they bring one of the alcohols used to make the punch. Lots of water and ice are also necessary to ward off evil hangovers. To ensure that the party flows smoothly, the keg and punch will be set up in different rooms.
For my tips on purchasing kegs and to get the recipe for the dangerously delicious punch, read more
No Halloween party can be declared a success without an excessive amount of candy. I'll be strategically placing bowls filled with my favorite candies — Reese's Pieces, Nerds, and peanut M&Ms — around the two rooms that will house the party. The cupcake tier my sister gave to me for my birthday will make its debut at the party, since I'll be baking one batch of Halloween cupcakes to fill the stand. A few lucky guests can indulge in these homemade treats. For the recipe, read more
Although my Halloween party starts later in the night — at 10 p.m. — I will have food. At larger parties where lots of alcohol may be consumed, it's best to offer guests a few savory nibbles to snack on throughout the night. Don't go gourmet, but keep things simple by serving classic, crowd-pleasing dishes.
I'll be pairing blue tortilla chips with green guacamole and gooey queso fundido. To keep the queso fundido warm, place it in a fondue bowl. Crispy cheese straws made from puff pastry round out the easy, no-fuss menu. For the recipes, read more
This Saturday night, I'm co-hosting a blowout Halloween Bash. My girlfriend Emily came to me at the end of September and asked if I would help her plan a costume party. Never one to say no to hosting a party, I excitedly said yes.
We decided on a date — the Saturday before Halloween — and got busy making invitations. We chose to send the invites via snail mail, instead of through email or Evite, in order to set the tone for the party and give everyone enough time to come fabulously disguised. To see how I made this simple yet spooky invite, read more
