Fortunately for us, Halloween is not just for children. October 31st is a holiday that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. While the little ones prefer to indulge in inexpensive candy and store-bought costumes, the grown-ups can have a wickedly good time with fine dining and elegant decor. Here’s advice on how you can host the ultimate luxury Halloween party.
Choose a Halloween Party Theme
Set the tone for your Halloween party with the theme you choose. You can, of course, opt to have a costume party, which is always fun. Another idea is to make it a masquerade ball, with elegant masks and formal wear. Using a favorite or popular movie or book as a theme is another way to make your event unique. Some ideas include a Dracula-themed party, a “Bewitched” party, or a literary party with guests dressed as favorite book characters.
Invitations
The theme you choose will allow you to narrow down your invitation options. For a classically themed or spooky party, consider hiring a calligrapher to hand write or address the invitations. Use a wax seal stamp to give the invitation a formal yet antique feel. Letter Seals offers Halloween wax seal stamps that are perfect for party invitations.
Chilling Decor
There are several ways to upgrade traditional Halloween party elements to stage an elegant event. Pumpkins are common at Halloween, but instead of carving them or using orange pumpkins, opt for decorated pumpkins instead. Black and white pumpkins look chic, and can even be used instead of vases to create floral arrangements. You can also consider purchasing pumpkins that are fabric covered or embellished with sparkling jewels. The MacKenzie-Childs Courtly Harlequin Small Squashed Pumpkin is one example of a sophisticated pumpkin.
Candles make excellent lighting for Halloween parties, as well as great decor. Use antique candelabras to add spooky elegance to a side table. Alternatively, recycle wine bottles or other interesting bottles into candle holders. Let a few candles meltdown a day before the party so that the wax can run down the bottle.
Choose sophisticated Halloween party ware to serve guests. The Fortune Teller slate serving tray is perfect for hors-d’oeuvres. Consider adding antiques, like old clocks and vintage masks, to the tablescape to create a mysterious mood.
Spooky Drink Ideas
Serve your guests in glassware that is made for the occasion. These stemless wine glasses are elegant and creepy. Fill them with red wine to look like blood, or make a blood red Harvest Sour for guests to enjoy. If you really want to get into the Halloween spirit, find large glass vials to fill with red drinks that are perfect for any vampire.
Wicked Red Punch is another great Halloween party cocktail. Combine a bottle of HobNob Wicked Red with 1½ cups spiced rum to create this delicious fall-themed drink. You might also add a few of these fall cocktail recipes to your party.
Ghoulish Eats
Poison Toffee Apples can do double duty as decor and as a treat for guests. These apples are almost too pretty to eat. Get the complete recipe at Simply Delicious. If you opt for a sit-down meal, a pumpkin-based soup is sure to be a hit. This black bean pumpkin soup recipe will get noticed, both for the fun presentation and for the taste. A spiderweb cake will help set the tone for your Halloween festivities. With or without the spiders, this cake will give guests a chili.
If you prefer to dress up without wearing an actual costume, there are plenty of fashionable options for you to choose from. See our article about luxuriously scary fashion ideas for loads of fun Halloween non-costume ideas that are perfect for any party.