How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

The weakening light of the sun and the changing schedules of the night sky with days getting shorter are all proponents of a season that brings with it some of the best celebrations of the year. In India, we picked up momentum with Ganesh Chaturthi but most of the western world waits until Halloween for the feeling to kick in. And when holidays are on the calendar, there is nothing more exciting than throwing a party or two!

 

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

 

You don’t have to be a professional event planner to have a good time this holiday season!

Halloween parties are a lot of fun. You can keep it simple or as elaborate as you can imagine creating the Halloween spirit, but all that will matter in the end is if your guests really enjoyed your party. Are you thinking about throwing a soirée of your own, but the only thing holding you back is not knowing where to start? Let me help you with a few tips on how to host the ultimate Halloween soirée that won’t soon be forgotten!

  1. Be Specific About Your Guest List

The quintessence of a party lies in its guests. So be picky about your list of guests and make sure that you have a clear idea about the kind of party that you will be hosting. Do you want to keep the party for adults only? Or would you have friends, families, and kids come together for the celebrations? Knowing this will set the tone for every detail ~  including your choice of food, decorations, and party timing.

Your guest list can also make a difference in scheduling the day of the party. Some people may not be able to make it to the party, but you can reduce these chances by picking a day when most people are available to attend. Halloween soirées are usually thrown on the weekend preceding Halloween to ensure that most guests can attend. Early celebrations also help in bringing in the holiday cheer and revving us up for the actual holiday.

 

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

 

  1. Information

Roll out your invitations with all the necessary details clearly mentioned on the invite. The three key details to remember are location, date, and time. You may be thinking that I am joking about this, but it so happens that I have come across invitations that are way too vague. People can’t come to your party on time or to the right address if they are unsure of the time when the party starts or the actual location of the celebrations.

Go digital with your invitations. Unless you are truly close with that person ~ telling them about a party implies they will most likely forget this information quickly; also invitation cards can easily be misplaced. Create an online invitation and send it to all your guests. There are fewer chances of misplacing virtual invites.

  1. Select a Theme

Isn’t it enjoyable to curate a party to create a specific atmosphere? While it isn’t mandatory, it will help you set a guideline for particular colours and elements making your menu planning a breeze, and the décor can be matched to the spirit of the celebrations.

Additionally, thematic settings bring a cohesive energy to Halloween parties, as this will mean that early contenders for entertaining Halloween costumes can hit the stores; thereby adding an element of fun to the celebrations. With all your guests putting a conscious effort to match the theme, your party will be brimming with personality adding even more to that cohesive energy!

Select one area at the venue that is especially strong with your stylistic theme. Here, your guests can snap their fill of hauntingly cool selfies for their Instagram, Facebook, et al posts. The bar is my muse for additional Halloween flair, but a corner table or a coffee table by the entrance works perfectly as well.

 

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

 

  1. Food and Speciality Cocktails

I’m a big fan of savoury food at Halloween soirées because I usually get too carried away shopping for candies and surviving mainly on them in the days leading up to Halloween. 🙂

Halloween food doesn’t have to be a six-course meal. People love to indulge in heavy appetisers and finger foods, so steer clear of heavy meal offerings. Although if you intend to make food the heart of your party, go light on the décor. A few tactically placed mini pumpkins and tea lights can work magic.

Also, a bar cart can be a delightful addition to your thematic décor, making for a festive place to mingle and serve up fun cocktails. To add personality, consider including colours, ingredients, and garnishes which resonate with the theme. Since everyone may not be drinking liquor, remember to include a choice of non-alcoholic beverages.

BYO: When your invitation requires your guests to bring alcohol or food then you must be specific about the things that will already be available at the party. Let them know what you will be making available, as it will help them choose appropriately to either complement the food you are providing or to ensure that they do not bring the same dish.

  1. Don’t Overthink It

Your guests are hardly attending the party for the hors d’oeuvres or the décor. It is your presence and the time you give to them that matters. So, it is okay to be kind to yourself and enjoy your party, instead of stressing over every single detail.

Once the party begins, focus on the people who have come for you. Lose yourself in the happiness of getting together with old friends and new. Let the spirit of celebration rule the party ~ pat yourself on the back for putting everything together and make merry!

 

How to Host the Ultimate Halloween Soirée

 

To conclude: The dropping temperature is an early indicator of the winter months ahead but most importantly they point towards the holiday season. And when you are celebrating a holiday as iconic as Halloween, it may be easy to condone your personal design choices and go with the décor that it is most associated with. I won’t deny the fact that I have been caught up in this muddle too, but when you let your personal design sensibilities shine through the traditional meaningfulness of the holiday ~ not only will you have a lot more fun planning the party, but your guests will find it to be unique from all the other parties that they are bound to attend.

Keep my tips on how to host the ultimate Halloween soirée in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to a stress-free Halloween party. To think of it, these tips are not just for Halloween, apply them to any party that you plan, be it birthdays, anniversaries, or farewells. It really all comes down to mindful planning, keeping it simple, and letting yourself have a good time!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

Disclaimer: The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Urban Diaries.

Stay connected with me over Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest |

Written By

* I love bringing together a bunch of conflicting items and weaving my own sense of one-ness to them. *

36 Comments

  • I love all the ideas mentioned here! Here, in France, we don’t find a lot of party decor related to Halloween, and that’s sad because I’m obsessed with it!

  • So much talent! Extraordinary captures and wonderful tips! And, I love how exquisite yet super fun your Halloween tablescape is! ♥

  • Such a charming collection of Halloween décor! I want to be invited to this fun Halloween party ~ yes, I definitely need this in my life!

  • What a stunning Halloween setup… I need one of each for my nightmare collection! By the way, there is nothing more exciting than wearing your new Halloween outfit, and can you resist when its this gothingly beautiful (hint, hint)?!

  • I love this share ~ and I’m ready for spooky season and cold weather! I’m experiencing a stagnant tablescape mindset though… I’ve been scouring local Halloween shops but I don’t feel like I’ve found the right pieces for me… sigh!

  • Such fab. ideas, Tanya… and awesome photographs, too! I’ve always wanted to create my own Halloween specific party setup and I’ve finally done that… so while I’m nervous as hell, I’m also super excited and I look forward to meeting many fellow Halloween lovers! ❤️ Thank you for sharing!

  • Dazzling pictures… You’re killin’ it, Tanya!

    p.s. Slept in my niece’s bed this weekend. She is clearly related to me due to her love of all things Halloween and creepy… 😀 Apparently she loves to cuddle with this plastic skeleton, and not so much with her stuffed animals!!

  • Love love love this stylistic decor editorial, my spooky author! Nothing someone isn’t going to like… ❤️ Trick R Treat!

  • I love the black and white contrasting Halloween decor… I believe it’s spookier that it’s coloured variants! Also, awesome tips to incorporate into any Halloween party! Thanks for sharing, gorgeous!

  • Eek!! How spooky cute and tempting are these?! ✨ Great ambience for watching Scary Movies! Hope you’re staying nice and spooky, Tanya!

  • Ahh ~ this is amazing! I can’t wait to follow along on your Halloween 2017 adventures on your IG stories! 😀

  • Thanks for this inspiring pièce… Now if you know me at all, you know I am a huge Halloween fan! Villains are my no.1 love, 😀 and I love pumpkin decorations… For moi, this is the most wonderful time of the year! Hope you have a great Halloween!

  • Everything looks amazing! I absolutely love Halloween ~ it’s my favourite holiday season! ✨ It’s also absolutely true that I cannot walk past a pumpkin and not take a photo!! Haha!!

  • How amazing are these decorations! I’m having a little girl at the end of this month, and I think from next year onward the day after her birthday will be the “time to decorate date”… Unless of course, she grows up spooky like me, and wants spooky themed birthdays… then we can start early!! 😀

  • Ahhh ~ this is so cool, Tanya! Always love reading your posts… Big villain and Disney Halloween fan over here… I def. have a soft spot for Captain Hook, Mr Smee, and Mother Gothel!!

  • All things are better adorned with Halloween napkins, plates and cutlery! Invite me next time. ❤️ Ahahah!!

  • This is so spooky-magical and definitely what Halloween dreams are made of! You must put a ton of work into your decor and photos… I’m the same way around Halloween! Although, I hope I get to experience this in person next year! Hint, hint! ✨

    • I definitely put a lot of work into decor, but I absolutely love it! Halloween is just life ~ I know you feel that way, too!

Leave a Reply to Shalini Khanna Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *