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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to have my wedding at Halloween?

39 replies

Nomintrude · 24/07/2019 22:21

I'm planning my wedding for next year and due to a variety of factors it would work really well to have it the weekend of 31st October-1st November. I'm not big on Halloween really so I don't fancy a themed wedding but I thought it could be fun to have a bonfire-night, relaxed vibe to the reception. My question is would it seem odd to choose October 31st as a wedding day? Alternatively we could have the wedding on the Friday, or maybe have a party on the Saturday night followed by the actual wedding on the Sunday and maybe an afternoon tea afterwards. What do you think? We could choose a different date but this one works really well as I work in education and it's in the middle of a two week break for us.

OP posts:
PianoTuner567 · 24/07/2019 22:25

I don’t think it’s odd but I’d probably expect at least a nod to the date, with regard to food/decor/favours even if you don’t want to go all out themed.

RamonatheMisunderstood · 24/07/2019 22:26

My friend got married a few years ago on Halloween. She lives abroad in a country where it's not really a thing, but the children from the UK who attended didn't miss out trick or treating - she had piles of typically British sweets on the tables. My daughter and the other kids had the guests in hysterics as they went from table to table 'trick or treating'!

Guess what I'm trying to say is - if that's the date that works for you, it will work for everyone else. And no one will forget your anniversary! I say do what suits you most - good luck!

DappledThings · 24/07/2019 22:29

I don't think of Halloween as a big thing at all. I've never had anyone come trick or treating at any of the 20 or so places I've lived so I wouldn't think anything of it.

I would find it a bit tacky if you made it themed.

Sammy867 · 24/07/2019 22:30

We got married on Halloween. It was amazing.

It was a Thursday during half term so the best date that wasn’t a weekend so everyone we wanted to be there could come. The daytime was normal but on the night time all the kids got dressed up and we had giant tubs of sweets and they went trick or treating between the tables.
The weather was really good. Cooler but bright so perfect for a long heavy dress and our colours were all oranges and purples- the leaves were just changing so photos are all autumn colours. I made my bouquet myself with false flowers in purpled, golds and oranges and it still sits in a vase in our house today as a centre piece.

Bonus it’s also a memorable date for us both to remember

PooWillyBumBum · 24/07/2019 22:34

We do ‘do’ Halloween. My mum is Irish and has always done it. And our street are massive on trick or treating. It’s fun.

But if a friend was getting married I would 100% be there. And a bonfire sounds really fun.

You do need to play Thriller though.

RageAgainstTheVendingMachine · 24/07/2019 22:36

Only if you dress as the corpse bride and dance to Billy Idol's White Wedding Grin

RageAgainstTheVendingMachine · 24/07/2019 22:37

Or I put a spell on you

CatInADoghouse · 24/07/2019 22:40

Nope not odd at all. Sounds lovely! Go for it!

Lucked · 24/07/2019 22:40

I agree to a nod to the date, perhaps in your centre pieces. I would stay away from the spooky side, more harvest colours etc. Pinterest has lots of flowers set in pumpkins as though they were bowls

PenCreed · 24/07/2019 22:43

We got married on Halloween. The only nod was that we had a Halloween themed playlist in the band break in the evening (Scottish, we had a ceilidh). Playlist had Thriller, Superstition, the Ghostbusters theme, Devil in Disguise, the Monster Mash...
I know someone else who had mini pumpkins round the place! I was tempted to set up Halloween games like ducking for apples, but decided it was too much hassle given that we didn’t live where we got married so had to transport everything. No-one blinked an eye at the date!

steff13 · 24/07/2019 22:44

I got married on Halloween.

mynameiscalypso · 24/07/2019 22:45

We got married on Halloween because it was a convenient date. We had no nods to Halloween at all. I think a couple of the kids were annoyed to miss trick or treating but nobody else was bothered (plus it means people always remember our anniversary!)

Lindellia · 24/07/2019 22:46

I’m another person for whom Halloween has never been ‘a thing’.

I never went trick or treating as a child, and my kids don’t now. And we’ve never had anyone come to our house.

In my opinion, I’d find a Halloween themed wedding a bit tacky, but I think it depends entirely on your social circle and how big a thing Halloween is for them.

Lindellia · 24/07/2019 22:48

(So I wouldn’t expect a reference to the date, and wouldn’t think anything of the fact it was on Halloween)

NailsNeedDoing · 24/07/2019 22:50

It could be great, you really have to think about your guests as to how Halloweeny you need to be. If you have lots of guests with children they are likely to want to celebrate Halloween with them.

PurpleDaisies · 24/07/2019 22:54

If you have lots of guests with children they are likely to want to celebrate Halloween with them.

Nah. They’ll be at a wedding. That’s what they’ll want celebrate, in any way the op chooses. No one could reasonable expect a Halloween themed wedding in case the children wanted it.

Op nothing wrong with choosing that date. No need to have any “nods” to it at all.

shhhhs · 24/07/2019 23:02

We're getting married close to Halloween this year, we're far from going with a Halloween theme but I'm so excited to be using the autumnimal colours and making the most of the time of year, we are also having a few pumpkins splashed about the place, but not craved or anything like that. I'm very excited to be having a cosy autumn wedding and would highly recommend going for it!

Blinkingblimey · 24/07/2019 23:06

I’ve been to two fab weddings which fell on or the day before Halloween. Neither celebrated Halloween as such but definitely took inspiration from the season and were decorated beautifully (pumpkins etc amongst the flower arrangements etc). I don’t think there’s any reason to avoid the date!

Blinkingblimey · 24/07/2019 23:08

(Caveat: unless you’re talking 31/10/19 in which case you may end up with a Brexit wedding😖)

HarryElephante · 24/07/2019 23:08

Do it.. .

But you'll get ghosted...

MoistOwlette · 24/07/2019 23:13

HarryElephante very good! 😂

CluelessNewMama · 24/07/2019 23:17

I don’t think Halloween is a particularly important occasion for most people, I wouldn’t expect you to make any reference to it if I was a guest. Maybe different if you have children coming who would otherwise have gone trick or treating.

BackforGood · 24/07/2019 23:19

I've never celebrated, or made a 'thing' of Hallowe'en, so wouldn't think anything of the date. Would think it was a bit tacky to stick ghosts, skeletons and witches around a wedding Reception, but would fix a smile on and think it is up to you.

BackforGood · 24/07/2019 23:20

Think it would be odd to have a party before the wedding though.

I love a bonfire, but would wear very different clothes to go and stand round a bonfire from those I would wear to a wedding though, so wouldn't be keen on them being mixed.

MiddleClassProblem · 24/07/2019 23:25

When you celebrate your anniversary for the many years to come you run the risk of Halloween decorated restaurants, twats in outfits out and about, kids knocking on your door when you’re trying to cook a nice meal etc

I mean, I wouldn’t 😂