Can't decide if this is a good idea or not for our Halloween wedding..

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We are planning to get married on Halloween next year in our local town hall. We just want a cheap and cheerful event, with a nice big party after for all our family and friends. We met at a Halloween party years ago so it's a special day for us. We were thinking of telling people it's fancy dress code too, as we will be running with a Halloween theme for the day (pumpkins etc). I know it's tacky, but I want a fun wedding where people don't need to spend a fortune on a new outfit and will remember it.

A close relative is getting married next year and is having a very expensive, full frills wedding, requiring most guests to stay a night or two, and I feel like a low key, fun wedding would be a welcome contrast to that.

So my question is, if you received a wedding invite for Halloween with fancy dress code, would you be happy to dress up? I was thinking of incentivising with prizes for best dressed..?

Eeeep I'm surprised at the replies on this! I read your OP and thought it sounded like so much fun!! I LOVE dressing up for Halloween and so do most of my friends so I would love this! And I think it's a bit miserable to complain at the expense when it's far cheaper if not free to come up with a Halloween costume than it is to buy an evening gown.... Buuuut since I seem to be in the minority I would suggest you make the dress code more "gothic" or "spooky chic" so people can come in dark colours so there's still a theme but people have more wiggle room with it?

Can you not have a "black" dress code?
Fancy dress optional

I think this is a great idea.

I’d come
I think it’s a great idea

Me and my husband would love this. Itl be fun do it!

A friend got married recently and had a Halloween/Autumn theme - pumpkins on display outside the ceremony room, cake topper that was two small pumpkins with mr&mrs carved into them and beautiful flowers in lots of bright colours. It was lovely. I think you could do the above plus a Halloween photo booth where you get lots of cheap masks etc from the pound shop. You could also have sparklers for later on. You could also adapt your dress for Halloween in the evening or even have your whole bridal party dress up in fancy dress for the first dance as a surprise for other guests. You could have Halloween themed centrepieces, lots of candles etc.

However I think dress up is just Tacky and not nice for a wedding. Your photos will look ridiculous especially over time. A wedding is a commitment between two people. It’s not something that should be taken lightly and I think it’ll just diminish the day by turning it into a Halloween party. There’s tons of ways such as the above where you can incorporate Halloween without going to ridiculous levels like your groomsmen wearing spider man costumes

Sounds great fun OP...can I come? Now my dd is a teen I don't get to trick or treat any more.
Black outfits plus a dress up box sound great. Polaroid pics are crap though, they fade really quickly.

I'd say spooky dress optional. I'm not a fan of fancy dress at all, but I'd opt for a black frock and find a witches hat or something to get into the spirit. And would be fun for any children going if there will be any. I'd definitely be happy taking DC in Halloween costume rather than forming out for smart clothes that could be grown out of before they wear them again.

You could have some ace Halloween buffet food...

I'd do a colour scheme for guests - Black and Red for example or autumnal colours. Contrasting with your dress obvs. Have a photo booth with costumy bits. Halloween can be quite sophisticated