The smell of pumpkin spice is in the air, supermarkets are offering discounts on fun-sized chocolate bars and lollies, and bright orange jack-o-lantern pumpkins are popping up in the veggie aisles.
Time to start preparing for Halloween!
Halloween is the perfect excuse to throw a spook-tacular party, and at Melbourne’s Best Functions, we’ve come up with some great themes to try.
Vampire’s Masquerade Ball
There’s more than one way to throw a costume party. If you want something sophisticated, a Masquerade Ball is the perfect way to encourage creative costumes while still maintaining an air of glamour and elegance that goes perfectly with vampires.
- Masks are a must, of course. To make sure every guest can participate and get involved, consider setting up a mask making station near the entrance, or keep some spares close at hand.
- For aesthetic inspiration, think of cobweb covered chandeliers, dusty velvet and blood-red punch in crystal bowls, pale faces and dark shadows under eyes.
- Set the scene by starting the evening with eerie orchestral sound tracks (try Phantom of the Opera, Ghost and Psycho), or haunting classical numbers like Camille Saint-Saëns’s ‘Danse Macabre’.
Night of the Living Dead
Raise the dead this All Hallows Eve by inviting your guests to dress as their favourite dead celebrity, artist, or historical figure. Depending on how well you know your guest list, you might want to set some parameters so things don’t get too tasteless.
- Have a space set up where your guests can be made up with fake blood and ghoulish makeup for that ‘fresh from the grave’ look.
- A costume contest with prizes is a great incentive for invitees to get into the spirit of things, particularly if prizes focus on originality. You don’t want to end up with a room full of Elvis Presleys and Marilyn Monroes.
Mad Scientist’s Laboratory
Invite your guests to come into your lab and see what’s on the slab. Supply lab coats and googles, or let your guests choose. From Doctor Frankenstein to Doctor Frankenfurter, mad scientists have an impressive range of styles, so there’s something for everyone.
- Serve brightly coloured drinks in beakers and test tubes. Tonic water and vitamin B2 glow in the dark under a black-light, so you can even make luminescent cocktails!
- Substitute regular ice cubes with dry ice to make drinks that bubble and smoke like a witch’s potion.
- Hold a dancing contest to see who can do the best Monster Mash!
