It's October! Witches!

Christina test Halloween is without a doubt my favorite time of year! A time of frightful fun, encapsulated with costumes, treats, and the eerie ambiance that makes this holiday so special.

Organizing a memorable Halloween party that your friends will talk about all year requires creativity, careful planning, and attention to detail. I have loved Halloween sine I was a little girl and I enjoy continuing the fun with my kids. I even let a makeup artist turn me into a zombie on live TV! So yes, it's safe to say, I love Halloween. :) But throwing an awesome Halloween party is something anyone can do and I'll show you how.

Here are ten essential tips to ensure your Halloween party leaves an unforgettable impression on your guests that they will talking and posting about.

This year our theme was Haunted Voodoo Bayou Swamp. My costume was my take on a swamp witch and it included a lot of different elements including a head dress, tattoos, dreadlocks, sexy witch dress, cape and more. Click on each item in the sentence above for direct links to my costume!

1. Choose a Spooky Theme

Selecting a THEME for your Halloween party is number one! Once you nail down a good theme...the rest becomes a lot easier. Themed parties are always a hit, and Halloween provides a plethora of creative possibilities.

My advice is to think of a theme that allows you to completely transform your space. Some great Halloween theme ideas we have done are Haunted Circus and Haunted Voodoo Bayou Swamp. The trick is not to solely rely on Halloween themed circus decor from party stores or Amazon but to do some real research. For example, I found it helpful to google what real circuses back in the day looked like. I also had a lot of fun researching about hoodoo and voodoo traditions in addition to the history of witchcraft for my last party. It helped me come up with so many ideas that were more authentic to the theme and made the decor feel much more believable!

For the witch's seance circle I bought a roll of underlayment moisture barricade floor material from Home Depot. It's the same material as a black landscaping garbage bag but rolls out onto the floor. This is a great way to cover and protect your floors for a party but also works great to draw things on your floor.

I covered the floor in the black material then used glow in the dark spray paint to make the circle. I free handed it on another piece of material to practice and got lucky! Then I added these flickering battery powered candlestick lights from Amazon for the final touch. To make it light up you will need two black lights inside the room. If you have a large room, consider getting a large black light like a flood light. Based on the size of your room you may need to play around with the location of the lights but I put one on the floor and one on a nearby shelf tilted downward. It looked awesome!! (Everything that is underlined in this article, is a clickable link to all the materials and products I used).

For the CIRCUS TENT, I used some pretty simple materials! I get asked all the time how we made this circus tent but it was really quite easy! I used a roll of this red and white plastic tablecloth to create this look. I bought one roll in red and one in white and had plenty left over. I secured the ends with command hooks on the ceiling.

My biggest challenge was how to hang it in the middle of the room without putting too much weight on the chandelier. That's why this plastic tablecloth option was so great! The fun part about Halloween and my type B personality is that nothing has to be perfect! I purposely cut the tablecloth carelessly, leaving the ends jagged and didn't have to worry about each piece being exactly even. This is a dilapidated rundown circus, so throw out perfection and have fun with it!

But how will we fasten it? I thought back to my days as a television news reporter and thought of just the thing! I used this velcro fastener that we used to tie microphone cables on set. I gathered each tablecloth piece and then fastened it around the center of the light fixture. Then I hung these outdoor glass garden string lights and these flags for an extra circus look and presto! And, BOOM! We had a real life circus tent!

I also used that black plastic sheeting to cover the walls of my entryway room. I used glow in the dark spray paint to write creepy clown phrases like "the clowns made me do it" and designs to make it feel like a chaotic FUN HOUSE vibe when guests walk into the house!

Funny fact: I had to put up this tent a week before the party so we lived under this tent for several days which my kids thought was very fun. :)

2. Set the Right Atmosphere: Sight, Smell, Sound, and Touch

The ambiance is crucial to a successful Halloween party. Utilize dim lighting, candles, and string lights to create an otherworldly feel. Decorate with cobwebs, skeletons, and spooky sounds to enhance the atmosphere. This setup transports your guests into your haunted world...and that is key. Whether your theme is haunted circus, voodoo swamp or a ghostly masquerade party, when friends come to a Halloween party at my home, my goal is to make them feel like they entered into a completely different world that is realistic and fun.

Check out my entryway from my haunted swamp theme! I was really set on building a spooky dock for my guests to walk on when they entered my home and boy was this a hit! It was a way to make them feel completely immersed in the swamp atmosphere from the moment they walked in. I had a speaker playing creepy swamp music with the sounds of mosquitos and water. And the wood made such a creepy noise when you walked on it. It was great!

The dock was also where the guests stood to wait for the tarot card reader. Here's how to make it! I used these cylinders from Home Depot, (they are typically used to fill concrete) for the dock posts. I used 6 inch cylinders for the dock. All I did was spray paint the cylinders a mix of brown and dark green. Then I used glue or spray adhesive to attach skulls and moss. Believe it or not those skulls are styrofoam from the dollar store and spray painted! Then, drill a small hole to insert the rope which you can find at any hardware store. Use paint to dirty up the rope. Finally, I inserted a brick into the bottom of the cylinder so it wouldn't fall down as people walked on the dock!

For the dock floor, I used some cheap wood sheets from Home Depot and stained them to be a little darker. Don't spend a lot of time staining them because when the lights are off it looks creepy with little to no effort. Just throw the paint or stain on and move it around in a messy way.

Next step, I hung tons of camouflage netting to the ceiling using command hooks. I feel the metal hooks hold the items better than the plastic ones which are more slippery. I then hung all different types of fake moss, vines and inflatable snakes and tied them to the camouflage holes. You can save money and use trees and moss from outside too! This really added to the creepy vibe for guests to walk through. You can also use more realistic rubber snakes but I hate bugs or creepy retiles so this is the farthest I could push myself. :)

So...quick tip! If you are doing a haunted circus theme, for example, you should FEEL like you are at the circus. It should smell like the circus with popcorn and caramel scents in the air and the background music should make you feel like there's a creepy ferris wheel and screaming children running behind you.

If you are doing a haunted swamp theme, as soon as they walk in the door, all sights, sounds and scents should transform them into the scene! So keep that in mind as you make your design!

3. Send Eerie Invitations

Your invitations serve as the first glimpse into the event and the kind of PARTY HOST YOU ARE. Create invitations that reflect your chosen theme and utilize Halloween-inspired designs, such as pumpkins, ghosts, or bats. Ensure to include important details, such as date, time, location, and a hint about the theme to get your guests excited. If it's a costume party, make sure people know to dress up. You would be surprised how many people are unsure. Also, if it's an adult-only party, make sure people know.

4. Include a Spooky Visitor

Depending on your theme, there might be an opportunity to hire an additional vendor like a tarot card reader. We hired a psychic to attend our Voodoo Bayou Halloween party this year and it was a huge hit! I usually only have them come for an hour or so because you want time for conversation and dancing but this helps break up the party and makes it more authentic. If this isn't in the budget, see if you have a family member or friend who would dress the part! This also gave me an opportunity to use my creepy globe and psychic Halloween decor which is always fun!

5. Create a Signature Cocktail

Enhance your Halloween party with a themed signature cocktail! Consider spooky names and colors, like “Witch’s Brew” or “Vampire’s Kiss,” to intrigue your guests. You can also provide recipe cards so adults can recreate these frightful drinks at home.

6. Offer Tasty Treats

Food is always a focal point at parties and having the right themed food will add to the authenticity...and the spookiness of your party. Serve a variety of Halloween-inspired snacks and treats. Think pumpkin-shaped cookies, ghost-shaped marshmallows, or even beverage options with eye-shaped fruit pieces. Engaging your guests with delicious food encourages mingling and enjoyment. For our Voodoo Swamp party I researched New Orleans themed foods that were easy to eat standing up. Another easy idea is a spooky skeleton or mummy charcuterie board!

7. Great Music - Professional or not

I know it is not always within budget to hire a DJ but if you can, I've always felt a DJ brings the party and the dancing vibe to another level. You might also know someone who has a college-age or teenage child who wouldn't mind coming by to play some music to make a little extra pocket money. It's so helpful when you don't have to manage the music and have someone who can get people to the dance floor. It's also a great idea to create an open space that's obvious to guests that this is a dance floor...so they know to get their dancing moves ready for later! One lesson I learned the hard way is that people will gravitate to where the BAR is, so plan the bar location accordingly.

8. Get Tech Savvy

And don't forget tech! This can add a lot to your party and doesn't need to be difficult. A quick projector and sheet can add a huge WOW to your display. If you want to get more advanced there is a company I loved called Atmos FX that sells projection files for every occasion. You buy the files once and can use them year after year! I bought the projection sheet material they make which is only about $25 but works great. You can check them out on their website here. And I will link their projection sheet here. This will definitely bring an element of surprise a lot of people haven't seen before. Here is a photo of a spooky ghost girl projected onto our wall and we used it to have dancing skeletons outside on our front lawn. It's a huge hit and something most people haven't seen before!

Some other ideas: Add a fog machine and some disco lights to your dance floor area. And don't forget wireless speakers throughout your house to play that spooky ambient music! I even put one in the bathroom! One Halloween I used a small tape recorder to record my guests names in a creepy voice and left it in the bathroom. Yes, I realize this is a bit over the top, sometimes I get ahead of myself. :) It really creeped everyone out and my guests loved it!

9. Ghoulish Costume Contest

Encouraging guests to arrive in costume adds an exciting element to your party. Host a costume contest with fun categories such as 'Best Costume,' 'Scariest Costume,' and 'Most Creative Costume.' This not only motivates guests to get into the spirit but also generates a jovial and competitive atmosphere.

10. Capture the Moments

PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES! You don't know how many years I wish I took more pictures of my party set up and all my hard work AND more of my friends and I having fun. If I did, this blog would feature a lot more photos for you lol but it's easy to get caught up when your guests arrive. I spent a month building, painting and decorating our spooky cabin and I probably have 3 pictures of it. :/ So plan ahead to make time to take pictures or ask someone to help you. Sometimes I even set an alarm on my phone to remind myself to take a group photo so I don't get sidetracked and forget.

Second, I always think a Photo Booth is a good time. Photo Booth set up can be easy by just putting up a backdrop and having props related to your theme and a ring light. If you want to go the extra step, Amazon sells a variety of very cool backdrops you can use. I linked some here and here and here. There is also a more advanced ring light that will take the photos for you and send them to everyone's cell phone but this is more of an investment if you plan to have a lot of parties.

So there you have it! By following these tips, you can create a Halloween party that captures the essence of this bewitching holiday and offers your guests a night to remember. I hope you can use some of my tips to help you create an amazing Halloween party that your friends will be talking about all year! I have learned so many things from trial and error and I love sharing it all with my followers! Be sure to follow me on YouTube and social media for DIY videos and more awesome decor and Halloween decorating ideas! You can click below for all the links to my pages.

Happy Haunting!

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