How To Throw a Scary Good — Yet Sophisticated — Halloween Party

Jack-O-Lanterns, cobwebs, and bewitching accessories are some of the first things that come to mind when you think of a Halloween party. Purple and orange accents can create a delightfully dark atmosphere, but sometimes it can start to feel hokey. After all, how many skeletons can one have in one room before it starts to feel silly? 

There’s no shame in loving Halloween as an adult, especially because it’s a fun time to show off your creativity and dress up in a funky costume without judgment. Perhaps you’re the type to play Monster Mash on repeat and cover your home in pumpkins the second it turns October 1, or maybe you prefer something more subtle, like floating candles over the mantle and some moody decorations. 

Toeing the line between festive and corny can be hard, which is why we tapped celebrations expert (and friend of Katie’s) Darcy Miller to give us some tips on how to throw the perfect Halloween bash. She’s here to help us navigate how to throw a festive yet chic celebration that you and your loved ones are sure to enjoy. Here are her tips for throwing an adult Halloween party. 

Halloween Party Ideas and Tips for Adults

Take a minimalist approach 

Even your mantle can become a haunted centerpiece. Here, Miller uses black fabric to create a dramatic drapery moment. Gold, black, and white accents keep things interesting without feeling cheap or cheesy, and things like plastic snakes or bugs can easily be transformed with a coat of spray paint. 

“If you have time (and some spidey skills), you can even make your own gold spider web,” Miller says. 

Deck out your drinks

Adding critters and crawlies to your food setup adds a fun element, too. If you’ll be serving drinks, consider adding custom labels to wine bottles or liquor bottles. Miller has some available for free on her website. “You can download these labels and let guests pick their ‘poison,’” she says. “A festive drink could even be as simple as dropping olive ‘eyeballs’ into martinis.”

Use what you have

If you’ve already decorated for autumn, chances are you have a few pumpkins or gourds lying around. “I love decorating with gourds,” she says. “They’re more unexpected than pumpkins, and when Halloween is over, you can take off the add-ons, and leave the gourds in place until Thanksgiving. You can even serve dips in gourds for a fun seasonal appetizer.”

Miller suggests adding a pair of eyes to them if you want up the creepy factor. “Download our eye templates, then attach them to gourd centerpieces with glue dots or tape,” she suggests. “You can add a pair of eyes, a single one for a cyclops gourd, or give a gourd a third eye. You can also attach googly eye stickers or draw eyes on yourself with a marker.” 

By adding small details to an everyday item, you have a brand new decoration that costs next to nothing to make. Plus, it’s easy to remove the eyes when the party is over. 

The most important thing, though? “Have fun, and take the pressure off!” Miller says. “There are so many fun and easy ways to celebrate Halloween. Take store-bought cupcakes, add bat wings, and stick on some candy eyes. Make a festive gallery wall with decal frames and add some ‘scary’ art.”

It doesn’t have to be complicated, and what matters most is having a good time with your guests. “It’s about connecting, and you don’t need anything complicated to do that,” she says.

Want some more inspiration? Here are some products we’d include at our Halloween party.

Halloween Party Essentials