‘Til Death Dark Romance Halloween Wedding | St Augustine FL
Fall Wedding Ideas on a Budget
Honestly - the best way to create your dream forest wedding aesthetic on a budget is by hiring a team of professionals and giving them your figure ahead of time as well as your initial expectations.
I offer this all inclusive (photography & planning) micro wedding & elopement package.
My Enchanted Forest Wedding Theme package includes:
All planning, photography for 2 hours +, cake, decor, seating for up to 25, hair and makeup for one and floral arrangements, a bouquet and a boutonniere. All this starting at only $3500! Inquire here for St Augustine and Jacksonville FL.
If that’s not an option for you, feel free to browse this article for DIY Halloween inspired wedding planning tips and ideas from someone who’s been planning spooky weddings on my clients budget for quite some time now!
Gothic Wedding Style
Planning your Gothic Wedding starts with figuring out which theme is right for you and the type of location that’s ideal for the dark and spooky romance vibes.
I suggest starting by searching Pinterest for either dark romance wedding or gothic wedding or even just Halloween themed wedding to get ideas flowing. I break down how to use Pinterest in an organized way in this blog post.
Then decide on a location. Make a list of woodsy properties or indoor venues with good dim lighting or even a private lot that can be transformed and has the space to accommodate a bigger set up.
I recommend setting up two to three areas: an arch or a similar designated space to say your vows. Ceremony seating (if you have guests) with an aesthetic pleasing background on at least three sides of this set up. You probably don’t want cars or buildings in the background as you walk to the altar.
I also recommend an area for cake and/or a champagne tower. If you go for a mafia theme (for example), you could have something like a vintage cigar bar or a large plush sofa. But you can get creative here. You could hang lights or lanterns from a tree and get a fancy chaise to match. Love a good neon sign too!
I recommend sticking to a few color choices and an overall theme so you can hold yourself back from buying up all the amazing decor and exceeding your budget.
The hardest part is staying true to a cohesive design plan because too often we want to overdo it! I know I am so guilty of this!
Fall Table Settings
Having a few areas set up (like a movie set) can seriously help with deciding on a mini theme for each one. Separating the areas helps you keep from making your set up an explosion of all the things aka a hodge podge.
Pieces like florals, trays, candle holders, lanterns, and rugs can easily be moved from scene to scene while taking photos. For example, in the pictures below, note how the twigs (originally beige but painted black) were relocated between the arch and the sofa setup.
The cake and champagne table can be adorned with a simple a table cloth, a fall centerpiece, and of course, the cake can be a total masterpiece and very much part of your gothic decor.
Currently, my team and I are planning a Halloween elopement with a mafia theme and we are using black feathers dipped in gold and boho black flume feathers for our centerpieces and arch decor. We will also have a cigar bar and make old fashioned drinks, smoky inside their box.
Have fun with all the little details! They can really make the whole theme stand out, such as a 'til death cake cutter and server set, little bone napkin holders, dry ice inside drinks for that extra sizzle, and handmade accessories (like the hand lettered black leather jackets).
Even your invitations can make a statement. You can save money by doing digital invites for the actual guests, but do print one or two for detail photos.
Think about incorporating a classic car with the headlights on and/or lanterns into the photos once the sun sets! It’s so exciting to polish up the little details so the whole set feels cohesive and impressively personal.
Fall Wedding Makeup
Coming soon :)
Fall Flower Arrangements
fall flower arrangements
Dark Romance Wedding Planning
dark romance wedding
