Event Guide: 5 Ghoulish Decoration Ideas for Your Halloween Event

It all started on All Hallow’s Eve night. The rain was heavy and thunder crashed from above. Witches flew on their broomsticks, and zombies crawled through the fields. In the distance, werewolves could be heard howling as if they were calling out to their former soul. Cauldrons bubbled and potions brewed.

Phew! OK, although I feel like we’re forgetting one scary group, I’m pretty sure we covered our bases on every potential spooky story told this week. We just wanted to prepare you for what’s to come when Halloween arrives on Saturday. Speaking of Halloween, how are you designing your next event? It doesn’t matter if it’s a wedding or a neighborhood party, decorations are key to making your event the spookiest. And the best part, you don’t even have to spend a fortune to create the perfect scene. We have five ghoulish decoration ideas for the scariest Halloween party! Don’t be too frightened—we promise to keep the vampire teeth from biting.

Candy Corn Flowers

Forget the sand, water, or rocks—it’s candy corn time! Candy corn is the one treat everyone associates with Halloween. Our idea for this candy though is not to eat or use it in place of bubbles at the end of a wedding reception. We’re thinking more of using it in flower arrangements.

Candy corn arrangements are easy to create. Fill glass vases with the candy and then add your flowers. For the perfect flower combinations, your options are wide open. We suggest adding twigs and branches to give base to your arrangement. And so far, gerber daisies are our favorite flowers for these centerpieces.

Mummy in the Bathroom

One of the most neglected places in an event space are the bathrooms. Here’s an area almost every guest visits, but it’s one we all forget to decorate. So we’re here to fix that! Even if you just add flower arrangements to the area, it can really bring your event full circle. But for your Halloween event, why not add a mummy to the bathroom? Toilet paper decorations and designs are cheap, making it perfect for decorating multiple spaces.

Vampire Teeth Napkin Rings

Instead of the traditional paper napkin ring, why not try something with a bit more bite? Vampire teeth are the perfect fit to a hold a napkin and utensils. These little gift bag souvenirs are available at almost every party store, and are reasonably priced too. All you have to do is slip the wrapped napkin through the teeth, and there you go, vampire teeth napkin rings.

Chemistry Beverage Set

Be the coolest mad scientist by having all of your drink mixes line your shelf in beakers and graduated cylinders. If you have a bar area set up in your event space, add colored lights behind your chemistry set to let the glasses light up and the spookiness take effect. We suggest adding labels to the back of your mixing containers; it can eliminate the confusion when everything looks the same.

Pumpkin Drink Holders

Everyone knows pumpkins are great for carving and creating Jack-O-Lanterns. But did you know they also make excellent drink holders? The idea for a pumpkin drink holder came to me when my brother-in-law sent me pictures of my niece in a pumpkin.  Loving the picture, I thought “What else can you put in a pumpkin?” And the idea for a drink holder came to life. Making this little craft is pretty simple: get a pumpkin, cut it in half, add ice and drinks, and you’re done! And since you can find this oversized gourd anywhere, this decorating tip won’t break the budget. 

Well I think that’s about it from us on this event guide. We hope you’re not too spooked to give these ideas a try at your next ghoulish event. Do you have a favorite Halloween decoration? Share your pictures or tips with us in the comment section below. Oh—that’s who we forgot: the vampires! And no, we don’t mean the ones that sparkle.

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The Event Guide: 7 Flower Mistakes to Weed Out of Your Event

People love flowers.

From daffadillies to red roses to calla lilies, a simple floral arrangement can transform clothes into elegant outfits and event spaces into warm, inviting rooms. But flowers can also cause allergic reactions, attract insects, overcrowd the space, and much more. Which is why as an event professional or florist, your expertise on all things flowers is sought after. So to prevent bee stings and sneezing guests, help your clients avoid these seven common mistakes when they’re selecting flowers for their event.

Ready to sort the flowers from the weeds in this week’s event guide? Alright—let’s do it!

Mistake 1: Not Trusting the Florist

You are the professional—the flower guru. You know which flowers are appropriate, are in season, and would work best for the event space. Convince your clients that you are going to provide absolutely breathtaking arrangements by hosting a meeting with them to discuss their theme, their likes and dislikes, and their budget. Let them know the pros and cons of each flower they choose, as well as another alternative (if there is one). This method is a great way to build trust between you and your clients.

Mistake 2: Picking Only One Color

Colors are meant to be harmonious, much like music and poetry. If something is too bland or chaotic, our brains have a difficult time organizing and constructing a logical structure. Flowers, with their multitude of color, can either create a sense of interest and order, or create disorder and chaos. This is why we suggest steering your clients away from the same color sequence when it comes to the flowers and other decorations. A color wheel would be useful to help your clients see the variety of flower colors that can complement their event theme.

For example: Sunflowers would make a bold statement with deep purple bridesmaid dresses because purple and yellow are direct opposites on the color wheel.

Mistake 3: Strongly Scented Flowers

No one wants a sneeze to replace their “I do,” or puffy eyes to be mistaken as tears during someone’s happy moment. Which is why we suggest keeping your clients and their guests away from strongly scented flowers. And yes, we know that Stargazers, Gardenias, and Hyacinth are gorgeous in bouquets, but they produce a very strong (almost overwhelming) fragrance. Instead, suggest to your clients that you can add these flowers to arrangements to the gift table, arches, aisles, window sills, etc.—somewhere where people will not congregate or eat.

Mistake 4: Not Caring for Cut Flowers

Once it’s cut, a flower only has a few hours or days until it's completely wilted. And unfortunately, some cut flowers have a shorter lifespan than others: an example would be hydrangeas. Although hydrangeas are a show stopper in a bouquet, they need to be kept in water throughout the day—their lifespan is only three hours without water. Speak with your clients about how to care for flowers during their event to make sure they last the entire time.  

Mistake 5: Ordering Too Late

Flowers come from all over the world, which means ordering at the last minute is out of the question. When a client contacts you, one of the first questions you should ask is the date of the event. Most people wait until the last few months until their event to discuss flowers. So explain to them that the quicker they decide on flowers, the more likely it will be that they get their first choice in flowers. And it allows you time to make alternative bouquets if needed.

Mistake 6:  Forgetting to Budget

The cost of floral arrangements for an event can quickly add up—usually coming as a surprise to most people. To prevent this sticker-tag shock, find out your client’s budget before you share samples and ideas. You’ll also be better prepared to help sort out how many flowers they can afford for each space and event.

Mistake 7: Big, Bigger, Biggest

You have a client that’s always dreamed of a bouquet of two-dozen red roses to walk down the aisle with, tall vases filled full with an assortment of flowers for the reception tables, and wreaths on every door. Although you might love that they are dreaming big, it’s important to remind them of the overall event picture. And besides, the bigger the bouquet, the heavier it will be to hold. Try selling your clients on the comfort and size of the flowers, rather than the “bigger is better” motto.

Flowers are the perfect finishing touch to every event; help your clients find theirs today! And remember, the Inspherio Crew is always here to give you the best event tips for your business. Check us out and try Inspherio for free for 15 days!

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