How to Create a Sophisticated Halloween Party

Do you feel like the only option you have for a Halloween party are pumpkins, bats and witches? I'm here to show you how you can create something that is much more sophisticated and just as fun for your party!

Here I used skulls that came unfinished and painted them with white and brown paint rub. I've used them as risers for the charcuterie tray with some battery operated lights underneath for that special glow. I couldn't resist placing a rose in the mouth area..olé!

I love keeping my parties casual, so I can enjoy them as well. Appetizers, drinks and desserts are just right for this type of gathering served buffett style.

Signature drink: Chambord over ice, blackberry gingerale and blackberries on a stick stirrer.

I hand out drinks as soon as you enter the party area. It helps to loosen up your guests and creates a conversation starter. I also like to keep the drinks separate from the main buffett. This creates better flow and doesn't saddle your guests with holding everything at once.

Something fun to add to your ice bucket (not to be consumed) are these ice cubes with plastic spiders that I froze days in advance.

It's equally as important to create an atmosphere with your decorations as is the quality of the food. I use a variety of creepy things, like snakes that I glammed up by spray painting gold.

I've used them in unexpected places, in my vase with my flower and on my food trays. I used a snake on my cheese and charcuterie tray as a template for placing my food. Just enough creep factor!

Super creepy to use them in the skulls and even added glow sticks.. would be amazing at night.

My favorite decoration though, was the crow sitting on top of the candelabra. I used gold raffia to create a nest and battery operated lights askew add the extra creep factor.

Just look at him perched there..not even giving a flying fig about anything. #currentstateofmind

I made basic cupcakes with a combination of white and chocolate frosting with black food dye, it makes an interesting and creepy effect. Top with edible gold leaf and a skull made with a mold of cream cheese and sugar and voila, creepy meets sophisticated!

The coup de gras of this whole set up was the addition of dry ice. You can find it at some local grocery stores, or like I did at Airgas, which is a common business all over the United States. Sold in pellets or blocks, you have to bring a cooler and make sure you vent the lid. There will be sublimating going on…a fancy word for off gassing. Also, make sure you crack a window in your car for the C02 to escape. Using hot water works the best, do not touch this ice with bare hands, it will burn you at -135 degrees. I used some cheesecloth and pellets that I tied off with raffia, it made it so easy to drop into the water. The other thing to consider is using a very durable vessel, I used thermal stainless steel cups and they kept the water hot and were durable enough to handle the sudden temperature change.

I put the cup in the ice bucket, cue creep factor. To see this in action head over to my press page for a video of the segment I recently did with NBC30 CTLive

Happy Haunting on Halloween!! Hope it’s as creepy and sophisticated as it gets!! I would love to see your Halloween creations and comments below!!

Xo xo,

Jenn