Hitched at Halloween: “It just fits our vibe as a couple – a little bit spooky, a little bit colourful”

Halloween typically is known as the time of year dedicated to celebrating the dead, yet exclusive user data* from leading wedding vendor marketplace, Hitched.co.uk shows a 59% increase in weddings planned for October 31st this year compared to 2023 – despite it falling on a Thursday.

Additional insights show:

• More Brits are planning on getting married on Halloween in 2024 than they did in 2023, with 431 weddings planned for October 31st this year compared to 271 last year (+59%)
• Almost a quarter (24%) of those polled say they would get married in a haunted house or castle, with another 1-in-10 saying that it would “depend”
• More than a third (36%) say that they would not avoid getting married on Halloween, with another third (34%) saying knowing a venue was haunted would not put them off
• Newport couple tell why they chose Halloween to hold their spooky wedding

According to the exclusive user data there are 431 couples planning to say “I boo!” this Halloween compared to the 271 couples who did the same last year.

Additionally, in a recent user poll** of Brits planning weddings it was revealed that not only are almost half (42%) of couples not put off by getting married on Halloween, but many are actually quite keen on sharing their big day with guests from the other side as almost a quarter (24%) say they would happily get married in a haunted house or castle.

Morgan and Sophie

With 25% more Brits searching online for ‘haunted castles’ in the last three months according to Google Trends, the wedding pros at Hitched, chat to one couple from South Wales about their impending Halloween wedding.

Sophie Keyes and Morgan Corfield (both 30), from Newport, South Wales, tell Hitched why choosing to get Hitched this Halloween was a natural choice for them.

“We absolutely adore Halloween,” says Sophie. “We have more Halloween decorations than Christmas decorations at this point. It’s an evening we spend listening to cheesy Halloween songs, bake spooky shortbread cookies, homemade pizzas and watch Halloween movies.

Sophie and Morgan

“We also love the autumn colours, the fairy lights and the pumpkin carving of course! Morgan actually chose the date of our wedding; it fits our vibe as a couple, a little spooky but also bright and colourful.”

When it comes to following a theme, Sophie and Morgan have it nailed.

“We’ve gone for a haunted house theme. I was inspired after watching the new haunted mansion movie and the candelabra we have sat on our living room piano. I have made the majority of the decorations myself too because it’s really hard to find the exact vibe you’re going for when it comes to Halloween weddings. I don’t particularly like the whole “til death” aesthetic that seems to be popular at the moment so my flower wall will say “until we’re ghosts”.

Morgan and Sophie

Friends and family were all on board with the theme, a bit too much in fact.

“Some have asked if they can dress up but as much as I love the idea, I still want it to feel like a wedding not the rocky horror show,” says Sophie. “You’ll always have some guests who won’t dress up and it would be a shame that not everyone’s fully invested in the theme. I’ve had work colleagues ask if they can come purely because of the date, it’s on!”

Sophie says that when choosing their venue, paranormal activity wasn’t something that worried them, and that they were more interested in finding a place that was right for them.

“We’re getting married in a registry office then having our reception in Tredegar Park Golf Club. There’s nothing spooky about either venue, but if I’m honest, it wasn’t something we thought about when booking. We were more concerned about finding a place we felt we could make our own.

“I wouldn’t worry about anywhere being haunted. I love ghost stories and the thought of things moving around us adds a bit of personality. Although I have experienced things I cannot explain, I am still a sceptic at heart!”

Sophie and Morgan

Maisie Peppitt, Assistant Editor of Hitched says: “Nothing excites guests quite like a good ghost story – if you’re into that sort of thing. For those that are brave enough, why not organise a haunted house tour through the grounds of your wedding venue? You could even hire an actor to dress up as a ghost in a spooky scavenger hunt –  challenge your guests to find them, and see who wins!”

For more info on haunted wedding venues, please visit: https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/haunted-wedding-venues/