The Halloween Bride
a real Halloween wedding

Getting married in one of Halloween's capitals


SALEM, MA

Racquel and Lance Zimmerman’s Halloween Ball theme wedding in Salem, Massachusetts, the city is known for 'Haunted Happenings' was featured on the cover of Weddings & Honeymoons, left, in 2001.

For a couple who met on Halloween, there was no other theme or place they wanted for their wedding.

Originally from Maine, the Florida based couple met when they were in high school. They dated before he went to College and she got a job in Florida. They dated others, but they never stopped thinking about each other. Lance sent Racquel a birthday card at her mother’s and the romance started again. At the time of their wedding, Lance was a computer programmer for Nabisco & General Mills and Racquel was a yacht stewardess, makeup artist and event planner.

To start planning their theme they went to craft and art supply stores searching for materials to make their own party favors and decorations. They designed their own invitations and menu, pictured left, made gift bags of candy tied with orange and black ribbon, had pumpkin shaped candles, ghost and bat candle holders, a spider web ice sculpture with dry ice and lit with a back light, floral centerpieces three feet high covered with cobwebs, lights, black ravens, spiders and everything else they could think of that went with their theme.

Wedding Outfits

The bride and groom dressed traditionally for their wedding. His tuxedo was black and had a longer jacket, black velvet vest, and an ascot to match the vampire theme. The bride's dress was going to be black — as the Halloween bride. But when she tried on the black dress, and before the tuelling hit the floor she knew she had to be a traditional bride. She chose a Cinderella style dress, very full on the bottom, with a cinched waist, spaghetti straps, long white gloves and she wore a tiara in her hair.

The groomsmen were all made up like vampires. Their tuxedos were the same as the groom's with the exception that their vests were red. They also wore long black wool capes with red lining, long black fingernails, fake fangs, and they had their faces powdered, wore lipstick and eye makeup.

The bridesmaids’ dresses were made from bridesmaids dress patterns adapted to look like pretty witch dresses. The material was black gauze with a spider web pattern over taffeta and matching shawls with an eight-inch fringe. 
  They had tall black witch hats with a black bat attached to a black sequined bow. Their earrings and necklaces had small jeweled spiders dangling from them. They carried witches' brooms with orange and black spray, and dusted roses and ribbons instead of bouquets.

Ceremony
All their wedding guests were in costume and during the seating the score to the movie was played. The bride and groom marched in to The CrowLove Song for a Vampire by Annie Lenox. The service was performed by a Justice of the Peace in a room at the Hawthorne Hotel. The couple chose different sayings for their ceremony and included an Irish blessing, requested by the bride, as part of the vows.

Reception
The reception hall didn't have to be decorated as the entire hotel was decked out in full Halloween decor. Their menu was spook-tacular. Their First Dance was to Possession by Sarah McLachlan.

Honeymoon
Racquel and Lance honeymooned in Bermuda.

HALLOWEEN THEME DRINK

BAT BITE              
2 oz. Bacardi silver
1 oz. Maraschino liqueur
1 oz. Fresh lime
½ oz. Simple Syrup
1 oz. Acai juice/layer (optional)

• In a mixing glass, add Bacardi silver, maraschino liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup.  Add ice & shake.
• Strain into a Collins glass with ice. Garnish with lime wheel or peel.
• Optional step - add acai juice for flavor or layer for effect.