[gentlemother]

This will be our first Halloween party and I am thrilled!!
I want to do a kind of Great Expectations theme. Our dining room is perfect for it! We have a large family and an equally large dining table I hope to be able to set up with a "rotting" wedding cake and banquet spread.
I bought a truly hideous wedding gown from a local thrift store and have greyed it out a little and tattered some of the lace in spots.
I'll have to stray from the book a bit since I actually have a husband, lol. I'm not sure what/ how to dress him? Miss Havisham's would-be husband drowned. I'm pretty sure he'd be less than happy if I asked him to be wet all night. Maybe he could just be a dead groom? I don't know.
I'm a huge DIY-er and have been collecting stuff for 2 years for this party! Since the book took place in the Victorian era, I want to do some creepy curiosities and such.
Has anyone ever done a theme similar? I'm really stumped on the invitations though. I'd like to stay in theme but I'm not coming up with anything.
I'd appreciate ideas if anyone has any!

Thanks!

 

[RoxyBlue]

I think this is a great idea. The story lends itself to a haunting theme.

For invitations, take a look at the Victorian templates on this site for ideas:

http://www.weddingclipart.com/msword/victorian.html

A Google image search should find you plenty of resources for Victorian clipart for invitations. Also do a search on Victorian written invitations etiquette for proper and authentic wording.

For the drowned would-be husband, you can try simulating the look without water. Use a wet-look gel to slick up his hair as well as parts of his clothing (a proper suit, of course). Attach fake aquatic plants to his clothing. Stick a fish in one pocket if you want a slightly whimsical look Since you have time, you could also age the suit by leaving it outside for a while and letting Mother Nature work her magic on it.

 

[gentlemother]

The aquatic plants is a fabulous idea! Thanks so much! And we can definitely give him some wet look hair.
Actually, all the ideas are super!
I can't wait!!!!

 

[RoxyBlue]

I assume you're stocked up on cobwebbing and spiders, because I think those were part of the decaying reception scene as well in the book.

 

[gentlemother]

Yes! I scored a great deal on cobwebs last year after Halloween! I bought 45 bags for $10! It's the pull-out, stringy kind. I had to hide them from my kids who kept trying to put cobwebs in all the corners of the house, lol
I'll get some spiders as well.
I took a quick look on ebay and found some stringy vine like artificial sea weed that will look great!

 

[Spooklights]

What a great idea! I actually clicked on this thread, just to see if it was really Dicken's "Great Expectations" you were talking about. The description of Miss Havisham's room always creeped me out when I read it. Maybe you could put some white makeup on your hubby's face, and have big black circles under his eyes, and he could wear really tattered clothing. Sort of a Victorian Zombie look. And don't forget to turn his pockets inside out. I understand that there were boatmen who cruised the Thames looking for drowning victims, and they would always pick the pockets on the bodies before towing them to the authorities. They would blame the inside out pockets on the tides.

 

[RoxyBlue]

^And the inside out pockets are mentioned in at least one other Charles Dickens novel, so it's an authentic touch

 

[Pumpkin5]

:jol:For the invitations, you could always find a favorite quote from the book and build an invitation around that, using a Victorian theme. I like this quote, but there are sooo many to chose from. "I had seen the damp lying on the outside of my little window, as if some goblin had been crying there all night, and using the window for a pocket-handkerchief.”
I guess I like it because it references goblins.

 

[gentlemother]

That's a great idea! I've been kind of skimming through the book again (high school was a looooong time ago, lol) to better remember some details and I can definitely incorporate some quotes. Thanks!
And I love the inside out pockets!

 

[RoxyBlue]

How about this one from the book?

"“Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day.” ― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

From there you can lead into the invitation to a memorable Halloween party.

 

[gentlemother]

Oh goodness! I really love that!

 

[deadSusan]

I ran across something the other day that would really add ambience to your party. I believe the people of that era were really into collecting and displaying things. This site shows how to make bell jars out of soda bottles. They really are quite fabulous. If you haven't seen this artist's work yet, I think you will be amazed. You can find her work and how-to's at http://lifeartcollide.blogspot.ca/2012/10/soda-bottle-bell-jars.html

 

[deadSusan]

Just wanted to amend my previous comment. It hit me that you may already have bell jars since you've been prepping for this party for several years. If you do, I hope you still find the site inspiring.

 

[gentlemother]

I really like that! Thanks so much!!

 

[deadSusan]

Glad you like it.

Are you going to stop dusting? I would start setting things out and then not dust until after the party.