Although Joe and Michelle Saeler opted for a traditional church wedding on Halloween 2009, the Chicora couple added the seasonal theme at their reception, which included a few holiday table decorations.

Halloween is Michelle Saeler's favorite holiday, so the temptation to get married that day was too great to resist.

“I usually do an annual party (anyway),” said the former Michelle Steighner, 33, of Chicora, who decided to incorporate the seasonal theme into the wedding decor.

Like many season brides, Saeler's challenge was to balance fun with the seriousness of the occasion.

Saeler accomplished that goal when selecting color for bridesmaid dresses, using deep purple, fern and dark brown truffle instead of the hallmark Halloween orange.

Susan Stein, wedding specialist at the Grand Ballroom and owner of Perfect Day Planning in Butler, agrees color is a place to start — with deep burgundies, navy blues and forest greens popular in the fall and winter and fresh, light pastels in the spring and summer.

Stein estimates about 80 percent of her clients incorporate a seasonal or holiday theme, and to avoid an over-the-top look, Stein recommends simple, sophisticated touches.

“I always tell my brides, they don't want to look like the prom, they want it to look like their wedding,” she said.Saeler also remained tasteful by avoiding thematic decor at the church, instead focusing on the table decorations and activity at the reception hall.Leaves, acorns and gourds were among the items adorning tables. Favors included chocolate leaves and ghosts.“For the glass for the toast, a friend drew a spider web on each glass and put everybody's name on it,” Saeler said, noting lanterns and black cats also were used sparingly.At the hall, costumes came into play. When greeting guests, Saeler's husband Joe, 26, wore a devil mask. She and some of her bridesmaids wore mardi gras-style masks.“My father-in-law wore a Frankenstein mask,” she added.Although the event wasn't billed as a costume ball, those who inquired were told costumes were optional — and many guests dressed up as the reception got under way.

Halloween-themed songs were interspersed into the more traditional music.“Later on someone had brought an old wedding dress, and someone had put Joe in it. So at the end of the night we had two brides walking around,” Saeler said.“It was a lot of fun. I think everybody had a good time.”Sumer Schmitt, owner of Simply Perfect Weddings in Mars, said other Halloween wedding props can include white pumpkins, hay bales in more casual settings and carved pumpkins to be used as vases.“Flowers are the number one way that we try to incorporate,” she said, explaining mistletoe and pine cones can become December centerpieces and bouquets, with daisies and tulips popular in spring.

Instead of reds and deep greens popular in winter, spring is signified by pastel colors like pink, yellow and orange.“Even lavender is becoming popular again,” she said. “Purple is all the rage. In 2010 turquoise is named the color of the year by Pantone, the color gurus of the fashion world,” she said.Schmitt said red, white and blue remain popular for the Fourth of July, with sparklers often used in the receiving line, making for dramatic photos.Butler High School graduate Lauren Kern was married July 4, 2009. The former Lauren Motko, 26, now lives in Troy, Mich., with her husband, Andrew, 30.Though she incorporated some Fourth of July flavor into her wedding, she was careful not to go over the top.

“We wanted it to be our day, with just a little bit of the Fourth of July in there,” she said.Instead of throwing rice or blowing bubbles as the couple exited the church, guests set off party poppers filled with foil streamers.An alumna of Penn State, Kern chose navy blue and white for her reception at the Nittany Lion Inn rather than red, white and blue.Kern's wedding day was completed with a fireworks show after the reception.“Our reception ended just when the State College fireworks began,” said Kern. “We all walked outside to watch the fireworks.”Only a few of the 120 invited guests were unable to attend, Kern said, and planning the wedding around a holiday weekend had added benefits.

“I think people enjoyed having it then — nobody had to leave early to get home,” she said. “And for the family to have that time together, it was just nice not to be rushed. Everybody was able to come out and stay with us.”“The big joke at our wedding was now Andrew has no excuse to ever forget our anniversary,” Kern said. “And everyone kept saying that I'm so lucky that I will have fireworks for each anniversary!”

Michelle and Joe Saeler have a little fun with guests arriving at their Halloween wedding reception last year.

Some of those guests dressed for the occasion.

Signs of the season also were evident as guests set off party poppers to greet the couple.

Although sunglasses might have been needed on the July 4 wedding of Lauren and Andrew Kern they also made for a glamorous portrait.