haunted hotel bedHalloween weddings have been on the radar for a while now, with vampire officiants, costumed bridal parties, and plenty of cobwebs festooning the dance floor. If you want to take things to a whole new level of gruesome, forget hopping over to Party City for plastic spiders—instead, invite your ghouls guests to a wedding at a haunted hotel. These staying places combine appropriately creepy histories with crackerjack event planners and considerable helpings of romance. Because you want your wedding day to be scary—scary perfect, that is.

La Posada hotel bar

La Posada

La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa

Santa Fe

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Why it’s spooky

When La Posada de Santa Fe  was still a private residence, its mistress, Julia Staab, is said to have gone mad after the death of her seventh child. And her own ghost is rumored to have never left the property. Dressed in a black cloak, she has manifested herself on a number of occasions, most commonly either in her former bedroom or at the top of the staircase. She seems to be a benign spirit, though, and in appreciation the staff say hello each time they enter her old room, and guests at the bar have been known to include her when they order a round of drinks.

Why get married here

Although in the heart of Santa Fe, La Posada de Santa Fe has a roomy inner courtyard whose lawn and garden can accommodate 120 for seated dinners and up to 250 for receptions. There’s indoor space for just as many, so you can marry in here any time of year. The feel is high-desert Southwest, with adobe architecture and casita-style guest rooms outfitted with traditional beamed ceilings and, in many cases, a gas or wood-burning fireplace. Santa Fe is a city known for its art, and while wedding guests will want to wander its many galleries, they won’t have to go any farther than La Posada’s public spaces, as some 600 works (all for sale) hang on the walls.

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Exterior view Hotel Jerome Aspen

Hotel Jerome

Hotel Jerome

Aspen

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Why it’s spooky

One of Colorado’s most charming hostelries, the Hotel Jerome  has been around for 120 years, and it’s picked up a healthy following of spirits along the way. Perhaps you’ll encounter the “water boy,” who is said to have drowned in the Jerome’s swimming pool in 1936. Creepy detail: The best way to spot him is to look for wet footprints.

Why get married here

Aside from a drop-dead location (gorgeous gardens, mountain views), the Jerome’s accessible elegance makes for weddings that are a combination of Rocky Mountain rustic and richly detailed. Depending on the space, you can anticipate antler chandeliers, studded leather chairs, Navaho-style rugs, or pressed tin ceilings. There’s an outdoor terrace ideal for cocktails in the summer months, and a grand ballroom that can accommodate up to 500 of your besties any time of year. They can create a wedding cake that looks like it’s covered with aspen bark, host a hot-chocolate or hot-cider bar before the wedding, and do a hauntingly delicious grilled cheese station. 

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Carousel Bar Hotel Monteleone New Orleans

Carousel Bar Hotel Monteleone

Hotel Monteleone

New Orleans

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Why it’s spooky

With a history of voodoo, New Orleans is no stranger to the paranormal, which means it’s no surprise that Hotel Monteleone, one of the city’s most popular accommodations, is deemed haunted by many guests. A night at Hotel Monteleone could include visits from child-like spirits, experiences with locked doors that open and shut without apparent reason, and an elevator with a mind of its own.

Why get married here

Maybe the reason the Hotel Monteleone is so popular with ghosts is the same reason you’ll love it—at the foot of Royal Street, it allows you to walk out of the lobby and into the French Quarter. There’s no reason to rush, though, because venues here include the Queen Anne Ballroom, which can seat 260 for dinner, or, for a rooftop reception for 150, the Riverview Room. We love the idea of a cajun buffet, with smoked duck and andouille gumbo. Or how about shrimp, crabmeat, and crawfish jambalaya rice? And just in case you spend more time socializing than snacking during the reception, the Monteleone will send a tray of champagne and hors d’oeuvres to your room after the party.
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Exterior of  Omni Mount Washington Resort New Hampshire

Omni Mount Washington Resort

Omni Mount Washington Resort

Bretton Woods,  New Hampshire

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Why its spooky

Built in 1902 by businessman Joseph Stickney,  the Mount Washington Hotel, now known as the Omni Mount Washington Resort, was a wealthy man’s paradise. Stickney and his wife Carolyn loved the hotel almost as much as they loved each other—until the tragic day when Joseph died from a sudden heart attack, leaving his devastated widow to roam the hotel they both loved so much, alone.

Carolyn eventually married again, to Prince Lucinge of France, and only returned to the hotel after she had been widowed a second time. She spent her final days enjoying the luxuries her first husband had worked hard to build.

It’s Carolyn’s ghost that many people believe haunts the hotel today. Staff and guests have reported seeing the apparition of a woman that matches Carolyn’s description looking over the balcony of the hotel. She used to stand here secretly comparing what people were wearing, determined to outshine them. Her ghost has also been seen descending the stairs for dinner. If you’re lucky enough to score Room 314 (Carolyn’s private suite, also known as the Princess Room), don’t be surprised if you wake at night to see her sitting on the end of the bed, slowly brushing her hair.

Why get married here

With a setting that takes in the lushly wooded mountains of the Presidential Range, the Omni makes sure you’ll have a wedding with a view: Invite guests to cocktails on a veranda with rolling green panorama, to dinner under the stars on the rooftop Jewell Terrace, or to a seated feast in a ballroom with a vista of Mt. Washington. The on-site coordinator finesses the details, and they’ll even do a veil and hair rehearsal. Bride of Frankenstein  updo? We’re pretty sure they’re up to the challenge.

 

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Want to know more about planning destination wedding travel? Our travel partners at Coastline Travel Advisors, a Virtuoso agency, are ready to help.

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