31 October wouldn’t be every couple’s first choice of wedding date, but for gallerist India Rose James and musician Daniel Vildosola, it was an easy decision. “Every Halloween I’m always like, ‘Oh God, who am I gonna be?’” the bride says. “I never like doing it half-arsed. I feel like I have to do it properly. And so I was like, this is the perfect solution: I’ll just get married on Halloween.”

Having already legally exchanged vows in an intimate Las Vegas ceremony back in June, India was determined that this weekend – “the big one” – should feel distinct, especially for the 30 guests in attendance at both. And what could be further from neon lights in the Nevada desert than autumn in the English countryside? And so, over the weekend, 150 guests descended on the striking, neo-Gothic Oakley Court, a short distance from Windsor (where India went to school) and overlooking the River Thames.

Long before it was refurbished by tastemaker Alex Eagle, the Victorian mansion was once the go-to set for Hammer Horror films – most famously serving as “The Frankenstein Place” (Dr Frank-N-Furter’s castle) in the 1975 cult classic . But the property was a practical as well as an atmospheric choice. “It’s close to London, it’s close to the airport for everyone flying in, it’s got the gothic vibe, and it just came with everything,” the bride explains, “It’s just one and done, basically.”

The weekend kicked off with an intimate rehearsal dinner on Friday, before the wedding itself on Halloween night and then a relaxed brunch on Sunday. The couple worked with the same planners who oversaw the Vegas festivities, Atom Events. “India has a wonderfully distinctive imagination and a real sense of fun, which gives us plenty to play with,” CEO Tom Freud tells us. “For her Harry Potter-inspired 30th birthday, we had hands reaching out from bookshelves offering guests cocktails as they arrived, hung 1,000 candles above the dinner tables, and now, a few years later, we’re planning a Halloween wedding in a house that could almost be Hogwarts itself.”

Three events meant at least three dresses – and multiple opportunities to lean into the theme. “Even though I’m a blonde and dress quite normally, I’ve often dabbled with the gothic aesthetic,” India says. “My staple wardrobe is all black, and so is my husband’s.” They settled on a very literal interpretation of the traditional black tie dress code. “I’ve had a few people be like, ‘But can I wear black with white or, like, black with pink flowers? I’m like, ‘No! It’s black tie, you have to wear all black! You have to accommodate the season!”

For the welcome party on Friday, the bride wore an archive John Galliano gown, sourced from Tab Vintage in LA. For the wedding day itself, the bride had only one designer in mind – her friend, Dilara Findikoglu. “I’ve known her for a very long time,” James recalls, “I think she was still studying at Central Saint Martins when we met.” There could be no more fitting choice for a Halloween wedding gown than the Turkish designer, who draws inspiration from Victorian and Gothic eras and has become known for her darkly romantic creations. “My dress was phenomenal but it very much restricted my breathing. I actually think I might have bruised my sternum,” India says, laughing. “But I looked great, which is all that matters!” Along with a custom veil (despite the bride initially planning a tiara, Findikoglu sold her on the vision), the bride wore her late mother’s diamond necklace. “It had been sitting in a safe pretty much since she passed away, so that was very special.”

The ceremony took place just before sunset overlooking the river, in a candlelit tent filled with flowers and foliage in autumnal shades of red, dusky pink and orange. After India walked down the aisle to “Head Over Heels” by Tears for Fears, the couple were married by Dom Goldsmith, a bandmate of the groom and one of the earliest cheerleaders of their relationship. Readings by the bride’s 10-year-old daughter (an extract from Tim Burton’s ), and the groom’s sister ( by Margaret Atwood) were both moving and on theme.

The weekend was filled with many surprises but perhaps the biggest was that James and Valderosa weren’t the only couple getting wed. “We’re doing two for the price of one,” the bride says, laughing, before revealing that the ceremony was followed by a second for India’s two dogs, Lilith and Smaug. Lilith even wore a custom Findikoglu collar to match her owner. Perhaps it shouldn’t have come as so much of a surprise – they had, after all, played a small part in her Vegas wedding too: appearing as a hand-embroidered decoration on her custom Clio Peppiatt party dress.

After both couples had said (or barked) their “I dos”, guests enjoyed hot cocktails and canapés under monogrammed blankets provided to keep the October chill at bay, before a ghost train – a land train transformed with red neon and eerie lighting – took everyone on a journey through the wooded grounds, first to dinner and later to the after-party. The newlyweds followed in a vintage, vampiric red Rolls-Royce belonging to the father-of-the-bride.

Dinner was served beneath a chandelier and dramatic white draping that hung from ceiling to floor. Hundreds of candles flickered amidst tablescapes of white roses, delicate lace details and shimmering silverware. Guests tucked into pumpkin soup followed by beef fillet and potato Dauphinoise. While the adults wined and dined, underage guests were kept busy with trick or treating and a screening of , while tucking in to sliders and sweets. Or at least, that was the plan. “They all told me they watched different films, so I don’t know what was going on while we were at dinner because I had every child tell me something different!”

Before the big day, the only other person who had seen India’s wedding dress was Sophia Stolz – the baker/cake artist tasked with making a cake to match it. “She absolutely nailed it,” James enthuses of the five-tier masterpiece, complete with iced draping, bows and lace. “It looked exactly like my dress.” While James snuck away to change (into an Alexander McQueen dress in his iconic skull print and a fur-trimmed cape by Susie Cave Weddings & Funerals), guests boarded the ghost train once more, bound for the after-party where, amongst other surprises (the father-of-the-bride’s outfit change into Dracula, for instance), there was a tattoo artist hidden in a confessional booth. “Literally everyone got tattoos,” India says, laughing. “Some people got their first tattoo. A couple that aren’t even together anymore got matching tattoos!”

Given the groom’s profession, expectations around the entertainment were high – and guests did. not leave disappointed. The bride and groom shared their first dance to a live performance of “Best Day of My Life” by Tom Odell, who played more of his hits, and was followed by the iconic English indie band, Bloc Party. “I was screaming every lyric,” the bride tells me, her voice still hoarse days later. Burgers and hot dogs were served as late snacks. “I wanted Maccas for the late-night snack, but apparently it was too far away! I used to smoke behind that McDonald’s when I was a youth at school in Windsor so I thought it would be funny.” The next day (or later that same day for those who went to bed at 6am), guests nursed sore heads over a casual brunch, for which James wore another Susie Cave Weddings & Funerals design. So far, the bride hasn’t heard of any misbehaviour – “someone got banned from the Bellagio at the Vegas wedding!” – but it’s fair to say, it was a Halloween weekend no one will forget in a hurry.