We are excited to share with you the Bar Mitzvah Family Spotlight of the Sparaco Family from South Florida who celebrated their son Ben’s Bar Mitzvah on May 15, 2010.

Ben plays guitar for his band Lost Marbles, so “Ben’s Rock Concert” was their theme.

The perfect venue for their service and party was the combination of the Pangaea Lounge and Gryphon Nightclub all part of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Ben’s parents Ivie and Rick wanted the party to seem as much like a concert as possible, since Ben’s band would be performing. Ivie did all the planning and came up with the ideas and then Rick executed them. As you will see below, they were able to have a concert feel, but still have traditional Bar Mitzvah elements.

All party photography was done by Affordable Pro.

Pictured above: L-R Brother Harrison, Mom Ivie, Bar Mitzvah boy Ben and Dad Rick.

 

The red and black invitations were custom made to look like concert tickets and designed by Dad Rick…very cool!

 

The service was set up in Pangaea Lounge and featured black suede yarmulkes with red metallic guitars on them.

Yarmulkes with Ben’s Rock n Roll theme!

Ben’s Bar Mitzvah service

Since the service was not held in a synagogue, custom prayer books were created. They had interesting and fun Jewish facts along with 13 things you didn’t know about Ben on the back

Hi-tech candle lighting – Ben is reading off his iPad!

Party Antics created custom photo backstage passes for guests

Once the service was over, the guests moved into the Gryphon Nightclub. Because it is already a club the great décor was already in place. Mom Ivie told us, “Ben didn’t want the themed décor, he wanted a real place a band would play. The club had built-in sofas throughout the entire place, and an upper VIP section that had a few tables and was a little quieter for the older guests.”

Table and bar decorations featured Ben’s logo

Custom guitar picks with Ben’s band Lost Marbles and his logo were scattered on the tables just like confetti

Concert posters, also designed by Dad Rick were placed outside the club as well as in light boxes inside

 

 

The party offerred delicious, easy-to-eat food.  Mexican and Italian bars featured mini subs, pizzas and quesadillas, a milkshake bar along with carnival/concert-type foods and all sorts of shot glass desserts including Smore’s, funnel cakes, ice cream sandwiches that were dipped in candy, and more.

 

Ben’s band Lost Marbles played a set of 4 songs right after the introductions and again towards the end of the night. Lost Marbles shirts were thrown into the crowd and a “live” simulcast was seen on video screens around the room.

Ben loved performing for his friends and family

The band takes the stage

The crowd is dancing and enjoying the music by Lost Marbles

A view of the crowd from Ben’s perspective

 

 

Besides Ben’s band Lost Marbles, Platinum Gold with MC George Valentine had the crowd rockin’ between the bands performance.

 

 

 

For Ben’s sign-in board, they used 2 actual electric guitars.

A young guest is signing in

 

 

The favors for the young guests were black sweatshirts with  BMS Rock concert logo.

 

 

Ivie did all of the planning for her son’s Bar Mitzvah and has this advice for our other Mitzvah planning Moms. “Know you will spend double what you budget, and make sure you tell the photographer which photos you want to make sure he captures it all! Don’t forget to grab him and make sure he takes certain photos. While my photos came out amazing, there are certain ones I forgot to make sure we got.”

Great advice!

 

Here is a list of the Mitzvah Vendors who helped make Ben’s Bar Mitzvah special. If you call any of them, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com. Thanks!

Venue: Gryphon/Pangaea at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, FL Eden Bauer 954-581-5454
Ben’s Band: www.lostmarbles-band.com and www.facebook.com/lostmarblesband
DJ/MC: Platinum Gold 954-753-7500
Party games/ID Cards/Chairs: Party Antics by Platinum Gold (see DJ/MC)
Catering: Palm Catering 954-983-5338 
Sound For Band: JackFlashSound.com 954-325-5412
Backstage Passes: Party Antics
Rabbi: Rabbi Richard Polirer www.rabbipolirer.com 954-255-6406  (Private Bar Mitzvah Lessons and Service)
Hoodies/Band Tshirts: Logo Shirts.com Steve 954-471-5555  
Graphic design, Logos, Invitations, Posters, Theme and Party Planning: Rick & Ivie Sparaco (Mitzvah Dad & Mom) iviefam@me.com
Printer: Invitations printed by Typestyles 954-753-7287 etypestyles@aol.com
Picks: Printed by IntuneGP
Photo and Video: Affordable Pro 954-978-9776
Band set-up, lessons and rehearsal: School of Rock 954-757-ROCK
Ben’s Look: He wore a Volcom skinny suit from Nordstrom, black on black Vans, and a Calvin Klein skinny tie and shirt.