Juicy Couture Themed Bat Mitzvah Party

Brad Austin Florals located in Hollywood, California, worked on the decor for a Bat Mitzvah girl with the initials J.C.; a perfect match for her Juicy Couture theme!

The party took place at the W Hotel and we love how they took the logo, the colors and Hollywood location and ran with it!

The party coordinator was Evie Steinberg of Be Our Guest and the photography was by Michael Brannigan of David Michael Photography.

Check out the creative details:

Guests were greeted with a red carpet entrance and a custom step and repeat backdrop. Chains of giant Juicy Couture charm bracelets hung in place of velvet ropes

Their red carpet entrance was complete with a Joan Rivers impersonator

Guests signed in with special messages for the Bat Mitzvah girl on a pink rhinestone studded dress form

The buffet decor was inspired by the Juicy Couture crest and featured four foot tall moss topiaries of the Scottie dogs with large pink crystal diamond eyes, pink rhinestone collars and monogrammed heart dog tags

The center of the ballroom was designed with a large round glossy white dance floor with a custom embossed gold monogram in the center

The adult table centerpieces were a collection of giant floral perfume bottles and floral pillows topped with crowns

The kids’ area featured lounge furniture covered in white patent leather and trees draped with giant pearls and spheres of roses overhead

We love her fancy Horah chair!

We thank Brad Austin Florals for sharing this special Bat Mitzvah with our readers.

Mitzvah Find: Custom Horah Chairs

Hip up your horah with Baby’s Breath & Holly custom chairs that are personalized and designed by hand, in any color or theme.

These chairs can be covered with pictures or left simple so that guests can sign them, turning them into lifelong memories that will cherished for years to come.

They can even ship anywhere!

Include family pictures

Can be painted to match theme or bedroom color

Baby’s Breath & Holly can create a fabulous heirloom horah chair for you and your child to treasure after your celebration is over. They can be reached at babysbreathandholly@hotmail.com.

The “Best of Blake” Celebration in Boca Raton, Florida

Many of you might know Dr. and Mrs. Mitzvah from the blog posts they’ve written for Mitzvah Market leading up to their son Blake’s Bar Mitzvah. 

Their celebration took place at Temple Beth Am of Margate, Florida, and the reception at the Double Tree by Hilton Deerfield Beach, Boca Raton, Florida.

“Best of Blake ” was their fun theme and the collaboration of wonderful vendors, including Mom Danielle’s edible chocolate favors, which made the planning experience that much more special. 

Pictured above L-R: Bar Mitzvah boy Blake, Dad David, Mom Danielle and Sister Skylar.

Michael Lelchuk of Flash Photo and Video took portraits of the family at the temple. At the reception, Aaron Lurie of VMA Studio and Michael Lelchuk of Flash Photo and Video were on hand. The rest of the vendors they used are listed at the end of the spotlight.

The custom invitation in black, red and white was modern and elegant with a silver name plate on the front. The family worked with Joy, owner of  Joy Bofshever Stationery and Invitations. The front featured a glossy “faux croc” texture 

 The text “Walk the red carpet, Dine and Dance,” hinted at the theme

Event planner Bianca Cirillo, of Tied With A Bow! was responsible for the unique calligraphy

The service at Temple Beth Am was wonderful as friends and family watched Blake become a Bar Mitzvah. Blake during his formal portraits

 Blake in the middle of his extended family including grandparents and great grandparents

Mom Danielle created the service program featuring Blake on the cover

 Red suede star design on the kippot

 The cute inscription inside each kippot

The DoubleTree by Hilton Deerfield Beach-Boca Raton was the venue and Director of Catering, Michelle Brooks, took care of everything. With the help of day-of-event planner Bianca Cirillo, of Tied With A Bow!, David Dalsimer of Dalsimer Atlas Floral and Event Decorators and Chad Everett of Galaxy Entertainment Productions, the theme, “Best of Blake,” was expertly woven into every aspect of the evening. 

The Ockman family wanted to create a formal “Red Carpet” Bar Mitzvah theme to celebrate Blake’s achievements. Guests were greeted by this sign letting them know they have arrived at Blake’s Premiere!

From the minute guests walked the red carpet into the venue they were wowed by the decor of Dalsimer Atlas Floral and Events.

The entrance into the ballroom draped in black and gold

Black, red and gold linens and gold Oscar-inspired statues, along with “Best of…” posters, decorated the room

Statuettes were used as vases that held lush rose centerpieces

Lower centerpieces had  “Oscar” on top

The ceiling treatment made a real statement in alternating black and gold fabric enhanced with lighting

It’s all in the details and this Bar Mitzvah had so many great ones! Signage for Blake’s “V.I.P.” area designated for kids

“Best of Blake” wall gobo from Chad Everett of Galaxy Productions was a beautiful design element in the room

The star-studded Step n Repeat from Cocktail Hour entertainment

The custom gold Gatsby bar from Jamie Oristano of Just Bars had a real Hollywood vibe

The valet, Global Parking Solutions, used this sign to guide the guests

 The custom “Red Carpet” menu

At each place setting there were chocolate covered Oreos in mini martini glasses created by Mom Danielle’s company, Favor It Things

The Pieced Palette created a pillow with Blake’s invitation which was on display at their celebration

Amy Kratish of MYFace Instant Photos and Montages created the sign-in book.  

Blake looked like a star!

Living statues, strolling tables and LED robots were just some of the wow factor from Galaxy Entertainment Productions that came “alive” to interact with guests.

 
A  strolling “live” table to welcome guests

This illuminated LED giant robot was looking for a dance partner

MC Alberto of Pure Energy Music Entertainment and owner Mike Sipe were on hand to host the party. The DJ played great music and kept everyone on the dance floor all night! Blake made a grand entrance into the ballroom

Blake with his Dad

Blake posing in the middle with Pure Energy Music Entertainment dancers and MC Alberto

 The dancers entertained the guests

 Handing out give-aways on the dance floor

There was no shortage of fun at this party starting with an assortment of arcade games from Cocktail Hour Entertainment. There were glow-in-the-dark cotton candy sticks from Top Hat Entertainment and The Amazing Starbooth, a karaoke activity, provided by Scott Edelsberg of Funtastic Photo favors.

 So was the claw machine!

Guests enjoyed glow-in-the-dark cotton candy sticks

The family had seen the “The Starbooth” in local malls and wanted one for the reception. It’s a karaoke booth that records the performance and is given to the guest as a party favor. It also gets uploaded to the Starbooth website

 Blake’s friends loved the airbrush hats by Freddie Venezia of Art Spot Entertainment

Chad Ehret of Timeline Video Productions created a great teaser summing up Blake’s celebration including special words from his parents. Watch the video here

Blake was lucky enough to have his great grandparents, Stan and Evelyn Wissner, attend and give a speech during his Bar Mitzvah, what a wonderful Mitzvah moment! 

 Blake in between his grandfather, Richard Marks, and great grandfather.

A custom challah cover, decorated with a Red Carpet image, had Blake’s Torah portion embroidered on top… A treasure for many Shabbats to come!

The 5-tiered cake by Paloma Klaymer Souza of Dona Doce Cakes was delicious and included edible pictures of Blake! The cake was a work of art!

 A porcelain cake topper in the likeness of Blake holding an “Oscar” statue

  Caterina Macarons were a delicious addition to the celebration

 During the candle lighting, or “Best of Blake” ceremony, guests received stars. 

Grandmother Michele Ockman

Carolyn’s Creationz designed a star-studded colorful candy buffet for Blake and his guests. Carolyn also made the banner behind the candy buffet

Wicked Awesome Sweets and Treats… Shirley Weiss made the logo cookies for the “Best of Blake” theme!

Near the end of the celebration, there were many edible favors from Favor It Things, including a custom VIP pass for guests made from 100% edible chocolate

Edible chocolate camera for the “paparazzi”

Chocolate picture frames with edible images of Blake

The end of night surprise was great as Blake and sister Skylar hopped on a dessert food truck, “Sweet Cravings NY,” to help owners Russ and Jana D’Agostino serve homemade sweets and ice cream creations to guests. The montage played on the side of the truck as guests mingled

 They look like naturals

Blake and friend, Brandon Rozales, chose to raise funds for children in need and were able to secure enough funds to fulfill the holiday wish lists of seven children at Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options (JAFCO). They felt that family is the most important thing to them and they wanted to make sure that they supported an organization that helped these children maintain their Jewish identity and wanted to let the children know that they not forgotten.

Blake and Brandon sold bracelets imprinted with the message “Every child is a gift.” They also had chocolate sales and collected donations

 Some advice from Mom Danielle:
“The best way that we survived planning a memorable event for all of our family and friends was to start planning early (2 1/2 years out) and reaching out to other parents for support and friendship. We found that support on Mitzvah Market and through the development of our successful “South Florida Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Planning Group” on Facebook. Thanks to our careers and our ‘Bar Mitzvah planning turned hobby on steroids,’ we became known as “Dr. and Mrs. Mitzvah.” Supporting other parents and linking us all to the right vendors made our own planning stress free and a wonderful experience. Our group’s motto, ‘good luck is the result of good planning.’ We enjoyed every minute of our planning and watching our son shine in the presence of those who adore him as he reached this spiritual milestone.”

The following vendors helped to make Blake’s celebration special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com

Venue: Michelle Brooks, DoubleTree By Hilton Deerfield Beach-Boca Raton, 954-427-1779
Day of Event Coordination/Calligraphy: Bianca Cirillo, Tied With a Bow, 954-864-9100
Temple/Reception Photographer: Michael Lelchuk, Flash Photo and Video, 561- 640-7753
Reception Photographer: Aaron Lurie, VMA Studios, 561-251-1917
Videographer: Chad Ehret, Timeline Video Productions, 954-571-5155
Event Producer: Chad Everett, Galaxy Entertainment Productions, 954-851-9599
Music Entertainment: Mike Sipe, MC Alberto, Pure Energy Entertainment, 800-969-5121
Invitations: Joy Bofshever, Joy Bofshever Stationery and Invitations, 954-694-4355
Décor: David Dalsimer, Dalsimer Atlas Floral and Event Decorators, 954-418-0608
Logo: John Place, Green Box Studios, 954-588-9221
Specialty lighting, video and furniture: Chad Everett, Galaxy Entertainment Productions, 954-851-9599
Living statues, stilt walker, electric robot: Chad Everett, Galaxy Entertainment Productions, 954-851-9599
Cocktail hour games/Step n Repeat: Eric Cutler, Cocktail Hour Entertainment, 954-612-7431 
Montage/Photo Sign In Book: Amy Shorr Kratish, MYFace Instant Photos and Montages, 954-520-4591
Eventz Photobooth: Elliot Weiss, 561-391-9100,
Air Brush Favors: Freddie Venezia, Art Spot Entertainment, 1-772-335-4329
Photo favors: Scott Edelsberg, Funtastic Photo Events, 561-306-3700
Custom Chocolate: Mom Danielle, Favor It Things, 954-263-6046
Candy Buffet: Carolyn’s Creationz, 954-632-4377 
Glow Cotton Candy: Sandra Hermens, Top Hat Entertainment, 954-389-0802
Airbrush and glitter tatoo artist: Michelle Zymet, Fun Photo Booth Parties, 786-295-4819,
Rented Bar: Jamie Oristano, Just Bars, 1-888-625-3055
Food Truck: Russ and Jana D’Agostino, Sweet Cravings NY, 516-448-7492
Cake: Paloma Klaymer Souza Dona Doce Cakes, 954-588-6240
Custom Cookies: Wicked Awesome Sweets and Treats, Shirley Weiss, 561-386-2177
Custom Macarons: Catarina Merlo Macarons, 954-594-0923
Custom Pillow: Jane Sheinfeld, The Pieced Palette, 914-420-1746
Tallis: Brad and Wendy Gordon, Traditions, 1-800-493-0520
Yad: J and B Judaica, 954-721-5660, Belle Reynolds
Challah Cover: Ann McKay
Hair and Make Up: JL Styling, 954-856-0180, Jessica Guzman and Laura Phillips
Suits and Tuxedo’s: Andrea Kramer, Men’s Wearhouse, 561-482-7533

Brandon’s Baseball Themed Celebration in Cold Spring, New York

The Grunberg family of Woodbury, New York, celebrated son Brandon’s Bar Mitzvah at Woodbury Jewish Center and the reception later that evening at Cold Spring Country Club in Cold Spring, New York.

Brandon is a huge baseball fan so that was the name of the game for his Bar Mitzvah theme. The Grunberg family decided to use Brandon’s jersey number “25” to brand the party.

Pictured L-R: Dad Darren, Bar Mitzvah boy Brandon, Mom Dara and older brother Jack

The photographer was Stephen Andrew Studios and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the end of the spotlight.

The invitation was created by Mom Dara, owner of Dear Friends. She pulled out all the stops to create a fabulous invitation; a wood plaque backed with a baseball image. When guests opened the custom black box it came in, they discovered the bottom was real turf and there was a pocket inside with all of the information about the weekend’s events.

Brandon’s Bar Mitzvah service took place at Woodbury Jewish Center, Woodbury, New York. Bar Mitzvah boy Brandon with his parents on the bimah

The Grunberg family looked great in their party attire. Mom Dara’s gold gown was from Filly’s and the men’s suits were from Kenny’s Men & Boys Wear.

On “game” day, guests were treated to a beautiful collaboration between ESP Productions and United Floral Events that included four different centerpieces with the common theme of baseball with wheatgrass. The ticket booth, provided by Simon Elliot Events, was the focal point of the entrance to the party with a vintage image of Brandon in his baseball jersey

Baseball themed centerpieces of varying heights 

  Low centerpieces with baseballs and wheatgrass

Table numbers were wood plaques with a baseball image on the back to match the invitation 

 Thanks to photographer Stephen Andrews Studios, large photographs of Brandon playing baseball in Cooperstown, Ripken Stadium and in his hometown, decorated the adult cocktail room

 A baseball themed gobo with Brandon’s jersey number 25 decorated the dance floor 

Keeping the decor authentic, a set of custom wood lockers displayed Brandon’s baseball jerseys, cleats,
bats, hats and baseball bags

 Brandon was all smiles on his big day

 A fabulous black and white mural of Yankee Stadium added to the decor

Simon Elliot Events created the “ticket” seating cards that were handed to guests at the ticket booth before they entered the party. 

The sign-in was Brandon’s closet door. The logo was laminated onto the door and the guests were able to sign it throughout the party. 

Brandon’s door looked great with his BG25 logo

Entertainment Tonite, with MC Carl provided the amazing music throughout the evening. Brandon had a great time up in the chair during the hora

Brandon tossed in the air by dancers!

Guests danced all night 

 Brandon posed with dancers wearing number 25 baseball hats 

Cold Spring Country Club created the cake, which was an exact replica of Yankee Stadium.

The fun continued during the candle lighting ceremony provided by Simon Elliot Events. A pre-recording of a baseball announcer, who sounded exactly like Bob Sheppard, announced each candle with the guests of honor.  There was a huge sign of Yankees Stadium. As each candle was called, a different area of the sign would light up in lieu of actually lighting the candles on the cake. In the end, the entire board was lit up!  

 Brandon and his brother Jack

Older brother Jack, made a toast to Brandon. In the background, you can see a part of the black and white Yankee Stadium mural. A special moment between brothers

 Dad Darren gave a heartfelt speech about Brandon

The bartenders, the valet company and the photographers all got in on the action, wearing lime green t-shirts and baseball hats with the famous quote from legend Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over til it’s over.” The photo booth, provided by Simon Elliot Events, had a backdrop of Yankee Stadium with Brandon’s logo on the board. Small custom photo albums held the pictures taken throughout the night. Brandon’s friends had fun with games such as Fast Ball and Pop a Shot from ESP Productions.

The t-shirts and hats were handed out to guests during the party

Notice the black and white baseball socks for the girls, so clever!

 The guests loved the photo booth with the Yankee Stadium backdrop

Custom photo albums for the photo booth pictures

 Brandon’s friends loved Fast Ball

 Pop a Shot was a popular place to be

 Brandon’s logos were also used on green and black cocktail napkins 

Brandon’s friends received a small cooler bag and a lightweight sweatshirt decorated with Brandon’s logo. The adults were also given cooler bags filled with Cracker Jacks, Big League Chew gum, licorice, cotton candy and more! Guests received a water bottle with a custom coozie

 The kids received this green cooler bag with a custom sweatshirt inside, created by Amy/And That

 Boys’ sweatshirt

 Girls’ sweatshirt had rhinestones on the sleeve

(Written by Brandon):

For my mitzvah project, I arranged a day with my friends and family to volunteer for the Miracle League.  The Miracle League is a baseball league for kids with disabilities and special needs.  Each person gets assigned a buddy for a game and helps them hit, field, and most importantly have fun!  To help these kids lift their self esteem, they bat every inning and hit an automatic home run!  Helping these children play baseball is not something that happens every day.  I was very fortunate to experience being a part of the Miracle League, and it meant a lot considering my passion towards baseball.  In fact, not only did 30 friends and family members join me on this heartwarming day, but my entire baseball team volunteered with me as well.  In addition to volunteering, I raised $1000 dollars and donated it to the league. I will continue to donate and volunteer to this wonderful organization along with my family.

Advice from Mom Dara:
“Most people will say, hire the right people, start planning early and be organized. I agree with all of that. My biggest advice is HAVE FUN. Enjoy the entire planning process because it is such a big part of the weekend.   Involve your child. Let him/her pick out pictures with you for the montage, select the songs for candle lighting, etc. Bring him/her to a few meetings regarding the décor, entertainment, catering, because the more involved they are, the more fun you will have as a family. This is a huge milestone and should be celebrated with all your friends and family. If you are excited, your vendors will be just as excited to create the most amazing day.”

The following vendors helped to make Brandon’s Bar Mitzvah special. If you call any of them, please let them know you read about them on MitzvahMarket.com

Venue: Cold Spring Country Club, 631-692-6550
Party Consultant: David Milowitz, ESP Productions, 516-484-8377
Photography/Blow-Ups/Videographer: Stephen Andrews Studios, 516-780-9100
Music/Entertainment/Staging: Entertainment Tonite, MC Carl, 516-826-6900
Cake/Tables/Chairs/Linens: Cold Spring Country Club, 631-692-6550
Favors: Amy, And That: 516-364-9222
Photo Booth/Ticket Booth/Candle Lighting: Simon Elliot Events, 516-586-6822
Mentalist: Ken Salaz, 917-952-8967
Bleachers/Turf Entrance/Games/Sign-In Door: ESP Productions, 516-484-8377
Décor/Florist: ESP Productions, 516-484-8377 and United Floral Events, 516-829-8890
Locker/Kids Lounge/Lighting/Trussing: Great Neck Games, 516-747-9191
Hi-top silver tables and stainless steel bar: Charles, United Floral Events, 516-829-8890
Baseball Backdrop: Great Neck Games, 516-747-9191
Invitation/Napkins: Mom, Dara, Dear Friends, 516-367-7877
Mom’s Dress: Rene Ruiz gown from Filly’s in Albertson, 516-739-9090
Boys/Dad’s suits: Kenny’s Men & Boys Wear, 516-921-2660
Hair: Hope, Salon Entourage, 516-496-1700
Makeup: Jennifer Anne Cosmetics, 516-921-1963

Mitzvah Find: Hot Chocolate On A Stick

We wrote about Pop Bars in our Mitzvah Inspire: Icy Treats story.  They know desserts and they have the ultimate cold weather send-off for your Bar Bat Mitzvah guests: 

Hot Chocolate on A Stick!

Create your own chocolatey goodness by stirring their Hot Chocolate on a Stick into a cup of steamed milk. Made with a premium blend of the finest, all natural chocolate in Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, and Vanilla Chocolate. 

Available in three pack, six pack and twelve pack gift boxes

Mini Pop gelato and hot chocolate stations are available for events coordinated by their production team

For order inquiries, please email them at orders@pop-bar.com.

For more information about Hot Chocolate on a Stick, visit their Website.

Mitzvah Inspire: Creative Entrance Decor For Bar Bat Mitzvah Celebrations

When guests arrive to your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah celebration you want them to be wowed from the moment they step out of the car!

If you are having a themed event, dressing up your entrance is a great way to set the tone from the start.

Whether you are using flowers, balloons, lighting, photos or signage there are many great ways to wow your guests.

Below are some fun and creative entrance decor examples to inspire you and you can read our past story on this topic here:

 
From Sarah Merians Photography & Video the decorators from Chezzam Entertainment captured the Bat Mitzvah girl’s face and placed her amongst the great artist work and created her as a “master work of art.” This set the tone for journey through her Parisian themed night

 
Simon Elliot Events shot and wrapped these great pictures from Gabby’s photo shoot creating the wow factor as guests arrived at Temple Or Elohim for her Bat Mitzvah celebration
To see more from this celebration, click here

From Impressions Photo and Video, SPACE created this entrance decor for a soccer themed Bar Mitzvah celebration

Airgraphics Entertainment designed a “Survivor” theme Bar Mitzvah entrance

Parties! Rare to Well Done turned guests into celebrities with “paparazzi” festive balloons and a Step n Repeat to greet guests as they walked the red carpet, posed for their photo, and felt like Hollywood royalty!

Ruth Ridgeway Designs created “Jessica’s Perfect Day.” This Bat Mitzvah theme was inspired by “Legally Blonde.” When guests arrived they were welcomed to “Orientation Day” at Perfect Day University

A flower balloon arch from Balloon Artistry greeted guests at the entrance to this celebration

 
The Gruber family used Lighter Than Air Events for their party decor. Photos from Mason’s pre-Bar Mitzvah photo shoot flanked the doors to the ballroom at Temple Chaverin
To see more from this celebration, click here

Beat by Beat Entertainment rolled out the red carpet and custom Step n Repeat for photo ops for guests as they entered the room
 

 Party Excellence designed a camp atmosphere with this entrance

Unlimited Exposures captured a great shot of these over-sized letters from Marquis Florals

This entrance was a true fairy tale come true from HRG Creations photographed by Acme Video and Creative Photography

 From an upcoming Mitzvah Family Spotlight story, Dalsimer Atlas Floral and Event Planners created this entrance for a NYC themed celebration, (held in Florida), which made guests feel like they were in NYC

Party Art LLC created a Mash sign post for the entrance of a boardwalk beach themed Mitzvah

Even a construction themed Bar Mitzvah can have an awesome entrance! Beautiful Blooms created this entrance using a real bulldozer and beautiful flowers

Did you incorporate a great entryway for your child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah reception? Email us at info@MitzvahMarket.com.

Mitzvah Project: Locks of Love

Twin sisters Braelyn and Brooke Singer are seventh graders at Brady Middle School in Orange, Ohio. They have had their hair cut only four times in their lives.

Each of those four times, their mom Deb Singer, made sure that after each haircut there was a donation to the non-profit Locks of Love. This not-for-profit organization provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 21 who have experienced medical hair loss. The hairpieces are custom-fitted and are provided free-of-charge to families who need them.

This time the girls decided on their own that donating their hair was their choice as part of their Bat Mitzvah project.

Pictured L-R: Braelyn and Brooke Singer.

Learn more about this terrific idea from Braelyn and Brooke.

MM: Can you give us details about your Mitzvah Project?
Braelyn/Brooke: We invited girls with long hair to attend our hair donation party from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26th at Cuts-N-Curls in Solon, Ohio. We decided this would be our Bat Mitzvah project, striving to send over 250 inches of hair to Locks of Love. We reached our goal collecting over 250 inches of hair! Girls who participated received a special headband as a thank you for their donation.

MM: Why did you decide to take on this particular project?
Braelyn/Brooke: We have been brought up to understand that while one person might not save the entire world, two can accomplish 100% more than just one! When we were just 1 year old, our first haircut was a disaster.  With two crying babies, two embarrassed grandmothers, our exhausted mother vowed never to cut our hair again – and she didn’t! Until we were 5 years old when we donated 26 inches to Locks of Love who makes wigs for children recovering from cancer. In fact, to date, we have only had four haircuts in our lives – donating each time.

Brooke holding up the braids of hair that were cut. Ten inches of hair is the necessary donation in order to make a child’s wig, but the organization will accept a minimum of six inches, which they sell to defray costs

Braelyn holds braids of her hair that have just been cut. Hair is first braided before being cut to keep it in one place and make it easier for donation

Mom Deb Singer holding donations of braided hair she has collected over the past several weeks. They reached the goal of collecting 250 inches of hair!

MM: Is there anything else we need to know about your Mitzvah Project?
Braelyn/Brooke:  Cuts-N-Curls donated their services that day with free haircuts to all donors.

 Great Mitzvah project and great hair styles too!

We thank the Singer Family for sharing this wonderful Mitzvah Project with our readers. For more information on Locks of Love, click here.

A Bat Mitzvah Celebration at Camp Starlight

The Klein family of Chappaqua, New York, celebrated daughter Lily’s Bat Mitzvah at Camp Starlight in Starlight, Pennsylvania.

Lily loves camp; particularly Camp Starlight where’s she’s gone for five years. So when it came time for her Bat Mitzvah, it was a natural choice for her to celebrate there. Camp Starlight was transformed into Camp StarLily for the weekend!

Pictured above L-R: Dad Andrew, Sister Madison, Bat Mitzvah girl Lily, brother Zachary and Mom Marlo.

Photography by Chad Kraus Photography and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the bottom of the spotlight.

Mom Marlo built a Website that had all of the information for the Bat Mitzvah weekend. She and Lily decided that a fun and “campy” way to invite Lily’s friends was with a water bottle with the Website’s URL imprinted and delivered in a customized box. 

 Starlily.com had all of the details for Camp StarLily Bat Mitzvah weekend

With the help of 4imprint.com, Mom Marlo created the water bottle and box and hand delivered all the boxes to the guests

 Together, Marlo and Lily stuffed each water bottle with shredded blue metallic paper to make the bottle shine

Camp Starlight is a 385-acre campus surround by the “endless mountains” of Pennsylvania. Camp StarLily weekend started with lunch for 90 of Lily’s friends upon arrival at Camp Starlight.

Lily greeted the buses filled with her friends with open arms

Her guests were so excited to arrive!

After finishing lunch, Color War broke out. Counselors threw Color War sheets off the roof of the dining hall naming the blue and white teams

Big sister Madison rode in on a decorated golf cart

The “Color War Spirit” announcing teams

Back at the bunks, every guest found a bag with their name on it, a color t-shirt for their team, water bottle and bandana to get ready for Color War!

 
Lily was partial to Team Blue!

Kids enjoyed the friendly competition 

 Tug-of-war was a big hit

The White team celebrated their victory!

Blue or White, they were all there to celebrate Lily 

 Team bonding

 
A custom Camp StarLily flag was raised before the weekend festivities began

Lily’s sign-in pillow, created by The Pieced Palette, was waiting on her bed. As a surprise for her arrival, her bunk was decorated with lights and a special photo blanket of her and all her camp friends

 Lily brought her sign-in pillow to breakfast the next morning for friends to sign

Lily’s entrance to her party was awesome! Thanks to Camp Starlight, she entered in a golf cart that was “pimped out” in blue and white. Her friends lined up to greet her as she came around the corner

 Lily sparkled in her party dress from A Step Ahead Fashions. Lily’s hair and make up was done by Mom Marlo

 Lily danced in her blinged-out Converse

Jeffrey Craig Entertainment rocked the camp! The kids enjoyed the party SWAG…

…and, Lily enjoyed the horah 

“Selfie” fun with a few friends!

Lily’s friends presented her with a special gift  

Lily and her besties 

 Instead of a traditional Bat Mitzvah cake, Lily opted for Baked By Melissa cupcakes spelling out “Lily” on platters. The cupcakes were shipped frozen to Camp Starlight, what a great idea!

After the dance party, Lily’s friends went back to their bunks to change out of their party clothes. They were surprised to find a sweatshirt on their beds; blue for boys and white for girls. The evening ended with pizza and s’mores around the campfire and a fireworks display over the lake

 
The fireworks over the lake was a beautiful end to a wonderful day

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The kids wore their StarLily sweatshirts to breakfast the next morning, white for girls…

 …and, blue for the boys

Camp Starlight has a charity they started called Stack The Caps. They collect new hats for children with cancer. For her Mitzvah Project, Lily collected over 1500 hats that were donated to Maria Ferari’s Children’s Hospital in Westchester, and Sunrise Day Camp

Some advice from Mom Marlo:
“I did everything myself. The key is start planning early and do a little each week. Make lots of lists and stay organized. You don’t need a party planner. Learn to ask the vendors lots of questions and take their advice; they have done it before.”

The following vendors helped to make Lily’s Bat Mitzvah special. If you call any of them, please let them know you read about them on MitzvahMarket.com.

Venue: Camp Starlight, 877-875-3971
Photographer: Chad Kraus Photography, 917-532-3478
Party Planner/Decor: Mom Marlo
Music Entertainment: Jeffrey Craig Entertainment, 800-690-9370
Invitation Website: Mom Marlo
Water Bottle Box/Water Bottle: 4imprint.com
Cupcakes: BakedbyMelissa.com 
Sign-In Pillow: Jane Sheinfeld, The Pieced Palette, 914-420-1746
Custom Blanket: Collage.com
Custom Flag: North Star Flags, 800-958-3009
Color War Items: Party City
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Mitzvah Market Magazine: Dance With Me

Mitzvah Market Magazine: Get Your Sugar On With Candy At Your Party

By Gail Slogoff

Who isn’t head-over-heels in love with confectionaries of all kinds – chocolates, licorice, gummies, lollys, caramels, truffles, fudgy, nutty, gooey sweets? If you are like most adults, you were probably obsessed with candy as a child, mostly because you weren’t allowed to have it as much as you wanted. And, of course, you try to keep your own offspring away as much as you can to protect their pearly whites.

But forget all those rules when planning your child’s Bar and Bat Mitzvah party. Today people are coming up with all sorts of creative ways to incorporate such delectable delights into a Bar/Bat Mitzvah party so that kids and adults can get their sugar fix.

You can use candy as an overall theme, as creative, decorative and edible centerpieces and as a giveaway or exit treat. You can have an elaborate candy bar, use it in your candlelighting ceremony, as place cards or napkin rings (think candy necklaces). You can even hire a vendor like Spin-Spun to make unique flavored gourmet cotton candy (watermelon, blue raspberry, salted caramel, etc.) on the spot, creating both entertainment and an oh-so-yummy indulgence at the same time.

Courtesy of Spin-Spun

CANDY FOR DECORATION
Candy is colorful, pretty, and fun, and you can use plenty without breaking the bank. Even when using real flowers in centerpieces, it can be a good idea to incorporate some less expensive decor instead of trying to fill your space with blooms
alone. Candy can do the trick without looking cheap. You can fill clear vases of differing sizes with colorful jellybeans or M&Ms on tables and then add coordinating flowers and balloons. Or fill almost anything including sand buckets, sneakers or gumball machines with your favorite sweets on each table. It’s not only colorful, but fun as your guests can help themselves to some extra treats during the party. You can go over the top when decorating with candy. Glue your child’s favorite bars onto oversized wooden letters for their initials or make marshmallow or lollypop trees in flowerpots with toothpicks and Styrofoam balls. Pinterest has tons of ideas and you can even find tutorials online with simple DIY instructions to help you create the more complicated ideas. Kendall Gnat had a candy theme using a lime green, purple, hot pink and blue color scheme. For the kids, bags decorated with a gumball pattern were used as place cards and were later used to carry home prizes given out during the celebration. The adults got silicone bracelets that looked like candy dots as place cards complete with gumball name tags. Candy was everywhere. Ceramic letter bowls spelled out “Kendall” and were filled with colorful candy Sixlets around the cake. Clear candle holders filled with candy acted as holders for the candle lighting and huge inflatable lollypops were also decorative props.

Courtesy Zeligson Photography

CANDY PARTY FAVORS
Think of candy as great party favors that can decorate your venue and then can be taken home by your guests to indulge at party’s end. The sweets from Treat House are one such example. Inspired by a charitable school bake sale, New York’s premiere gourmet crisped rice emporium provides a wide range of classic and innovative flavors, including birthday cake, caramel sea salt, chocolate peanut butter and mint chocolate chip. These even come topped with extras like chocolate covered pretzels, pieces of bubblegum, glazed fruit and more. They can be individually wrapped in the shop’s signature containers with your own logo attached. Other offerings perfect for inclusion in any party include Treat Pops, Breakfast Bars, ice cream bars and homemade flavored marshmallows. You’ll also be treating others while indulging in their goodies: ten cents of every treat purchased is donated to the Food Bank for New York City.

Custom crisped rice from Treat House make your party truly sweet

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVER CANDY
For Kendall’s Mitzvah Project, the family made centerpieces for their Kiddush luncheon. They were candy themed and included a Candyland board game, candy paper pads, pencils, cards and of course lots and lots of candy, including M&Ms and giant gumballs. Kendall then donated them to Jewish Family and Child for children living in shelters, and broken homes.
Another great idea is to include your leftover party candy in care packages that are sent to soldiers serving their country far from home. Operation Gratitude and Operation Shoebox are two organizations that ship packages to the troops. Make sure it’s heat-resistant candy only; chocolate melts, you know! And don’t forget to include a handwritten letter of support to really put a smile on a soldier’s face while indulging their sweet tooth.

CANDY BUFFET
The candy buffet is everyone’s all-time favorite party trend. In fact it has become a staple at most Bar and Bat Mitzvahs these days. The Candy Isle is a distinctive concept that literally brings the candy store to you. This first of its kind “store” can serve as your Bar/Bat Mitzvah candy buffet with 18-36 bins of your favorite candy set up in many configurations, including a multi-sided kiosk, allowing accessibility to many guests at one time. Guests scoop their chosen candy into a container that is personalized for your celebration and becomes their take home favor.

Courtesy of The Candy Isle

DIY CANDY BUFFET
If you’re trying to tighten the budget, you can always go the DIY candy buffet route and still have an impressive array of deliciousness.
Here are six steps to guide you through the process:

1: Decide on a theme and colors to give your table a cohesive look.

2: Choose the types of candy you want. To make it simple, think about how much you want from each of these four categories:
• Bulk loose candy: sold by the pound
• Individually packaged candy: offer one per guest
• Designer candy/sweets: offer one per guest
• Display candy: used for decoration & filler

3: Set up the table with appropriate containers. When doing a color-coordinated candy table, always use clear containers so the color shows through. If you offer bulk loose candy, be sure that you use containers with a large enough opening for a scoop to fit in and short enough so that guests can actually reach to the bottom.

4: Figure out how much of each kind of candy you will need. The general rule of thumb is to order approximately eight ounces of candy per guest.

5: Design your table so it’s a show stopper. When your guests enter your party space, the candy buffet should be a WOW FACTOR! The first things they will notice are the tablecloth, backdrop, centerpiece and the artful display of colorful candies,
so make sure it is fabulous and matches your party’s color or theme.

6: Finishing touches: What is a candy table without a little bling? Glam up the table and embellish the containers with bows and ribbon, confetti, balloons, photos and more. Be creative.

THE PARTY’S OVER
After a night of candy, candy and more candy, consider what Kendall Gnat did…. she gave out custom toothbrushes to all her guests.

Resources:
Treat House: www.treathouse.com, 212-799-7779
The Candy Isle: www.thecandyisle.com, 203-506-5319
Operation Gratitude: www.operationgratitude.com
Spin-Spun: www.spin-spun.com, 312-880-7786
Operation Shoebox: www.operationshoebox.com
Covered In Candy: 646-234-9635

This story is from new 2014 Mitzvah Market Magazine. If you would like to request a free copy, click here.