February 10th, 2016
Some Bar Bat Mitzvah celebrations include creative menu cards at each guests’ seat.
Menu cards can incorporate the theme or child’s logo or initials and make everyone feel like your celebration has a special touch of creativity. Below are some great menu card ideas.
Check out our previous story about creative menu cards.
Creative custom menus at each place setting included popular Philly Mexican restaurants. Read more about this Cinco de Mayo themed party here
Balloon Artistry used the Bar Mitzvah guest of honor’s initials and party colors
Simon Elliot Events created a clever menu of texts letting everyone know what they would be eating
For this baseball themed Bar Mitzvah, The Event Of A Lifetime, Inc. put the menu inside an actual program from an All Star game
Beth Fink Events designed a lounge style menu card with the table number on the front and the menu on the inside
Pat Glenn Productions designed an elegant menu tucked into the napkin for Jack’s celebration
Cutie Patootie added a napkin ring of bling next to this Bar Mitzvah menu card for Joshua
A chocolate menu from Enjou Chocolat is a delicious option
The menu for this boardwalk themed Bat Mitzvah was designed by the Bat Mitzvah girl’s aunt. On one side was the menu and the other was a picture of Brooke from her photo shoot
Did you have a great menu card idea? Let us know at info@mitzvahmarket.com.
February 8th, 2016
Phyllis Skolnick of Extraordinary Productions and her team recently produced a spectacular Bar Mitzvah with a James Bond 0013 theme. The event took place at the Current at Chelsea Piers; a waterfront venue in Manhattan.
The party was sophisticated and fun. The creative and cool decor elements suggested the theme, but did not scream “Hey it’s a James Bond theme.”
Andy Foster Photography photographed the event.
Party Decor
Extraordinary Productions designed and printed the custom chargers at each place setting
The place cards had the signature James Bond 00 plus each guests' table number
Jake's lounge was gorgeous with chrome upholstered fabrics, illuminated coffee tables which showcased his logo and leather pillows!
The adult centerpieces sat on blue plexi glass tables in rectangular and square shapes
The center briefcase was trimmed with Jake's 0013 logo
Lucite mini briefcases designed with sleek flowers
Blue roses, and orchids added that masculine touch
A spectacular Diamond Chip bar for the adults
Party Details
The sign-in board was a replica of a James Bond movie poster in a acrylic frame
The plexi-glass menu. We love the clever title for the dessert, "You Only Live Twice"
James Bond classic car cake
Bar Mitzvah Invitation
The top secret invitation was created by Blacker and Kooby by Vanessa
The Party information card with logo
Favors
The favors and giveaways took this party to the next level. They included a watch, hat, sunglasses and a custom pack of 4 logo’d cupcakes.
We thank Extraordinary Productions and the Deutch Family for sharing this amazing party with our readers.
Event Stylist/Decor: Extraordinary Productions; Venue: Current at Chelsea Piers; Caterer: Abigail Kirsch; Entertainment: MC Chris Porter, Total Entertainment; Photography & Video: Andy Foster Photography; Lighting & Staging: Fusion Productions; Invitation: Blacker and Kooby by Vanessa; Cupcakes/Cakes: Janet, Hey-Cookie, Favors and Giveaways: Lori Bland, LB Squared
February 7th, 2016
The DelAngelo family celebrated daughter Melanie’s Bat Mitzvah at Congregation B’nai Israel in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with a Kiddush luncheon following the service. Later in the evening there was a party at the Stepping Stones Museum For Children in Norwalk, Connecticut.
The theme, Life’s a Beach, was done with a great logo, decor, fun food and an amazing dance party.
We featured Sister Caroline’s Bat Mitzvah a few years back.
Pictured L-R: Brother Andrew, Dad Henry, Bat Mitzvah girl Melanie, Sister Caroline and Mom Jennifer.
The photographer was Cari Miller Photography and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the bottom of this feature.
Mitzvah Invitations & Style
The family worked with Leslie Goldberg of Out of the Box on this beautiful invitation suite which hinted at the theme with the beautiful color.
Their invitation ensemble even included a camp sleepover information card!
Melanie as a baby at the beach on her custom stamp
Bat Mitzvah girl Melanie looked stunning in a beautiful custom turquoise gown accented with crystals
They also worked with clothing designer Jennifer Butler on the service and party clothes, highlighting the beautiful blues in all of their clothing
Décor & Details
Graphic artist Stacy Rosenthal created the logo similar to the popular “Life is good” logo incorporating the theme Life’s a Beach. Party coordinator Arlene Rosenthal of Party Ideas helped bring the beach theme to life creating a cool hip beachy vibe.
For
Melanie Del Angelo's Bat Mitzvah, they incorporated a girl with red hair into the logo which looked just like Melanie!
Melanie's sign-in was her bedroom door with a logo painted right in the center. It looks so good!
Place cards were beach pails with chocolate rock candy and a shovel
Each shovel told guests which beach (table) to go to
Enhancing the beach theme was Melanie’s name projected onto the screen for all to see
Beautiful beach centerpieces filled with shells and a rose. A painted rock with the name of the beach sat on each table
The floor was interactive and had Melanie’s logo
The logo was wrapped around clear vases
The ceiling treatments had hanging shells and turquoise lanterns
Melanie holding the lemonade sign
Custom lemonade cups that read “Mel’s lemonade stand”
Custom t-shirts worn by party servers and wait staff
Bat Mitzvah Video
Mom Jenn owns Caramel Studios which creates montages and videos for special events. Jennifer worked her magic for Melanie!
For her entrance video, guests watched Melanie go from birth to 13 years old in just 2 minutes!
Watch here
Check out more of Mom Jenn’s work with Melanie’s Bat Mitzvah video
Watch here
Music & Entertainment
Starlight Express and MC Kayo played great music and had Melanie and her guests on the dance floor the whole night.
Melanie up in the chair for the Horah!
Here she is with MC Kayo belting out a tune
Melanie surrounded by her friends in front of the interactive dance floor
At the end of the party beach balls were tossed around
There were many interactive activities for the guests, like a green screen from Capitol Photo Booths, as well as tattoo/hair braiding stations from Artemix Entertainment
Candle Lighting
Melanie during her candle lighting service
There was also a puzzle photo of Melanie which started as a baby picture and turned into a current picture of her on the beach as pieces were added to create the new photo
For her candle lighting ceremony, mini Adirondack chairs held the candles and fit in perfectly with her theme
The happy DelAngelo family
Mitzvah Favor & Idea
The long-sleeve shirt favors from Arlene Rosenthal featured Melanie’s logo, “Life’s a Beach” on the front. There was a note attached to the water bottles, which reinforced Melanie’s Mitzvah project – encouraging her friends to use a reusable water bottle instead of buying water when possible.
For the girls, their shirts included a blue rhinestone and name in blue. The boys' shirts had their name in black and no rhinestone
At the end of the night, reusable water bottles with Melanie's logo were given out at the candy bar
Mitzvah Project
Melanie chose to do 26 Mitzvahs, although she had one as her main focus. Since her Torah portion was Noah’s Ark, Melanie decided to double her Temple’s 13 Mitzvot program to make the connection with Noah’s Ark and the animals traveling in twos. She also chose 26 Mitzvahs to honor the 26 lives lost in Sandy Hook. Melanie baked and sold cookies for the Sandy Hook Promise. Another mitzvot included Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, organizing a team in memory of her Grandma Carol. She also baked cookies for people who could use a smile. She raised money for Relay for Life as well. Her big project was collecting water bottles, recycling and redeeming them. She took the money from redeeming the bottles and donated it to Nourish the Children, which feeds malnourished children around the world. She worked on this for 18 months and still continues with it today. She wanted to involve her family and friends in her projects, so she asked if they could drop off water bottles, which helped her to recycle and donate even more. By her Bat Mitzvah, Melanie was able to donate 3,600 meals, which was her goal. These meals all went to Malawi, Africa and her hope is to one day visit and meet some of the children she is helping to feed. Melanie created a website, www.recycle4meals.com, so she can continue her Mitzvah project.
The creative way Melanie got the message out about her Mitzvah Project
Some advice from Mom Jenn:
“My advice is to enjoy the year leading up to this special day. As we all know, the day will come and go way too quickly. Each part of the process is so special. Spend time with your child and listen to him/her practice – you will be amazed at the progress they make. Talk with your child about the Mitzvah project and help him/her choose something he/she can be passionate about. Melanie’s project was very meaningful and it’s still going strong, 2 years later.
As far as planning for the big day – be organized and plan ahead. Involve your kids in the decisions – but do the leg work ahead of time- so you only present them with options you will be ok with! My goal was to have everything 100% complete a week before Melanie’s Bat Mitzvah. I wanted the final days to be calm so I could focus on my daughter without feeling distracted. Even if you plan to get it all done, no doubt that something will come up last minute, so do as much as you can, and then you won’t get frazzled if an issue comes up in the final week!”
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make Melanie’s Bat Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com
Venue: Stepping Stones Museum For Children, 203-899-0606
Party Planner: Arlene Rosenthal, Party Ideas, 203-984-0610
Photographer: Cari Miller Photography, 203-722-4509
Music Entertainment/Videographer: MC Kayo, Starlight Express, 516-742-1100
Caterer: Marc Weber, On the Marc Events, 203-274-6808
Invitation: Leslie Goldberg, Out of the Box, 914-934-2323
Custom stamp: Stamps.com
Candle lighting/T-shirt favors: Arlene Rosenthal, Party Ideas, 203-984-0610
Montage & Entrance Video: Jenn DelAngelo, Caramel Studios, 203-610-0015
Party Entertainment: Green Screen Photos, Capitol Photo Booths, 203-635-0017
Hairbraiding/tattoos, Artemix Entertainment, 718-886-2253
Sign-In board: Melanie’s bedroom door
Service and Party Dresses: Jennifer Butler, 203-256-5768
Custom Ties: Jennifer Butler, 203-256-5768
Hair/makeup: Leslie Atiles, ESPN Make Up Artist, 203-257-0591
February 3rd, 2016
The teams are set and everyone is counting down to Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, February 7, 2016.
We wanted to share some great ideas for a football themed Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration.
To honor this fun time of year, we have highlighted several ideas that you can incorporate into your child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah event whether your child is a player or a fan.
From tailgating to game gear favors, these ideas will help you tackle the big day!
See more football inspiration here.
A Promos USA/ImageMaker has created many football themed sweatshirts and shirts
Football themed balloon decorations from Balloon Artistry
The obvious choice for the #1 draft pick, the Bar Mitzvah boy. Great signage and decor coordinated by Melisa Imberman of The Event of a
Lifetime, Inc. To see more great pictures from this party, click here.
MazelTovGear.com artists created this football logo used on favors at the Ben Bowl
Hi Tech Events created a great sports lounge with pictures of the Bar Mitzvah boy in uniform flanking a football field backdrop and custom team pillows on the white furniture
Great decor at a stadium sports themed Bar Mitzvah at Chelsea Piers Connecticut for 200 guests
For a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan, Lighter Than Air Events created Mason Nation. To see more great pictures from this party, click here
The Mitzvah Mavens created a great football logo that was placed on sweatpants
For this Super Bowl weekend Bar Mitzvah, theCoolestGiveaways.com created the sweatshirt, beanie and blanket
Mindi Harrison Shaevitz of Flower Power Designs created this impressive sign-in football helmet
The Pieced Palette created this pillow keepsake from a football themed invitation by Staci Rahamin of Sincerely Staci.
This chocolate football helmet lollipop from Enjou Chocolat makes a great favor
Beth Fink Events recently created a football themed Bar Mitzvah which included a team store where kids got their favors: a customized long sleeved shirt inside a cooler bag
Simon Elliot Events has a new football frenzy game for those die hard football fans!
How about a football themed invitation from Cutie Patootie Creations?
Did your child have a football themed celebration? Send us a photo at info@mitzvahmarket.com. Thanks!
January 31st, 2016
The Simmons-Cohen family of Merrick, New York, celebrated their son Sean’s Bar Mitzvah on July 4, 2015. The service was held at Congregation B’nai Israel of Freeport, New York and the party was held at Oceanside Jewish Center in Oceanside, New York.
Both Sean’s dads are party decorators and wanted his Bar Mitzvah to be very interactive. They created “Seananigan’s” as their theme, a remake of the old TV game show from the 60’s called, “Shenanigan’s.” They used a carnival setting and took advantage of their July 4th date.
Pictured left: Dad Ron Cohen, Bar Mitzvah boy Sean and Dad Allen Simmons.
The photographer was Fytography: Photo & Video Production and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the end of the spotlight.
Bar Mitzvah Service & Invitations
Sean’s Bar Mitzvah service was held at Congregation B’nai Israel in Freeport, New York. The family sent a “Save The Date,” created by Dad Allen of Themes & Dreams and formal invite created by Invitations by Antionette Pandalfo.
Sean and his proud Dads
For their Kiddush, the room was decorated in the July 4th motif
For their "Save The Date," every guest received a press kit announcing the “remake” of Shenanigan’s, now re-titled, Seananigan’s and starring Sean Simmons-Cohen as host and MC
Each press kit had a Save the Date card along with a little synopsis of the history of "Shenanigan’s" and its metamorphosis into Seananigan’s
They chose a more traditional invitation due to the whimsical press kit. To reflect the spirit of the July 4th date, they used a patriotic color scheme
Mitzvah Details
For their celebration, the ballroom at Oceanside Jewish Center was transformed into “Seananigans!”. Both of Sean’s dads own Themes & Dreams, a full service party decorating and design service.
Huge light up letters with the Seananigan’s logo
As guests entered the lobby of Oceanside Jewish Center, they saw various posters of TV programs starring...Sean
As guests entered the reception, they took a short tour of the SSC Studio Store, created to look like the NBC Studio Store
In the hallway, there was a walkway of colored squares adorned with life size dice, cards, board pieces, and instructions ushered guests to the “studio” itself. Signage, like “On Air,” “Applause” and “Laugh,” were added to play up the transition
The place cards indicated which game board table guests were seated at
VIP passes to the premiere of "Seananigan's" served as place cards for each guest
Sean with one of his life size cut-outs depicting the carnival theme
Patriotic décor for the adults as well
Table names, like "Touch and Go, "Thin Ice," and "Operation" were based on different games of skill that had to be played to advance through the Seananigan’s board. The centerpieces were detailed with every aspect of Sean’s hobbies and interests
At each place setting was a red clown nose for guests to wear to emulate Red Nose Day, (Red Nose Day is a fundraiser for Comic Relief)
Centerpieces were elevated on light-up pedestals and flashing light cylinders
The kids' lounge area was the stage for Seananigan’s. Oversized light-up letters with the Seananigan’s logo spanned 16 feet of the ballroom along with life size stand-ups of Sean in carnival attire. Arches of balloons were added to create a carnival ambiance
Prior to entering the cocktail party, guests saw the current issue of TV Guide which featured Seananigan’s on the cover. Guests left special messages for Sean in his custom sign-in book
Mitzvah Video
The video from Rappitt.com was part of the place card area with words to the rap written by Dad Allen. There was a TV screen in the Guest Relations Booth which played the revamped theme song of Seananigan’s.
Rappitt.com took the original “Shenanigan’s” song and created a rap version
Watch it here
Before Sean entered his Bar Mitzvah celebration, this intro video played for guests
Watch a re-cap of Sean’s celebration produced by Fytography here
Music & Entertainment
Maximum Entertainment provided the music for this celebration.
As
Sean Simmons-Cohen made his entrance, confetti cannons went off, and guests were given long balloons with colored ribbon to wave
It's Horah time!
Sean with his dads trying out the bongos from Maximum Entertainment DJs
Guests enjoyed casino tables and other activities, such as a blackjack table
Even the wait staff donned the carnival vests for the duration of the party
Guests were able to deposit 'fan mail' in this gift container
VIP passes to the premiere of "Seananigan's" served as place cards for each guest
Candle Lighting
The game continued with the candle lighting ceremony where honored family and friends moved through the spaces on the game board and lit candles on television screens which spelled out SEANANIGAN’S.
Sean with his Dads
Each guest who participated in their candle lighting ceremony received a plaque as shown above
The plaques had a personalized message for the honoree
Exit Treats & Favors
Guests were treated to a creative candy bar at the end of the party
Baseball caps with the logo
Tank tops with the logo
Mitzvah Project
Sean’s Mitzvah Project was to benefit Sunrise Day Camp. As a JCC camper, Sean felt the need to spread some smiles to these children. He asked people to donate a joke and some cash. The jokes were compiled into a book given to the campers and the cash helped send a child to camp. The joke books were also distributed to senior citizen centers.
Dad to Dad
Dad Advice from Allen and Ron: “Selecting vendors that you can count on to deliver what you want is most important. Being a party decorator and a control freak, there were aspects of this party that had to be left in the hands of other professionals. These people had to understand our vision. However, you must allow them the freedom and flexibility to delve into their area of expertise and use that expertise to enhance and build upon your vision. It is so important to find vendors that listen and hear what YOU want and not TELL you what you want. The latter gives you a “cookie cutter” party because it is easier. Be different, be imaginative and get your vendors excited about your event. If you do, your party will have a very special and unique feeling. Your guests will feel it. You will feel it. Your child will feel it. Also use MitzvahMarket.com, it helped us find some of the added special touches.
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make Sean’s Bar Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Temple Service: Congregation B’nai Israel of Freeport
Party Decorators/Save The Date: Allen Simmons and Ron Cohen, Themes and Dreams, 516-221-9092
Venue: Oceanside Jewish Center, Robert Ian Caterers
Music Entertainment: Joey, Maximum Entertainment
Photographer: Fytography: Photography & Video Production
Rap Video: Rappitt.com
Invitations: Invitations by Antionette Pandalfo
Impersonator: Joni Lambert as Barbra
Casino Games: New England Casino Games
Kids Activities: Wacky Wax, MakeItSnappy.com
January 27th, 2016
Personalized party accessories add a special touch to Bar Bat Mitzvah celebrations. We’ve seen everything from custom napkins, coasters, stir sticks and personalized ribbon to bathroom accessories and more!
Sometimes it’s the little details, beautifully presented, that your guests will remember most.
Here are some great ideas we found from our past Mitzvah Family Spotlight stories:
For this Pittsburgh Steeler fan’s celebration, famous rally towels (The Terrible Towel), were given to all guests so that they could wave them for the Bar Mitzvah boy’s entrance and throughout the night
To read more about the Gruber Bar Mitzvah, click here
For this New York Mets themed Bar Mitzvah, Mom Leemor created the sock basket in royal blue and orange, of course!
To read more about the Selitto Bar Mitzvah, click here
The Maskell’s out-of-town guests received festive bags at their hotel which included: water, goodies, directions to the temple, to the brunch and to the party; each with a handwritten note from Bat Mitzvah girl Dylan
To read more about the Maskell Bat Mitzvah, click here
Bathroom amenities featured custom lip balm, mints, hair ties and ear plugs in jars that Mom Hollee bought at Home Goods.
To read more about the Becker Bat Mitzvah, click here
For this “Adamcrombie” themed celebration, even the favor bags looked like the real thing!
To read more about the Farber Bar Mitzvah, click here
The Ockman family served chocolate covered Oreos in mini martini glasses to their guests. These were created by Mom Danielle’s company, Favor It Things
To read more about the Ockman Bar Mitzvah, click here
Don’t forget the bathroom! Hair ties, custom logo mints and personalized lip balm were beautifully placed in different sized glass apothecary jars for this celebration
To read more about the Altman Bat Mitzvah, click here.
Specialty themed cocktails were available for adult guests at this Bat Mitzvah
To read more about the Weinberg Bat Mitzvah, click here
This family made table numbers using photos of the Bat Mitzvah girl growing up at various ages
To read more about the Silverman Bat Mitzvah, click here
Using their logo, this family created drink coasters. A great idea!
To read more about the Herschkowitz Bar Mitzvah, click here
Custom mints for guests were beautifully displayed at this celebration
To read more about the Mazor Bat Mitzvah, click here.
Did you have a great party detail at your child’s Bar/Bat Mitzvah invitation? Please share it with us at: info@mitzvahmarket.com.
January 27th, 2016
As the weekend blizzard of 2016 was upon us, we knew there would be many families here in the New York tri-state area making tough decisions about their child’s Bar Bat Mitzvah service and celebrations. We wanted to share one story with a happy outcome!
The Levine family was set to celebrate daughter Lauren’s Bat Mitzvah on Saturday, January 23, 2016, with a Havdalah service at Temple Sharaay Tefila in Bedford, New York, followed by a celebration at the Elmwood Country Club in White Plains, New York.
A little thing called Winter Storm Jonas got in the way, but with the help of their event planner, Melisa Imberman, The Event Of A Lifetime and flexible vendors, everything worked out!
As Melisa Imberman tells Mitzvah Market, “We followed the weather closely all week and came up with plan B, C, & D and cleared them with the venue and all of the vendors. If the storm was to hit earlier than expected, we would be ready with a daytime party, if the storm was coming later, we would change it to Sunday. We even looked into alternative weekends in case the storm was really bad.”
On Friday afternoon, after much deliberation, the family and Melisa made the call to change both the service and celebration to Sunday. All the deliveries were made on Friday before the storm hit and they set up as much as they could on Friday so they didn’t have to worry about traffic or accidents. All guests were notified about the change via email.
We are excited to report that Lauren’s celebration was truly “A SpectacuLAUR Night!”
Chad David Kraus was the photographer and he captured this great shot of Lauren in the snow!
Her expression says, “What’s the big deal about a blizzard on my Bat Mitzvah?”
The Levine Family was all smiles at Lauren’s celebration
L-R Mom Nancy, Bat Mitzvah Girl Lauren, Dad David and Brother Brian
Party colors of purple and silver decorated the escort card table. Additionally, guests could take pictures in front of the logo’d Step-N-Repeat
Lauren’s white ball gown went well with the outdoor scenery!
Check out these custom sneakers hand painted by Camryn Monfried with her tagline: A SpectacuLAUR Night
A modern lounge area for Lauren’s friends designed by Geo Events
The lounge area included logo’d high boy tables
Custom pillows decorated the chairs and couches
Custom menu cards by Small Fry Press, who also did the invitations and escort cards
Her tagline on the napkins
“Ghost chairs” were rented for the adult tables, plus a new one to be used as the sign-in board
Friends and family wrote special messages to Lauren on the custom chair
Geo Events provided the music entertainment
Lauren up in the chair for the Horah
In addition to giving “A SpectacuLAUR Night” t-shirts to guests on the dance floor, they also received selfie sticks customized with Lauren’s tagline
For extra entertainment there was a Nike Elite Sock Station
Guests also enjoyed photo favors
Lauren and her brother during the candle lighting ceremony
Look at all the friends who made it to this celebration…a day later!
As guests left, they received hot cocoa in purple cups along with waffles in a bag that read, “Hope you had a SpectacuLAUR Night!”
Mazel Tov to the Levine family – We are so glad all worked out beautifully during a difficult weekend of weather!
VENDORS: Event Planner: Melisa Imberman, The Event of a Lifetime, Inc. LLC; Photographer: Chad David Kraus Photography; Decor/DJ: Geo Events; Invitation/Menu/Escort cards, Small Fry Press
January 24th, 2016
Save the Day Events created a neon-themed atmosphere with great party details for Ella’s roller skating Bat Mitzvah celebration.
The venue was Fun Force Roller Rink an indoor events facility located in Wallington, New Jersey. There were lots of great activities and everyone got in on the action.
Otero & Seclen Photography was the photographer.
Let’s get rollin’!
As guests entered the venue, they saw Ella’s name in LED Marquee letters
Blinged-out skates for the guest of honor
Guests were greeted by a poster of Ella at different ages, made by her mom. They were asked to sign different pieces of “clothes” from
Ella’s closet
A wall in one section of the venue was wrapped in a neon backdrop with hanging lamps in neon shades
This is a section of the awesome laser tag area at Fun Force that guests enjoyed
These girls are ready for some laser tag action
Everyone got into roller skating
First time skaters got a little help!
In keeping with the neon theme, colorful popcorn boxes
Neon socks for dancing
The dessert displays included neon plates and silverware
Neon cupcake wrappers
The candy buffet signage was placed in very cool neon frames
Custom theme candy displays is just one of Save the Day Events’ specialties
Favor boxes with custom labels addressed to each guest included a ‘thank you’ message
We thank Penny Rabinowitz of Save the Day Events for sharing this great Bat Mitzvah with our readers.
Event Planner/Candy Buffet/Favor boxes/Signage: Penny Rabinowitz, Save the Day Events; Music/Montage/Green Screen Photo Favors: EK Productions, LTD.;Photographer: Otero & Seclen Photography; Venue: Fun Force; Catering: Jonathan Speiser, Dougies BBQ
January 24th, 2016
The Halpern family of Merion Station, Pennsylvania, celebrated daughters Sydney and Madison’s (Mimi) B’not Mitzvah on October 31, 2015, at Temple Beth David Reform Congregation in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, with a party later that evening at Front and Palmer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
With a professional event planner for a Mom, Sydney and Mimi had high expectations for their floral motif decor and Mom did not disappoint! The day was filled with great tradition and modern touches that were perfect. The two sisters enjoyed their big day with a traditional ceremony and fun-filled reception, surrounded by family, friends with a late night Halloween surprise! There was a secret treat room filled with a candy buffet and custom favors.
Pictured L-R: Mom Li, Bat Mitzvah girl Sydney, Bat Mitzvah girl Mimi, and Dad Cory.
The photographer was Kristine Di Grigoli of ArtChick Photography and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the end of the spotlight.
Invites, Service & Style
The family worked with Anna Malie Designs on the custom floral invitations. Later at the party, the family looks great in their silver-accented outfits!
The invites featured the girls’ favorite colors
Sydney and Mimi did a fantastic job leading the service at Beth David Reform Congregation
Guests were greeted with theme colored kippot and programs featuring the event logo
The service was followed by a cocktail style Kiddush from Bryce's Catering
Home baked sweets, using family recipes passed down for generations, were delicious
Their silver outfits accented the color theme of the party
Mitzvah Details
The reception venue, Front & Palmer, is a former barrel factory made into event space. The space was transformed into a room decorated with the girls’ favorite colors and was filled with beautiful flowers by Flowers by Marcus Hook Florist. All the personalized party details were so great, thanks to event planner Mom Li–they’re her specialty!
Each guest received a vase with a floral display
Each vase had a flower that coordinated to the table centerpiece
The cocktail area had different types of seating with themed pillows and vintage style votives in greens, purples and silver
Long banquet tables seating as many as 25, were mixed with round tables throughout the room
Each table had a mix of floral arrangements and single stems in antique vases to coordinate with the place cards
Photofetti, which Mom Li found on Mitzvah Market, added color to the table décor
Little details like custom M&Ms could be found everywhere
Themed pillows looked great on the couches
A private website shared event information
Travel information and links for blocks of hotel rooms were provided for friends and family
The Halpern family guests received filled with Philadelphia treats and tourist information. See more from this celebration
here
For their sign-in posters, each girl had their own featuring their logo
Music & Entertainment
MC Josh and DJ Brickhouse from EBE Entertainment rocked the house and kept everyone on the dance floor. As for entertainment, Empower Entertainment’s open air photo booth was busy until the end of the party.
The entire party was on their feet for the Horah!
Fun favors lit up the party
EBE Drummer Ben and DJ Brickhouse kept the beat going through the night
MC Josh led a very competitive Coke & Pepsi game that many kids took off their green and purple dancing socks so they wouldn't slip on the floor
Beautiful flower backdrop for pictures!
The girls were obviously the first ones in the photo booth!
Sydney and Mimi honored friends and family as they lit the candles
Mitzvah Video
There was a great highlight video from the B’not Mitzvah.
Watch their highlight video
Mitzvah Dessert
Sydney and Mimi worked with the pastry chef at Feast Your Eyes to design a cake.
Sydney and Mimi made sure that their cake would mirror their event logo and party colors
The
Halpern B'nai Mitzvah was held on Halloween, a late night trick revealed a secret treat room filled with a Halloween candy buffet and custom favors
Goody bags featured the girls' logo on the label
Mitzvah Favors
Black hoodies with the girls’ logo were wrapped in purple and green customized drawstring bags by Li Halpern Events.
Cubbies held the favors which included drawstring bags and hoodies. Hanging on the cubbies were colorful skeletons (Cubbies held the favors which included drawstring bags and hoodies. Hanging on the cubbies were colorful skeletons)
The black hooded sweatshirts featured the girls yin-yang logo
The next morning Sydney and Mimi wore their hoodies to brunch with friends and family
Mimi and Sydney strike a classic Halpern pose for the end of the night
Mitzvah Project
Sydney and Mimi worked together to help the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf to create a library in their Early Childhood Education Center (ECE). The ECE serves very young children though kindergarten aged students to help develop communication and learning skills that will prepare them for continued life-long learning. This is a seriously undeserved community with grave needs for resources. Mimi and Sydney have collected hundreds of books and toys for the ECE and are helping in the school to sort, categorize and display the books. More information about this organization can be found at www.psd.org
Mom to Mom
Some advice from Mom Li:
“Finding great vendors makes everything easier. Remember that this is a celebration where your child will be surrounded by the people who love them and your family the most – this should be a joyous occasion and a happy crowd.”
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make Sydney and Mimi’s B’not Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Temple/Kiddush Venue: Beth David Reform Congregation
Party Planner: Li Halpern Events Ltd., 484-278-4294
Kiddush Catering: Bryce Catering, 610-658-2400
Party Venue: Front and Palmer, 215-634-3002
Party Caterer: Feast Your Eyes Catering
Photographer: Kristine Di Grigoli, Art Chick Photography, 215-650-7052
Welcome bags/Decor/Party Favors/Candy buffet: Li Halpern Events, 484-278-4294
Flowers: Flowers by Marcus Hook Florist, 610-485-3281
Music Entertainment: Brian Lizzi, EBE Entertainment, 888-323-2263
Videographer: Parchelle Hotten, Fresh Level Productions, 215-525-4561
Invitation: Andrea Lueshen, Anna Malie Design
Name tag calligraphy: Amy Wohl, FabuDesigns.com, 312-513-1698
Photobooth/Lighting/AV: Ethan, Empower Event Group, 610-757-7091
Website: Li Halpern Events, 484-278-4294
Photofetti on tables: Photofetti, 866-496-3168
Girl’s Dresses: G-Lizzy by Gabrielle, 610-668-2801
Mom’s dress: Nordstrom
Dad’s Suit: Suitsupply
Hotels for Out of town guests: Hotel Monaco, 267-386-9440/Hilton Philadelphia, 215-879-4000
January 18th, 2016
The Lewin family from Wayne, New Jersey, celebrated son Aden’s Bar Mitzvah on June 7, 2015, at Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, New Jersey, and the reception at the Valley Regency venue in Clifton, New Jersey.
The theme was Aden’s X-Games, with a particular emphasis on skateboarding. Mom Amy is an event planner and the party had many unique touches. Every detail was well-thought-out!
Pictured L-R: Brother Parker, Dad Scott, Bar Mitzvah boy Aden and Mom Amy.
Ivan Piedra Photography was the photographer and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the end of the spotlight.
Mitzvah Invitations & Style
The family worked with Beth Shapiro of Invitations with Love.
The contemporary pocket invitation utilized a tone-on-tone technique for Aden's name and text
Mom Amy’s gown was from Tony Conte Formal Wear. Aden's suit came from Sam's Fine Men's Clothing
Mitzvah Décor
Mom Amy is an event planner at Airgraphics Entertainment, a full-service entertainment company. They pulled out all the stops transforming the Valley Regency into an X-Games themed venue.
Aden posed next to a picture of his very cool place card display which Aden and his Dad built. Each place card was a skateboard wheel with a printed tag
These X-cellent half-pipe ramps were part of the décor, along with Aden's 3D logo
The kids' lounge had black couches with fun chevron designed green pillows and logo'd coffee tables
Music & Entertainment
Family and friends hit the dance floor, led by MC Koko and great music from Airgraphics Entertainment. During the party, Airgraphics Entertainment provided very cool interactive activities for the Lewin’s guests.
Aden skateboarded in for his entrance, while one of the dancers jumped over him!
Aden up for the Horah!
Guests had lots of fun on the dance floor!
The dancers wore custom t-shirts with Aden's great logo for the entire party
There was an awesome airbrush artist that created cool hats...
...as well as a Studio Booth photo booth.
Great pics!
Mom Amy and Aden shared their first dance together
Mitzvah Cake & Exit
Palermo Bakery created the delicious cake for the party.
The cake was decorated with graffiti and skateboard embellishments on all sides, just for Aden
Aden and his brother, Parker, lighting the candles together
Gourmet popcorn, in theme colors, was the perfect send-off treat for guests
Mitzvah Project
Aden learned Mitzvah clowning and visited kids and grown ups who were not feeling well. It was organized through the temple, Congregation Agudath Israel in Caldwell, New Jersey.
Mom to Mom
Some advice from Mom Amy:
“Make a list and do something every day. Start gathering pictures early for the photo montage.”
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make Aden’s Bar Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Valley Regency, 973-744-4510
Event Planner: Mom Amy Lewin, Airgraphics Entertainment, 937-865-4647
Music Entertainment/MC/Dancer shirts: Airgraphics Entertainment, 973-247-1844
Photographer/Videographer: Ivan Piedra Photography, Airgraphics Entertainment, 973-247-1844
Logo/Decor/Favors/Photobooth/Sign-In Board/Mitzvah Exit Treat: Airgraphics Entertainment, 973-247-1844
Invitation: Invitations With Love by Beth Shapiro, 516-314-7298
Cake: Palermo Bakery, 201-641-1654
Mom Amy’s gown: Tony Conte Formal Wear, 973-427-9454
Aden’s suit: Sam’s Fine Men’s Clothing, 973-422-1000
Hair/makeup: Merianne Ungaro, 973-207-4706
Party security: Bar Mitzvah Bouncer, Inc., 973-758-9800
