October 1st, 2011
This was the third Mitzvah for the Karen family who celebrated daughter Ali’s Bat Mitzvah on May 28, 2011 with a morning service at Temple Beth Torah in Jericho, New York followed by an evening party at North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, New York.
Although there was not a specific theme, Ali used pink and orange as her colors and there was lots of neon in the ballroom for a disco feel. The ballroom was transformed with terrific lighting and decor.
All photography was done by Neal Bloom and the rest of the vendor information is listed at the bottom of this spotlight.
Pictured above: (L-R): Older sister Marissa, Dad Rob, Bat Mitzvah girl Ali, Mom Carla and older brother Jordan
All three of the Karen women wore white. Bat Mitzvah girl Ali’s dress was from Outrageous Boutique, Marissa’s was a BCBG and Mom Carla bought her long gown from Melony Mazzeo in East Williston, New York.
Everyone looks gorgeous in their white dresses with accents of silver or gold
Ali’s invitation was done by Robin’s Write Invites and featured her Bat Mitzvah colors of pink and orange.
The ballroom at North Shore Synagogue was transformed by Paul from Party Interiors. Del Mir Caterers provided all the delicious food.
Lighting can set the mood of a room
Black and white chair covers and crystals create a striking look
Ali poses in the kids lounge area
Ali’s place cards coordinated with her invitations and were created by Karen Garber who also did the calligraphy on the invitation envelopes.
Entertainment Tonite provided the music entertainment with Matt as their MC.
A large crowd fills the dance floor
MC Matt gives Mom Carla a lift!
Guests enjoy the music
Del Mir Caterers created a beautiful matching cake in orange and pink.
The Karen family blows out the candles
Ali shares a special moment with one of her friends who was celebrating her birthday on the same day
Close friend Gail Janicola made Ali’s sign-in book using an Apple computer.
The pages were filled with pictures of family and friends
Brother Jordan “signs in”
Another friend, Janet Kesner had a great idea for the table numbers.
Using an old picture of Ali, she was able to photo shop different numbers onto the same photo. Copies were made at Walgreens and each photo was placed in a frame!
Ali and her Dad share a special moment and father/daughter dance.
Michelle Weissman created Ali’s favors and matching drawstring bags for her friends featuring her saying, “Be Happy, Be Ready.”
The girls received “flash dance” style sweatshirts saying “Be Happy” and the boys received T-shirts that said, “Be Ready Basketball”
As guests were leaving, they found a candy bar set up inside and a waffle truck outside!
Mom Carla successfully planned three Mitzvahs for her children and has this advice.
“Don’t get caught up in the small details, it’s all about the love in the room. Take a moment to step back and look around. Everyone is there because of your child and your family.”
The following vendors helped to make Ali’s Bat Mitzvah special. If you give any of them a call, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Caterer/Venue: Del Mir Caterers at North Shore Synagogue
Music Entertainment: Entertainment Tonite, MC Matt
Favors: Michelle Weissman Creative Specialities, 516-637-0493
Photographer: Neal Bloom, 631-754-7442
Invitations: Robin Cohen, Robin’s Writes & Invites, 516-822-5108
Place Cards: Karen Garber, 516-681-2939, inkspotzs@aol.com
Cake: Del Mir Caterers
Décor: Party Interiors by Paul 516-586-5492
Waffel Truck: Wafel and Dinges
Dress for Mom: Melony Mazzeo, melonymazz@yahoo.com
Dress for Ali: Outrageous Boutique
Dress for Marissa: BCBG
Hair/makeup: Entourage
Videographer: Entertainment Tonite
September 27th, 2011
By Stephanie Kepke Kaplan, Boys, Dogs And Chaos
In my second Mitzvah Diary post, I shared that compiling the guest list was the biggest party planning challenge for me. I take it back – the montage is now my official Everest. A friend of mine warned me to start looking for pictures six months in advance; it’s that difficult to amass just the right assortment of snapshots. And honestly, that’s not surprising – how does one possibly compress thirteen years worth of memories into just ten minutes of video?
I have well over one hundred and fifty pictures right now and I know I need to winnow it down to one hundred. I’ve already done my fair share of winnowing – I have spent hours going through the literally hundreds and hundreds of packets of photos I have stored in stacked flowered boxes. Remember, thirteen years ago, none of us had digital cameras. In fact, I didn’t get a decent digital camera – one that I used exclusively, not just as a novelty, until my third son was born. It will be a breeze to collect his montage pictures – just click and drag. Not so for my son, D. And, being that he was my first child, I was in full on paparazzi mode – documenting everything from his first cry (well, my husband took that picture) to his first coo to his first potty foray. That’s a lot of pictures – I narrowed it down from about sixty five to twenty six from his first year. But, that means a quarter of the montage will be D’s babyhood. I can already hear D’s friends yawning, not to mention D. whining about baby pictures crowding out baseball pictures.
It’s not just baby pictures that are hard to curate – I scanned in sixty three pictures from birth to age five and then got to work on the digital pictures. I now have a folder on my desktop with probably another hundred pictures from age six and up. Everything seems necessary and yet the montage can’t be half an hour long. With four weeks to go, I need to edit out the fat and do it quickly. My wonderful (patient) niece has agreed to put together the montage and I promised to deliver the pictures well in advance. Well, we’ve passed well in advance and we’re creeping up on, “OK, I need it now or it won’t get done.”
Part of the difficulty in accomplishing this task is that I’ve lingered on each picture – reminiscing about easier times before everything was a battle. I used to think that toddlerhood and all of the defiance that went along with it – the constant chorus of “no’s;” the declarations of, “I do it mysef!;” the tantrums when it was time to leave the playground – was the hardest thing that I would ever face as a parent. More seasoned parents would shake their heads at my frustration and say, “Little kids, little problems; big kids, big problems.” But, I didn’t believe them. Now, I understand. D. acts like he hates me most of the time. He’s always embarrassed of me and often tells me I’m neurotic. I know it’s the age. I know that deep down he really loves me, but it still stings.
Looking at the pictures of him from infancy on up, I am reminded of how completely attached to me he was. I remember so clearly what it was like for him to fall asleep on my shoulder – for that to be the only place he would sleep for what seemed like an eternity. I am reminded of the time I caught the flu from him when he was a toddler and he cried hysterically until I dragged myself into his room, feverish and shaking, to rock him on his chair, because no one else – not daddy, not grandma – would do. There is the picture of him sitting on my lap at 10 years old – our annual birthday hug – his head on my shoulder, a huge grin on his face. Three short years later, he is more than a head taller than I am, his face has taken on the angular proportions of an almost man and his patience for me often wears thin. That is why combing through these pictures is such a gift and why narrowing down the choices is close to impossible. But, narrow the choices I must, so I have stayed up every night until the wee hours, trying to decide what belongs up on that flat screen during the party.
The criteria I’ve come up with: if the picture seems like it would interest someone other than me, it stays. If I find it completely captivating, but to anyone else it would just be a run of the mill shot of a cute baby or a sweet boy grinning, then out it goes. Some of the images that have made it so far – in addition to holiday shots, birthday party shots and baseball shots, there are many of my dad and D. (if you read my last post, then you know that my father passed away in the spring and that one of the ways we plan to honor him is by featuring him in the montage), as well as pictures of D. playing the drums, from babyhood on. My husband, Jeff, was a drummer in a band when D. was a baby and he often played acoustic sets at Borders. D. loved coming with me and banging on the drums when the show was over. He is an amazing drummer now and I think it will be fun for everyone to see his progression on (and obsession with) the drums over the years – from those Borders shows to his toddler days banging on a plastic marching drum to his elementary school years behind the skins to a short video of his solo at the last school concert.
I still have several more pictures to cut (at least fifty), but I’m on the road to a short (no more than ten minutes) montage that will hopefully keep everyone engaged and entertained, even if I cry bittersweet tears right through it.
About Stephanie Kepke Kaplan
Stephanie Kepke Kaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. Before kids she was an arts reporter, covering the Boston music and cultural scene (even though she is a born and bred Long Islander, she lived in Boston for nine years and her first son was born there). Now, she blogs at Boys, Dogs and Chaos (about life with – you guessed it – three boys and two dogs) and Mitzvah Mom. She is also working on a novel about a PTA mom. She has also written for Long Island Parent magazine.
Catch up on Stephanie’s previous posts:
Post 1
Post 2
Post 3
September 21st, 2011
Once again we found a Mitzvah Find from the Wedding industry, but we know it’s very cool for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs too!
PictureThisNashville.net is like a photo booth, but much cooler! You can also use this system to create your sign-in book.
They use 21″ touch screen Apple iMacs that were created specifically for Picture This. This touchscreen is your custom kiosk. Personalize your Picture This Nashville touchscreen with titles, date, logo, and photos panels.
Your guests can take a series of fun pictures and watch them print in their choice of color, black and white, or sepia tone.
They can even email them right from the kiosk.
Their photo guestbooks have guests sign-in via their touchscreen kiosk. Their picture is taken with the kiosk camera, and they are asked to leave a handwritten message. Picture This team of designers puts together a custom book layout, sometimes blending other media such as photos of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah child or photo booth pictures. The book is printed and shipped directly to you.
The pricing starts at $999 for a four hour session with unlimited photos and a high resolution DVD of your images.
If you do not live in the Nashville area, get in touch with Elaine from Picture This and she will find a distributor near you. She can be reached at 818-472-3820.
For more information, visit their Website.
September 19th, 2011
Guitar Hero and Rock Band have nothing on Rockmitzvah. Why stand in front of your television set when you can rock out for real – at your own Bar/Bat Mitzvah!
We first learned about this real-life group of musicians who let you your child be the star at their celebration when we launched Mitzvah Market.
We caught up with one of the Rockmitzvah founders, Marc Jacoby, to bring you more information.
MM: What is Rockmitzvah?
MJ: Rockmitzvah, a live band, is a ‘school of rock’ which allows your child to be a ‘star’ for a day. The Bar/Bat Mitzvah celebrant, and musical friends and family members have the opportunity to perform on stage with a band of seasoned rock and roll industry veterans, in front of a captured crowd of adoring fans! Rockmitzvah also provides full musical and entertainment services seen at most celebrations, from MC’ing, to DJ’ing, the hora, dancers and motivators and customized give-aways.
MM: Who is the perfect family for this type of entertainment?
MJ: The ideal family for Rockmitzvah has a son or daughter who is passionate about music, preferably a student of an instrument or a vocalist, though this is not required. The celebrant ideally has other musical friends and family members who will be gently guided into participating on stage during the celebration, individually or in small groups. The perfect Rockmitzvah family is looking for a unique event which is both refreshing and engaging relative to the DJ driven events that dominate the landscape of the Bar and Bat Mitzvah ‘scene.’
MM: What locations do you service?
MJ: Rockmitzvah will travel anywhere, and maintains a roster of professional touring and recording musicians.
MM: How does it work (rehearsals etc.)?
MJ: Rockmitzvah assigns a ‘point person’ to the family, essentially a personal party planner/music director. The point person works closely with the celebrant to zoom in on songs which will be performed with the band. The family and point person also create a list of potential participants at the event in addition to the celebrant. A week or two before the party, the family and the band gather to rehearse, and discuss the finer points of the customized evening.
MM: What can families expect from Rockmitzvah at their child’s celebration?
MJ: First and foremost, families can expect that a Rockmitzvah celebration will compliment the ‘right of passage’ that characterizes this momentous occasion in the life of the Jewish family. Performing in front of loving family and friends, and your spiritual community, is essentially a leap of faith, and a sharing of one’s passionate self with those who mean the most to you. It is in many ways similar to reading the torah…it just rocks a little more!
MM: Do you still need to hire a DJ/MC?
MJ: Rockmitzvah feels that it is not necessary to hire a DJ or MC. We can provide full MC services, and a more ‘light’ DJ service if needed. It is our feeling that people don’t need to be overwhelmed with directives and volume in order to celebrate together. However, many families still feel a need to have a DJ, particularly in situations where there are more than 60 children invited. In those circumstances, we work closely with a number of DJ’s who understand our concept.
For more information on Rockmitzvah, please visit their extended profile page in our Vendor Directory.
Check out their promotion video here and our Mitzvah Minute video too!
September 16th, 2011
Annie Aiello celebrated her Bat Mitzvah with an evening party at the Tonga Room in The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco.
For her Polynesian theme, this cool venue fit perfectly and featured a pool right in the middle of the restaurant! Keep reading below for all their great ideas.
All party photography was done by Jennifer Paschal at Bruce Forrester Photography and the rest of the vendors are listed below.
Pictured above (L-R): Dad Steve, Bat Mitzvah girl Annie, Mom Alyson and sister Samantha
Annie’s colorful invitation was created by Folio. The envelope liner featured her name!
Jayne Greenberg from Just Jayne Events and Passiflora Designs pulled together all the details for Annie’s celebration at The Tonga Room
A pool is at the center of this restaurant and it’s where the band played for their cocktail hour
Intermittent “rain showers” added to the mood
As you can see above, the restaurant had Polynesian artifacts which fit in perfectly with their theme
The Tonga Room features wood tables and did not require table cloths but they added a floral runner down the center of the table
Centerpieces were vases filled with floating orchids and beta fish
To let guests know which table they were seated at, sand dollars with name cards were displayed on a table of sand
Cookies by Felix The Cook were placed at each guests’ place setting indicating their seat. The men received tiki mask cookies
The ladies received Orchid cookies
The restaurant provided fun glassware including tiki mask cups, scorpion bowls and coconuts with umbrellas
Annie’s Tiki Shack logo was used throughout the decor
Check out the table signs, made with a bamboo stick and replicated a tiki hut
Handouts included grass skirts and leis worn by partygoers in addition to sunglasses and hats
Young guests having fun!
Custom cocktail menus were created by Ram Print
Denon & Doyle provided the music entertainment for Annie’s party with Mark Addington as the MC
A tattoo artist
Green screen photo booth by Denon & Doyle
Magician Jay Alexander
An airbrush artist was on hand as well
The following vendors made Annie’s celebration special. If you call any of them, please let them know you heard about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: The Tonga Room in The Fairmont, San Francisco
Party Planner: Jayne Greenberg, Just Jayne Events
Music Entertainment: MC Mark Addington Denon & Doyle
Cookie Place Cards: Felix The Cook 415-424-9415
Invitations: Folio
Florist: Passiflora Designs
Party Entertainment: Just Jayne Events
Photographer: Jennifer Paschal at Bruce Forrester Photography
Videographer: Jonathan Metcalf
Hair/makeup: Cooper Alley
Magician: Jay Alexander
Printing: Ram Print & Communications
September 9th, 2011
By Stephanie Kepke Kaplan, Boys, Dogs And Chaos
I was meeting with a party decorator a few days ago, when she told me that the bug behind me wasn’t “a biting mosquito.” When I looked up and saw a crane fly on the wall, I got chills. The night that my father passed away we were saying Kaddish outside on my parents’ deck when I noticed a crane fly on the rail. It just sat there through the entire minyan and then appeared in the kitchen. My brother killed it – much to my dismay – but when another one appeared in the same spot moments later, I couldn’t help but believe that it was my father. I know that sounds odd, but after my father passed away, I became a believer in a different kind of “spirituality” (for lack of a better term). And, when I saw that crane fly above me, I couldn’t help but believe that my father wanted to be a part of my Bar Mitzvah planning.
Before you dismiss my words as a bunch of new age hoo-ha, I need to explain that I am not the type that ever believed in hearing from those beyond the grave. Before my father passed away, I figured, “when you’re dead, you’re dead.” But, so many things happened (more on one amazing experience at my niece’s Bat Mitzvah in a bit) and so many people have shared their stories with me of departed loved ones who appeared in the most unexpected ways, that I had to believe that the spirit hangs around for a while.
Back to that crane fly: my father played a huge part in planning my niece’s Bat Mitzvah, which took place four weeks after his death. He went to every vendor with my sister and helped stuff envelopes. He shopped for dresses and put together the women’s head coverings. He had suffered a stroke several months before and all of this kept him busy and engaged. My mother and my sister had met me at the decorator’s and a moment after they left, the crane fly appeared. When I explained its significance to the decorator, she believed me and even shared her own similar experience.
Whether I’m right or wrong, it was comforting to feel that he was there, just like he was for my sister. No doubt, he was giving his opinion – I was hoping to make my own centerpieces (read DIY or Not to learn about my grand plans for craftiness and how most of them fell apart), but I am running out of time and the logistics are just too daunting – how can I possibly set up centerpieces the morning of the party? Honestly, I have no idea. I think my father was telling me to just let go of the stress and use a professional decorator, budget be damned.
So, if my father made an appearance during the planning stages, I am sure he will be at the party. That brings me to that amazing experience that I mentioned earlier. My niece lit a candle for my father at her Bat Mitzvah – after she blew out all of the candles, my father’s candle relit. A guest at the party recorded the candle lighting ceremony and caught the moment on tape. It is truly extraordinary to watch and is proof that he was there in spirit. Since my own son’s Bar Mitzvah is only 6 weeks away, I have been thinking of ways to incorporate my father’s memory, as well. D will wear my father’s tallit. My mother was planning on burying my father in it, but right before the funeral, we decided that not only would he want D to wear it, but this way a piece of him will be on the bimah with D. D will also light a candle and we can only hope for a repeat of my niece’s Bat Mitzvah.
Based on my informal facebook poll, lighting a candle and reciting a poem ranks among one of the most popular ways to commemorate a loved one – for good reason; it’s simple and it lets all of the guests reflect for a moment, as well. Other ideas mentioned include wearing the loved one’s tefillin (small black leather boxes containing parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah and worn during weekday morning prayers) the week before the Bar Mitzvah; incorporating a loved one’s favorite food or color during the celebration; playing a loved one’s favorite song; holding a moment of silence in remembrance and my favorite – including pictures in the montage of the Bar Mitzvah boy / Bat Mitzvah girl with a loved one who has passed away.
I have already collected many pictures of D and his grandfather for the montage. I know that when it plays there won’t be a dry eye in the house. I know this, because I, along with many other guests, cried our eyes out during my niece’s montage, featuring pictures of her and my father. Our grief was raw, because it was only a month after my father’s passing. Even six months later though at D’s Bar Mitzvah, it will still elicit a tear. But, that’s a good thing – having a simcha after a tragedy is always bittersweet and by letting our tears flow and taking a moment out of the celebration to honor those who have passed away, we keep them present not only in the moment, but in our hearts always.
A special thank you to Janine W; Sandey P; Amy M and Chari N for sharing your ideas.
A Reader Responds
“I just wanted to respond to this week Mitzvah Diaires, a biting mosquito. I was reading it with tears in my eyes thinking of my father. He passed away three months to the day before my wedding. And just like Stephanie, there were signs he was with us. During the wedding ceremony, a big pot of flowers fell over. I didn’t even realize but my aunt told me later, it was my father showing his presence.
I had moved into a new apartment before he passed away, but he never got to see it. Well one day i was doing dishes and there was one bubble that wouldn’t go away. It floated thru every room of that apartment. I always felt it was him coming to see the apartment. We also had a small mat by the kitchen sink with a picture of cactus. My husband and I did not notice until after my dad was gone that the cactus were shaped like letters of his name JAY. He was watching over us.
My youngest daughter’s Bat Mitzvah is just 5 weeks away and although she did not know her grandfather, I know we will feel him looking down on us and watching.”
–Renee
About Stephanie Kepke Kaplan
Stephanie Kepke Kaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. Before kids she was an arts reporter, covering the Boston music and cultural scene (even though she is a born and bred Long Islander, she lived in Boston for nine years and her first son was born there). Now, she blogs at Boys, Dogs and Chaos (about life with – you guessed it – three boys and two dogs) and Mitzvah Mom. She is also working on a novel about a PTA mom. She has also written for Long Island Parent magazine.
Catch up on Stephanie’s previous posts:
Post 1
Post 2
September 7th, 2011
Many of our readers have been enjoying the US Open, which means tennis on the mind!
We got an email this week from Mitzvah Mom Jane who asked, “My son loves tennis and would like to include elements of this sport into his Bar Mitzvah invitation. Any ideas?”
We went to Proper Notice, who for over 19 years has been a leading creative force in the invitation industry, continuously bringing fresh and exciting ideas – perfectly executed – to a growing, discriminating clientele.
Here are some samples that they sent to us, we hope they give you inspiration!
We love the tennis ball letter “o”
Another play on the ball and net!
A small tennis touch
A RSVP that includes tennis lingo!
Please feel free to send us an email to info@MitzvahMarket.com if you need some help with your Mitzvah planning. We are not party planners, but will go to our roster of experts and get back to you asap!
September 7th, 2011
We know our Mitzvah Market readers love the Mitzvah Family Spotlight features, but we didn’t realize they noticed every single detail!
We recently ran The Dukofsky Bat Mitzvah Family Spotlight story and received this question from an observant reader.
“I was reading your most recent post about the Dukofsky Bat Mitzvah – wow, what an evening that must have been. My friend’s daughter is doing a “peace theme” and I noticed she had kippot peace sign clips – can I find out where she got those?”
Follow the arrow above to see the peace sign clips
We checked with the Dukofsky family and learned that they found those cute clips at Star Tracks in Farmingdale, New York.
If you have a question for us, don’t hesitate to ask. Just send us an email at info@MitzvahMarket.com.
August 26th, 2011
By Stephanie Kepke Kaplan, Boys, Dogs And Chaos
This may strike some of you as odd, but one of the most difficult aspects of planning my son, D’s, Bar Mitzvah has been “the list.” The guest list, that is.
I have to send my invites out in just days and I still haven’t settled on exactly who they are going to. Of course family and close family friends are a given, but there are so many Moms with whom I feel a camaraderie – I can’t possibly invite everyone. So then, where do you draw the line? And, when you draw that line what if people on the invite side talk to people on the non-invite side? Also, if you’re on Facebook, it ratchets up the list dilemma to a whole new level.
When our parents decided with whom to share their simchas, they didn’t have to worry about someone they just couldn’t squeeze onto the guest list seeing pictures of all the people who did make it on the list partying away together. This new twist to party planning causes me a great deal of stress. Before Facebook, one’s social life was pretty much one’s own business. Now, pictures are posted as soon as the event is over and everyone can see who was there – and if you feel you should have been a part of it, well it stings. This isn’t just for teenagers, even grown-ups can feel excluded. Luckily, it generally takes me months to post pictures, if they get up at all. It’s still a concern, though – others may post pictures right away and eventually I’ll post them. So, I needed to come up with some guidelines to try to minimize my guilt and any hurt feelings.
Luckily, D’s Bar Mitzvah is at the end of the year, so right off the bat I was able to eliminate anyone who didn’t invite me. I wasn’t insulted if those I considered inviting didn’t invite me – I understand the constraints of budget when planning a guest list. In this economy, many people invite just close friends and family. It was harder to eliminate others, so instead I set guidelines for who I would include, rather than who I would exclude.
The first criteria for inclusion on my guest list was longevity – anyone who came to my Wedding 15 years ago that I am still friends with (even if we only speak on our birthdays, and through the occasional text, e-mail or Facebook comment) was included. If I can maintain a relationship (as infrequent as it may be, thanks to all of our overstuffed lives) with someone for all of those years (in many cases over a quarter of a century), I want that person celebrating with us. This category includes childhood and college friends, many of whom are far flung. So unfortunately, though I’d love them there, realistically not everyone can make it.
My second criteria was to include those that we go out with socially. Sadly, this isn’t a very large category, since we hardly ever go out. But, there are a few families that we meet for pizza or friends that I will meet for a frozen yogurt once in a while. The tough call was for friends that we used to see, but don’t anymore. I had to draw the line – if it had been more than a year or two, I just couldn’t include them.
My third was the trickiest and certainly the hardest to winnow down – fellow Moms that I chat with on a regular basis. There are so many women that I chat with at school pickup or Hebrew school drop off, women that paid shiva calls when my father passed away and that will pick my kids up in a pinch. I couldn’t possibly include them all, so I decided that if we talk on the phone or text about things that aren’t kid or school related and if we have tried to go out socially, even if we haven’t succeeded, they would get a place on the list. Also, some people landed on the list if they were there for me when my father passed away, even if I don’t see or even speak with them often. But then, there’s the flip side – what if they don’t want an invite? What if they think, “But, we’re not family friends – why are we invited?” (Especially since these friendships tend to wane in the summer and pick up again in the fall – after the invites will have been sent). Well, that’s something that I suppose I can’t control. If someone who receives an invitation and doesn’t want to come – well, that’s what a response card is for. They can simply write, “not attending,” and I, again, will not be offended. Plus, as my brother-in-law reminded me when I asked him if he thought one family would be wondering why they received an invite, “Better for them to wonder why they got invited, than to wonder why they didn’t.”
My mother keeps calling me to find out if I’ve addressed and stamped my invites yet (I found a great font and will save at least $125 by addressing them myself; and if I must say so, the test prints look quite professional). I hate answering her, “no.” So, I really must buckle down and decide exactly who will share this joyous day with us – because in the end, our memories won’t be of the food or the DJ or the decorations, it will be of those that were there with us dancing, laughing and celebrating life.
About Stephanie Kepke Kaplan
Stephanie Kepke Kaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. Before kids she was an arts reporter, covering the Boston music and cultural scene (even though she is a born and bred Long Islander, she lived in Boston for nine years and her first son was born there). Now, she blogs at Boys, Dogs and Chaos (about life with – you guessed it – three boys and two dogs) and Mitzvah Mom. She is also working on a novel about a PTA mom. She has also written for Long Island Parent magazine.
Read Stephanie’s other post here:
Post 1
August 26th, 2011
“Rustic, playful and warm” are the words that inspired this fun “camp” themed Bat Mitzvah luncheon.
Set-up on a property adjacent to the synagogue, this Kiddush luncheon transported everyone to summer camp. One of the highlights included the Bat Mitzvah girl and her friends leading everyone in a round of fun camp songs.
Knowing that the evening party would be chic, cool and modern, the goal was to keep this luncheon understated, natural and kid-oriented, with an abundance of food and fun. Event Coordination and Design by Always RSVP, Tent/Rentals by Classic Party Rentals and Wine Valley Catering provided the food.
All photos by Cantrell Portrait Design.
Chocolate brown carpeting and brown tent-pole covers gave the large tent a cabin-like feel
Camp signage adds to the camp feel
As you might guess, this was a popular station!
Additional hand drawn signage was reminiscent of camp
Long tables set-up “Mess Hall” style were draped with natural linen
Simple but fun log cabin centerpieces complete with pine cones kept the look clean and cute
Yummy brunch items were displayed using organic materials like rocks and wood… keeping it earthy, natural and rustic
What’s camp without lots of bug juice!
Fun tin spatter dishes and mugs (shown above) gave everyone a camp feel while eating and drinking
Kids had lots of activities to do including string friendship bracelets, camp games, crafts, ping pong and volley ball
We can’t wait to see what the evening celebration was like after seeing their camp themed Kiddush. Look for that Mitzvah Inspire story soon.
We thank RSVP Events for sharing this luncheon with our readers.
