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Mar 31

Wedding Planning Basics

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You’re newly engaged and ready to start the process of planning your wedding…but where do you start and what all does planning a wedding involve?  While there are several variables, like budget, location, and size, that will impact your wedding planning specifics, we wanted to go through the general basics to help give you a guide to get the process started.

Wedding Planning: First Steps

When you’re ready to get the planning process started, the first thing you want to do is create a wedding binder.  Give yourself a good 2-3 weeks to really pull your ideas together.  This binder will be your goto book until your big day.  It will also make a cool keepsake once you’re married.  You’ll want to keep a variety of things in your binder as you go along:

  • Articles and photos from bridal and lifestyle magazines and websites
  • Contact information for your wedding team
  • Budgets and contracts
  • Swatches, colors schemes and a photocopy of your vision board (if you opt to create a poster size version)
  • Copy of your invitations, reserve the date cards, and your announcements

Your next step is going to be to define your budget.  Decide what the absolute maximum you can afford to spend is and then define your ideal goal.  This way you’ll know how much wiggle room you have to splurge as you go along.

Finally, you want to select your wedding party and pick a date.  Your bridal party will be by your side throughout the process so you want to get them confirmed early on.  And let’s face it, the entire planning process will revolve around your wedding date, so this is a must have before you move forward.

These first steps should take you about a month from start to finish.

Wedding Planning: Bringing in the Professionals

Most newly engaged understand the value of a wedding planner but are under the impression that it’s too expensive or that they can handle everything by themselves.  We caution against this misconception as hiring a professional wedding planner can actually save you time, money, and stress down the road.

When selecting your wedding planner, remember ‘referral, research, and interview’ in order to find the right wedding planner for you and your soon-to-be spouse.  Also, it’s a great idea to share your wedding binder with your planner during your first meeting.  Seeing your binder, and vision board, if you have one, will give your planner a good idea of your wants and likes and will make the overall process much easier for you both.

Once you have your wedding planner secured, you will begin the process of selecting a venue, an officiant, photographer, caterer, band, and florist.  When it comes to finding the perfect wedding professional services, your wedding planner will be able to guide you and help to set up tastings, meetings, and events where you can experience for yourself which services you would like to book.  The monthly EBE Live Band Showcase is a great example of how you can hear tons of great bands in one afternoon and find the perfect sound for your upcoming wedding.

This phase typically lasts about three months from start to finish.

Wedding Planning: The Little Things

Your wedding planner will guide you through everything as you get closer to your big day, but some little details to keep in mind include:

  • Reserving hotel room blocks for out of town guests
  • Creating wedding goodie bags for out of town guests they’ll receive upon arrival
  • Creating a wedding website
  • Developing a day-of timeline so everything is laid out in detail (make this available to your maid of honor as well)

Create a detailed checklist with your wedding planner so you’re sure everything that’s important to you is covered, no matter how small the task is.  RealSimple has a great checklist that you can use as an initial wedding planning checklist guide.  This checklist will help guide you through the remainder of the process, right up through your big day.

The two most important things to remember are that no two weddings are alike….this is your big day, so make it personal and a reflection of you.  This is your love story to tell, not anyone else’s.  Secondly, relax and have fun!  This process can be an overwhelming one, so lean on your wedding planner and maid of honor (that’s what they are there for) and soak up every moment along the way to your big day.

Mar 29

EBE Spotlight – Nick Centrella: Bandleader EBE Sydney

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Nick Centrella has been with EBE for 4 years and is the bandleader for EBE Sydney.  The Philadelphia native has been on the Philly cover scene for the past 20 years, performing in clubs and music venues up and down the East Coast.  Nick has fronted some of the biggest bands on the circuit.

Nick is an avid Philly’s sports fan and, when not performing, enjoys coaching.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Nick and interview him for this Q&A piece in an effort to get to know him better and discover what it is that makes him tick.

 

Q: What genre of music is your ‘specialty’?

A: Rock / Pop / Top 40

 

Q: What is your zodiac sign?

A: Taurus

 

Q: What instrument(s) do you play if any?

A: Vocals

 

Q: How many years have you been in the music and/or event industry?

A: 20 years

 

Q: What motivates you to work hard?

A: I’m motivated by success.  I always try to be the best at everything I do.  I don’t believe in second place.

 

Q: What is your favorite thing about your career?

A: I love entertaining people and being able to provide memories that will last a lifetime.  I love that my bandmates and I get to provide the soundtrack to the most important day of their lives.

 

Mar 23

Rules of Engagement

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The day has finally come and you are officially engaged — congratulations!  Now what?  Well, outside of beginning to plan for your upcoming wedding, there are a few things that go along with being engaged that most people don’t talk about, so we thought we would take a few minutes to cover them with you.

Don’t Down Play Your Proposal

However it happened, wherever you were, it was special and was about the two of you, so don’t downplay your story or try and compare it to the lavish experiences of others.  When people ask, share all the details of the moment if you want or simply say something like ‘it was quiet, intimate, and perfect’ and leave it at that if you prefer to keep the details of memory to yourself.  And be prepared to repeat the story because people will ask.

 

It’s Polite to Stare

I know your mother always told you it was impolite to stare, but in this case, stare away at your ring all you want!  For many newly engaged, things are still a bit surreal — even if you were expecting it.  Enjoy staring at your ring as the reality sinks in.

And be prepared to show it off!  Get a manicure immediately because people are going to ask to see the ring and you want to be prepared.

 

It’s Okay Not to Know

Right out of the gate, people are going to ask you if you’ve chosen a date yet.  It’s okay to say ‘no’ or ‘we haven’t even started planning yet.’  It is more than acceptable to take a step back, let the reality of your engagement sink in, and just enjoy being engaged for a while before you select a date.

Remember, this is your engagement and your wedding, so it’s fine to take things at your own pace.

 

Happy and Unhappy

While you know the majority of people will be as excited as you are about your engagement, be prepared for the occasional nay-sayer.  For whatever reason, some people are down on marriage or might be less supportive than the rest of your friends and family.

When you run into a negative reaction, just be polite and move on.  Don’t dwell on it and don’t let it ruin your excitement.

 

Know-It-All Married Folk

Be prepared for your married friends to start shelling out advice immediately about how to plan or who to call.  Just remember that they mean well.  Graciously accept their advice and take their suggestions in stride.

Remember they are just trying to be supportive.  At the end of the day though, it’s your special day and you can take or leave their advice because you’ll be planning a wedding that is a reflection of your love story and not their’s.

 

Enjoy Being Engaged

Don’t try and rush the process or become so consumed by planning your wedding that you miss out on enjoying being engaged.  Even if you’ve been living together for a while, becoming engaged will feel different and your relationship will need some time to adjust to this new level.

It’s a wonderfully unique and special part of the getting married process, so try and soak up every moment of it.

 

Mar 22
Tom Hefferon | The Most Amazing Philadelphia Special Event DJ

EBE Spotlight – MC Thomas Hefferon

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Thomas Hefferon has been with EBE for almost 9 years and been in the music industry for 20 years.

Tom went to College in the summer of 1998 and during his time there he was immediately drawn towards music. He joined his college radio club and began interning and working at Philadelphia radio stations and even a local record label. Tom spent fifteen years in the radio industry.

Along the way, he started to DJ on weekends. Tom started as a wedding DJ in 2006 and has done hundreds of weddings since then. He truly loves his role as a wedding DJ because, unlike playing music on the radio, he can see an immediate reaction to the music he is playing and loves it when the dance floor is packed with people who are having fun!

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Tom and interview him for this Q&A piece in an effort to get to know him better and discover what it is that makes him tick.

 

Q: What’s genre of music is your “specialty”?

A: Early 2000’s Hip-hop and pop music (that was when I was working for to Q102 FM in Philly)

 

Q: What is your go-to at karaoke?

A: “Gettin Jiggy Wit It” For some reason I know all the words by heart!

 

Q: If you were a superhero, what power would you have?

A: The power to make people who hate to dance, dance. (Oh wait, I already have that one!)

 

Q: What was the best event you ever worked?

A: There have been so many great events that it’s hard to pick just one.

 

Q: What motivates you to work hard?

A: My family!  I’m a father of two fantastic kids and a husband to my wonderful wife, Kristin.

 

Q: What is your favorite thing about your career?

A: Making people happy!  Nothing is better than hearing someone that they had a magical night.

 

Mar 19

Rockin’ Sweet Sixteen Party Ideas

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It’s the birthday many little girls dream about….sweet sixteen!  Here are some of our favorite ideas to help inspire you to create a truly rockin’ sweet sixteen celebration for your daughter.

Sweet Sixteen Party Themes

The party theme sets the stage for the entire event.  Theme options are truly limitless and you can really go big or small, depending on your budget and party location, with any theme.

Here are some of our favorite themes:

  • Color Theme (use your child’s favorite color or traditional pink)
  • Club Dance Party
  • Red Carpet
  • Shopping
  • Paris
  • Masquerade
  • Music

 

Now that you have your theme, it’s time to create your invitations.  Today’s invitations can be almost anything from a traditional paper invite to a passport, a decorated mask, or even something as simple and modern as a digital invitation.

Whichever way you opt to go, just remember to have some fun, be sure to include all the basic details for the party, and make sure it supports your theme because your invitation is your guest’s introduction to the celebration ahead.

 

Centerpieces are amazing additions to your overall decor and really help to tie everything all together.  They can be lavish or simple and small.

Not only are they a beautiful addition to the party, they can also be used as raffle prizes for your guests to take home at the end of the event.

Centerpieces can including lighting, candy, and treats, statues, stuffed animals, large Oscar trophies, photo frames, flowers….you name it!

 

Sweet 16 Party Stations, Food, and Activities

Typically a sweet sixteen celebration won’t’ have assigned seating so there is no need for a seating chart, but establishing reserved tables for the adults is always a good idea.

Setting up a gift table at the entrance next to the seating information station is another must do idea.  This way, the bulky items are out of the way for the celebration and everything will be collected in one location.

To keep cards from getting lost in the shuffle, set up a collection box on the gift table that is decorated to support the theme.

 

Photo booths and photos stations are amazingly popular at parties and events these days.  They are a fun way for guests to get to express themselves, cut loose, and get a one-of-a-kind party souvenir.

If you opt to go with a traditional booth or photo area, make sure there are tons of accessories guests can use when taking pictures.  Everything from silly mustaches on sticks to hats and boas.  If you can tie it into the party’s theme, even better!

 

Having your party guests leave a message in celebration is a tradition…but who says that it has to be done in a book?

Today’s sweet sixteens allow for true creativity when it comes to the party ‘guestbook.’  You can do something that supports your theme or that will just make a unique and creative keepsake for your daughter.

Ideally, you’ll want to set this up close to the entrance where guests can stop as they come in.

Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

    • A large mirror where guests can sign with a paint pen or permanent marker
    • A photo frame where guests can sign the photo mat
    • A photo station with a lifesize cut out of your daughter (collage all the photos into a shadow box after the event)
    • A video station where guests can leave your daughter a personal video message
    • A memory jar where guests can fill out a card with their favorite memory of your daughter and then drop it into the keepsake jar

While cakes are the tradition, today’s sweet sixteens are open to modern interpretations.  You can set up a cupcake tower or cake pop display or even a combination of a cake surrounded by cupcakes. You can also pre-cut your cake instead of having guests wait in line allowing guests to grab and go with the perfect serving.

When it comes to the type of cake, every flavor is on the table as an option, but just make sure that the decorations match your theme.

If you have any guests with food allergies, then you can offer a separate gluten-free or vegan option.

 

Gifts and favors are a great way to tell your guests how much you appreciate them coming out and celebrating with your daughter.  When it comes to deciding what to give your guests there are two things to consider: your theme and your budget.

You want your gift to be something nice, but you don’t want to break the bank.  Come up with something that also supports your party theme, that way they have a memento that will remind them of the day and that will be fun…something for them to enjoy later.  This can be anything from a goody bag filled with treats and trinkets to a photo frame signed by your daughter.

Need a little more inspiration for your daughter’s sweet sixteen celebration?  Check out our EBE Sweet Sixteen Ideas board on Pinterest and then contact our EBE Event Planning Team and let them help you create a truly one-of-a-kind event your daughter.

Mar 19

Destination Wedding and Local Reception

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Destination weddings are increasing in popularity, so we thought it was time for us to dive into the topic ourselves.  From etiquette to inspiration, we have everything you need to know about planning a destination wedding and holding your reception back at home.

Planning Your Destination Wedding

Before you settle on the ‘perfect location’ you will want to do your research.  Find out everything about your hotel, resort or venue.

Here are some common questions you’ll want the answers to before choosing your location:

  • When is the hurricane or the rainy season?
  • Are there any health or safety issues guests will need to be concerned about?
  • Is your destination LGBTQ friendly?
  • Are children allowed at your venue?
  • Will there be discounts or special rates offered to your guests?
  • Is this an all-inclusive venue and if so, will your guests receive any of those benefits?
  • Are passports required to attend your wedding location?
  • Are there limitations as to what you can bring with you (drinks, flowers, gifts, etc.) for the event?
  • Does your venue offer any guarantees or money-back returns for you and your guests should the event be canceled and if so, what is the policy for cancellation? (Note: Guests might have to cancel or inclement weather could prevent the event from taking place as scheduled, so this is always good to know ahead of time.)

We also recommend that you visit your venue before booking your wedding.  Yes, photos and reviews can tell you a lot about a place; however, nothing will give you the best information like first-hand experience.  You’re about to ask your friends and family to shell out some cash to attend your destination wedding, so you want to make sure everything is in order and the place is all it says it is before inviting your guests.

When it comes to inviting your guests, be as clear and transparent as you can about any potential costs.  It’s also helpful to secure a travel agent as part of your wedding planning team and include their information in your invitation details.  Also, send your invitations out extra early in order to allow guests ample time for planning and purchasing tickets.

Planning for Your Reception at Home

You most likely won’t be inviting everyone to your destination wedding, so it will be time to celebrate with family and friends once you’re back!  You’ll want to plan this party before you head out for your wedding and send out the invitation out 5-6 weeks prior to the event.

A post-destination wedding local reception works very much like a traditional reception, except you will have been happily married for a few weeks.  If you want to redo your vows that’s absolutely acceptable.  If not, then do your best to allow your local guests to experience what the wedding was like by setting up a photo and/or video station by the sign-in book.  This way they can see everything that transpired and feel like they were a part of your big day as well.

When it comes to what you, your new spouse, and the bridal party should wear, you have options. Everyone can wear their wedding attire or you can all opt for something more casual. If you do go for casual, consider displaying your wedding dress and tux just to show them both off, and keep with your wedding colors.

The rest of the event will run pretty much like a traditional wedding with food, drinks, music, and dancing. You can include as many or as few formalities as you would like – the most important thing is to celebrate!
Looking for assistance planning your destination wedding and local reception?  Contact our EBE Expert Wedding Planners and let them help to guide you through the entire process.

 

 

Mar 16

Spotlight: Dave Giorgio – Bandleader EBE Love 77

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Dave Papa Giorgio, born in Philadelphia, is an American singer/songwriter, professional musician, and Band Leader for EBE’s Love 77. He has been with EBE for 12 years.

Dave’s main instruments are Bass, Guitar, and Drums, though he also plays Piano and Cello. He majored in Jazz Improvisation as a music performance major at Temple University and worked for decades in the inner city. He also toured the country for 3 years, traveling as far north as Canada and as far south as the Florida Keys!

He has produced artists from diverse genres such as Indie rock, hardcore, pop, hip hop, r&b, and jazz. He’s also a top Audio Book Producer, and mainly writes and records indie rock as an original artist.

With more than 30 years in the industry, Dave Papa Giorgio has played over 2000 events all over the country and with many hundreds of different musicians.  He has 2 Gold records to date.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dave and interview him for this Q&A piece in an effort to get to know him better and discover what it is that makes him tick.

 

Q: What genre of music is your “specialty”?

A: Classics: Van Morrison, Sinatra, Springsteen

 

Q: Who is your hero?

A: My dad

 

Q: What is your favorite movie?

A: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

 

Q: What is your zodiac sign?

A: Libra

 

Q: Do you have any skills or talents that most people don’t know about?

A: Aside from being a vocalist, I am also an audiobook narrator.

 

Q: What is your go-to at karaoke?

A: Thunder Road

 

Q: If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: My home-made meatballs!

 

Q: If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to and why?

A: 1875 so I could party with Mozart!

 

Q: If you were a superhero, what powers would you have?

A: The ability to calm any situation. To bring order to chaos. To make people happy. Oh, wait. I already do that! 😉

 

Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life?

A: Bruce Willis

 

Q: What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of love?

A: Proposed to my wife on Action News (search youtube: “dave and merri get engaged”) or go directly to: https:
//youtu.be/gultD-RTK8c

 

Q: If you could join any past or present music group, which would you want to join?

A: Led Zeppelin

 

Q: If you had to describe yourself as an animal, which one would it be and why?

A: A bear. I go into hibernation and sleep during the months, then wake up and rock the world during the
busy season, lol!

 

Q: What was the best event you ever worked?

A: The Mann Music Center

 

Q: What motivates you to work hard?

A: My work ethic was instilled in me when I went to work for my father (I was 9 years old). It’s just a natural thing for me.

 

Q: What is your favorite thing about your career?

A: I get to work with amazing people, brides, and grooms, who are about to begin the most wonderful journey of their lives. Also, my other work in book publishing involves reading top books. Books and music, two great passions.

 

ATTEND AN EBE BAND OR DJ WEDDING SHOWCASE

Now that you’ve gotten to know more about Dave, come out and meet him and several of the other EBE Events & Entertainment band members, DJs, and MCs at an upcoming FREE wedding showcase!  You’ll be able to experience everything that EBE Events & Entertainment has to offer and enjoy a few hours of food, dancing, and fun!

Seats for each event are limited so register for one of our upcoming events today!

Mar 08

EBE Spotlight: MC Ava Michelle

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Ava Michelle, MC and Dancer at EBE, is the focus of our spotlight this week.  After almost a decade of dancing for the private event industry, her desire to host transcended her love for dance.  Ava brings her high energy, professionalism, and talent to the microphone, and has been part of Team EBE for over 3 years.

In addition to her MC work, she currently teaches Hip Hop, Jazz, and Tap throughout the Tri-State area, and has been doing so for almost 15 years! Ava is ecstatic to blend two passions together, as she keeps the dance floor moving while ensuring that the needs of every client are met.

She has not only danced for hundreds of parties to date but has worked behind the scenes as a lead dancer and assistant to the best emcees in the industry as well. Adults are often impressed by her eloquence and attention to detail, and kids are always drawn to her big smile and fresh dance moves! After an event with MC Ava Michele, you are sure to leave smiling, laughing…and STILL dancing!

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ava and interview her for this Q&A piece in an effort to get to know her better and discover what it is that makes her tick.

Q & A with Ava Michelle

Q: What is your go-to at karaoke?

A: ANY and ALL Stevie Wonder songs!

 

Q: If you were a superhero, what powers would you have?

A: Teleportation

 

Q: If you had to describe yourself as an animal, which one would it be and why?

A: A Scarlet Macaw! I would definitely be a bold, colorful bird who can’t stop singing or flying!

 

Q: How many years have you been in the music and/or event industry?

A:  10 years and counting!

 

ATTEND AN EBE BAND OR DJ SHOWCASE

Now that you’ve gotten to know more about Ava, come out and meet her and several of the other EBE Events & Entertainment band members, DJs, and MCs at an upcoming FREE showcase!  You’ll be able to experience everything that EBE Events & Entertainment has to offer and enjoy a few hours of food, dancing, and fun!

Seats for each event are limited so register for one of our upcoming events today

Mar 08

Purple Wedding Theme Ideas

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If purple is your favorite color, you’re in luck! Purple is one of the hottest colors for weddings this season.  Here are some of our favorite ideas to include in your purple wedding theme and decor.

Purple Wedding Theme Ideas

Obviously, wedding attire is the first place you’ll want to bring in your favorite color.  When it comes to your bridesmaids, have some fun and let them each wear varying shades of purple…the variations in color will add subtle depth to your wedding photos.  You can also tie in an accent color, like a sash, that will make their dresses pop even more.

Don’t forget your groom!  Now we’re not saying to deck out the groom’s party in purple tuxes, but purple pocket squares, ties, and cummerbunds would help to carry the theme through into the look of the groomsmen as well.

Amethysts would be the perfect goto jewelry for both you and your bridal party.  They will carry the theme through without being overpowering.

You don’t want to make it overwhelming so when it comes to the bouquets, make the base of the arrangement white and simply pepper in a variety of purple flowers and then tie everything together with a purple ribbon that is a different shade than the dresses.

When it comes to your decor, you can incorporate purple into almost anything.  Here are a few suggestions:

  • Drapes, table clothes, and canopies
  • Candles, flowers, and centerpieces
  • Favors for your guests
  • Lighting and balloons
  • Confetti and bubbles for your exit

And then there is the  music…no really, the music!  There are tons of songs that include purple in the title somewhere, so do a quick search, find the ones you like, and share them with your wedding band or DJ.

Sending out the invitations that are purple or include purple ink, will let your guests know what your color choices will be and will give them the heads up on what colors to wear should they wish.

Looking for more inspiring ideas and wedding traditions for your big day?  Our wedding planners are some of the best in the business and know a thing or two about making weddings fun and unique.  Contact the EBE Event Planners today and let them help you create a day of magical memories.

Mar 02

Bar & Bat Mitzvah Party Ideas

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Your child is now of age and ready to celebrate via their bar or bat mitzvah…congratulations!  Now it’s time to celebrate with friends, family and the community.

From party themes and decor to food, activities and favors, we’ve pulled together a collection of ideas that will inspire you and help you create the ultimate bar or bat mitzvah.

Mitzvah Party Themes

The party theme sets the stage for the entire event.  Theme options are truly limitless and you can really go big or small, depending on your budget, with any theme.

Here are some of our favorite themes for bat mitzvahs:

  • Candy Company or Candy Land
  • Academy Awards or A Night at the Movies
  • Camp Sarah (use your child’s name of course)
  • Social Media
  • Color Theme (use your child’s favorite color for this theme)
  • Karaoke or Pop Star
  • Artist
  • Graffiti
  • Dance or Ballet
  • Baking or Cookie Castle

Here are some of our favorite themes for bar mitzvahs:

  • Football, Baseball or Soccer
  • Graffiti
  • Color Theme (use your child’s favorite color for this theme)
  • Science
  • Star Wars
  • Rock Band

 

Now that you have your theme, it’s time to create your invitations.  Today’s invitations can be almost anything from a traditional paper invite to a backstage pass, a decorated cookie, to even a digital invitation.

Whichever way you opt to go, just remember to have some fun, be sure to include all the basic details for the party, and make sure it supports your theme because your invitation is your guest’s introduction to the event ahead.

 

 

Mitzvah Decor

As with any planned event, you’ll want to create a seating chart.  When your guests arrive, you can provide them with their seating details.  A fun way to handle this task is to create a seating station where guests can find their seat locations for themselves.

A creative way to do this to create seat cards that go with your theme.  You can add a card to a paintbrush, a cookie cutter, or even put the information on a baseball.  This way it supports your party theme, is fun, and gives your guest a keepsake memento from the event.

Centerpieces are amazing additions to your overall decor and really help to tie everything all together.  They can also be used as raffle prizes for your guests to take home at the end of the event.

Centerpieces can including lighting, candy and treats, lightsabers, photo frames, flowers….you name it!

 

Having your party guests leave a message in celebration is a tradition…but who says that it has to be done in a book?

Today’s bat and bar mitzvah allow for true creativity when it comes to the event ‘guestbook.’  You can do something that supports your theme or that will just make a unique and creative keepsake for your child.

Here are a few of our favorite ideas:

    • A large mirror where guests can sign with a paint pen or permanent marker
    • A photo frame where guests can sign the photo mat
    • A football or helmet
    • A graffiti wall where guests can sign or paint their thoughts

 

Gifts and favors are a great way to tell your guests how much you appreciate them coming out and celebrating with you.  When it comes to deciding what to give your guests there are two things to consider: your theme and your budget.

You want your gift to be something nice, but you don’t want to break the bank.  Come up with something that also supports your party theme, that way they have a memento that will remind them of the day and that will be fun…something for them to enjoy later.

Mitzvah Party Food & Exit Treats

While it’s not a requirement, menu boards are a fun way to add to your decorations and overall theme, while also letting your guests know what their food options for the party will be.

Food boards are great to display at the front or entry point of your buffet or food station.  You can include what’s on the menu as well as what snack and drink options guests have available to choose from.

If your snack, dessert, or beverage stations are located someplace other than next to the main food course or buffet area, include arrows or directional information on your menu board.  You don’t want your guest missing out on anything!

 

While cakes are the tradition, today’s bat and bar mitzvahs are open to modern interpretations.  You can set up a cupcake tower or cake pop display, allowing guests to grab and go with the perfect serving.  You can also pre-cut your cake instead of having guests wait in line.

When it comes to the type of cake, every flavor is on the table as an option and the decorations should match your theme.

If you have any guests with food allergies, then you can offer a separate gluten-free or vegan option.

When your guests are leaving the party, it’s tradition to offer them a snack to take with them.  There are tons of really cool and unique ways to handle this part.

Donut trays or walls are classic and are snacks that just about all kids enjoy.  Why not put a spin on this classic by creating your child’s very own donut shop?  You can create a free-standing shop or tables with signs.  You can make it as small or over the top as you want!

And while it’s perfectly acceptable to have the wait staff handle the distribution for you, why not let your child run the show and say goodbye to everyone as they leave.  This will provide a more personal touch.

 

Want to handle the exit snacks a little differently?  Then think outside of the donut box!

You can set up a newsstand, complete with candy, donuts, granola bars, and magazines for guest to select from on their way out.  You could also create a ticket booth or concession stand where guests can pick up prepackaged goody bags as they leave the party.

No matter which way you opt to go, the important thing is to have fun and let your guests know how much they are appreciated.

Mitzvah Stations and Activities

The candle lighting ceremony is part of the bat and bar mitzvah tradition.  However, create an area that supports the party theme and that becomes a special place for your child.

Surrounding the candles by the cake or a series of your child’s favorite candies or treats.  Incorporate photos or a small video screen that plays memories from your child’s early years.

Place the station in a corner or separate area so it doesn’t get knocked over or overly touched during the party itself.  Remember, this is your child’s sacred space and where they will officially transition, so protect it and put in the extra effort to make it something special and uniquely them.

 

Photo booths and photos stations are amazingly popular at parties and events these days.  They are a fun way for guests to get to express themselves, cut loose, and get a one-of-a-kind party souvenir.

If you opt to go with a traditional booth, make sure there are tons of accessories guests can use when taking pictures.  Everything from silly mustaches on sticks to hats and boas.  If you can tie it into the party’s theme, even better!

If you’re doing more of a station, you’ll want a colorful background and plenty of room for the kids to spread out and jump into silly poses.  You can also give them signs or oversized picture frames to pose with.

And finally, create an area for games and karaoke for the kids.  This can be anything from Twiter and Simon Says, to a baking or crafting station.

The goal here is to provide a secondary option to dancing — an opportunity for them to have some fun and just cut loose a little.

Games and karaoke stations are great places to get some support from a host, MC or DJ.  They can keep the activities moving for you so you can enjoy the party with your child.

Need a little more inspiration?  Check out our EBE Bar/Bat Mitzvah board on Pinterest and then contact our EBE Event Planning Team and let them help you create a truly one-of-a-kind event your child.

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