Making a Mitzvah Stand Out – From Cake to Photography

March 1st, 2010 by Elizabeth Beskin | Share Blog

Everyone wants their child’s B’nai Mitzvah be uniquely special, from the service to the cake,to the  photography.  Conversely, thirteen year-olds are all about fitting in.  They want their celebrations to be different and fun – but not too different, and mostly fun!

Event planner Heather Cleary, owner of Dreams Unlimited, is faced with this dichotomy all the time.  She approaches each Mitzvah with a fresh eye and keen focus on meeting these dual (and sometimes dueling) goals.  In her years of experience, she’s learned there’s a subtle alchemy to bringing all the various elements together for a stand-out B’nai Mitzvah.

Case in point is a recent Bat Mitzvah for Hannah.  Heather carefully chose all the vendors for their passion and experience with B’nai Mitzvah celebrations (see below for vendor details).  As the photographer and videographer, we were involved before, during and after the Bat Mitzvah.

In advance of the event, 5th Avenue Digital created a full day of fashion, photos and fun for Hannah and her mom.  After shopping with a stylist to select the perfect outfits, Hannah enjoyed a full day in our studio doing a fashion shoot.  Like a real model, her hair and make-up were professionally done, then she was videotaped and photographed as she posed in her outfits.

The video was used in a montage we produced, to be shown at the Bat Mitzvah.  Some of the photos were enlarged and used as sign-in boards; other photos were projected at the event and included in Hannah’s Bat Mitzvah photo album.  These video and photo shoots laid the foundation for a truly special party that kept the focus on Hannah and allowed everyone to share in her fun.

But what made this Bat Mitzvah really stand out was the family’s enthusiasm and dedication to making everyone feel comfortable.  All the planning was done in consideration of their guests, to ensure each person had a fabulous time.  As Heather says, the priority for Hannah’s parents was to “touch and connect with everyone who mattered to them.”   When all the other elements fall into place, this attitude is what creates a truly memorable B’nai Mitzvah.

Planner:  Heather Cleary, Dreams Unlimited heather@dreamsunlimitedevents.com
Location:  Pearl River Hilton; contact: Gerry Burns – Gerry.Burns@hilton.com
Flowers: Atlas Floral Decorators; contact: Sheila Genesin sheila@atlasfloral.net
DJ and MC:  Untouchable Events; contact: David Randazz  david@untouchableevents.com
Cake: Carlo’s City Hall Bake Shop; contact: Buddy Valastro – buddy@carlosbakery.com
Photography and Video: 5th Avenue Digital; contact – Beth Baynum beth@5thavenuedigital.com