Bat Mitzvah Party Ideas

Planning a bat mitzvah party can be a headache or a fun way to plan for this milestone event in a Jewish girl's life. Flexibility in choosing a theme, color scheme, invitations, decorations and even food is the key to creating a bat mitzvah event that is memorable and fun for everyone involved.

Bat Mitzvah Themes

Choosing a theme or color scheme for your bat mitzvah sets the tone for the event, inspiring the creation of the invitations, the cake, the favors and the decor. Girls can choose their favorite colors, or base the theme upon a favorite film, song or character. Your bat mitzvah can be fancy or funky, depending upon the family's taste. Often, girls will want to integrate whimsical elements into their parent's fancier visions for the party.

Ideas for Bat Mitzvah Invitations

Order customized invitations well ahead of time. Wedding planners are often capable of creating bat mitzvah invitations. Since a bat mitzvah is usually formal, grocery store invitations aren't used very often. For a smaller bat mitzvah celebration, though, they're fine.

An alternative to customized formal invitations or generic drug-store invitations is to create your own artsy invitations at a local scrapbooking store. Decide how you want the invitations to look, making a few with your daughter. Order plenty of supplies for making enough invitations for everyone on the list and invite some crafty friends over to help make the rest. Making invitations together is fun and saves a lot of money. Make sure you have plenty of supplies, and that you feed your guests. Scrapbook stores have idea books and often an open studio time where you can come use their fancy scissors and cutting tools for a flat rate, which may be cheaper than buying the tools you need.

Another invitation alternative is to use a graphic design program and create a printable invitation. You can print an image on edible paper, to place on sugar cookies for an edible invitation. Design an invitation that looks like a playbill for a Broadway-themed invitation. Make an invitation that looks like a tropical travel brochure for a luau theme.

Food for a Bat Mitzvah Party

Many families choose to hire caterers. Catering services vary greatly in their cost per head. If your theme allows cheaper food options, you might be able to save money. A wedding caterer that specializes in sit-down dinners will generally cost more than a company who brings a buffet of pulled barbecue meat and potato salad. Depending upon the theme and location of your party, you can pull off a cheaper caterer without looking like a cheapskate. For a carnival-themed party, consider renting a hot dog truck, a cotton candy machine and other fair foods and hiring high school students to work the booths, instead of professional caterers. A local amusement company can also work smaller events, and can be less expensive than a formal caterer.

Ideas for Decorating a Bat Mitzvah Party

Streamers, mini lights and balloons are popular party decorating elements. Take a considerate look at your theme to find out-of-the-ordinary decorating ideas. For an ice princess party, for example, consider hiring an ice sculptor, or re-purposing clearance Christmas snowflake ornaments. For an enchanted forest theme, or a fairy princess theme, pick wildflowers and string them up around the entrance. Depending upon the flowers available, flowered streamers can work well in a luau party, too. Don't forget the party poster, with a photo of the bat mitzvah girl and plenty of space for guests to sign the matting.

References

• Bat Mitzvah Planning
• Mitzvah Market
• Bar and Bat Mitzvah Themes