Back To Simchas

September 7, 2022 • No Comments

Ahh it’s Labor Day weekend and that can only mean one thing, it’s officially back to school and back to Simcha’s! The summer was busy for team Xplosive, but for most mitzvah parents, it was likely a little more calm with their kids at summer camp. We hope everyone enjoyed their summer break, even if it was a pretty hot one!

Now, if you’re a parent planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah for this upcoming season, there are final details you should be wrapping up (or should already be done with if your celebration is in September!) We’re here to help you narrow down the final checklist and cross off all your T’s and dot all your I’s. I’m going to break it down in segments based on the flow of events

GUEST ARRIVAL

Upon guest arrival is valet needed? Is coat check needed?

Place cards or Table arrangement Chart have been completed and fit into the floorplan?

COCKTAIL HOUR

Do you have music for the adults room?

Do you have music for the kids room?

Are there games or activities to keep the kids entertained and occupied?

Do you have a safe place for guests to place gifts and envelopes?

Do you have sufficent food based on your guest count and an allocated section in the floor plan for any stations? Do these location require power?

RECEPTION

Seating for adults – cocktail style? Round tables with chairs?

Seating for kids – lounge area? Dais table?

Centerpieces or tablescapes for each?

Lighting – does your lighting package mimic the atmosphere/vibe you are looking for?

Media – are your TVs/Video Walls booked? Do the operators of these have all of your content? Logos, videos, photos, montage?

Montage – if you’re creating then this is your reminder to spend time on this. Montages are incredibly time consuming!

Dance floor – does the venue have this or do you need to rent one?

Formalities – does the entertainment have the pertinent information to perform all formalities? Who is blessing the hamotzi? Who is giving a speech?

Timeline – does your planner or entertainment have a timeline outlined for you? Is there anything missing? Does the flow make sense? Does it optimize your dance floor time if you’re planning for a high energy dancing event?

Candles – who is providing the set up and table?

Hamotzi and Kiddush – who did you appoint to perform the blessings? Did you inform them? Are you confident they know the prayer very well?

Floor plan – is everything you booked accounted for in the floorplan? Does ceiling height affect any enhancements you booked? The last thing you want is a vendor coming in and not being able to set up because they don’t fit in the space.

Atmospheric Effects – have you booked fun effects to hype up your dance floor? CO2 gun? LED Giant Robot? Dancing on the clouds?

Live musician or Performer – Adding a live musician with the DJ creates amazing energy for your dance floor. Also consider a performer like a specialty dancer or cirque performer for added wow factors.

Photo.tainment – photo booths are always a hit at mitzvahs whether they are a standard open air station or an all bells and whistles custom photo activation.

Dinner & Dessert – are they buffet style? are they served in another room or the same room? Does the choice you make flow properly with your space?

RECEPTION END

Favors – Do you have any favors to give out that haven’t already been handed out? Do you have a table and a space in the floor plan to distrubute? Who is putting out the items for you during that last hour of the event?

Farewell Foods – do you have a snack or food station like Dunkin Donuts, Domino’s Pizza or Philly Pretzel stations? The options here are endless.

Hopefully, you’re reading this list and feeling good about most of these items being crossed off. If you’re reading this and feeling overwhelmed, it’s time to sit down and cross items off that to-do list! Of course, based on your logistics and your event vision, there are definitely items that could be added to the above lists, but this is a very good general guideline for most mitzvahs. Make sure your tying up your loose ends with all of your vendors and if any vendors need to coordinate anything, it would be a wise time to put those vendors in contact with one another (if you don’t have a planner to do this for you). We love to hear from you and plan your event with you so make sure you’re getting the warm and fuzzies with all of your vendors, they should feel like family at this point in the planning stage. How lucky are we to spend the most special moments in your lives with you?! Let’s party!!

Written by:

Jaymie Perez

DJ | MC | Event Planner at Xplosive Entertainment