8 months prior
• Secure your child’s mitzvah date at your synagogue and schedule their lessons. • Meet with your event planner to set planning guidelines for the event weekend celebrations (budgets, needs lists, logistics etc.).
• Secure venues and caterers for the mitzvah weekend events (Friday night service/dinner, Saturday kiddush after service, Saturday party, Sunday brunch for family and out-of-town guests).
• Secure vendors needed for the party – main entertainment, photographer, videographer and any adjunct entertainment for the children.
• Create guest lists for your various weekend events. Sort this list for each weekend event by adults and children – you will need this later for your caterers.
• Sign a hotel block contract for your out-of-town guests at the property of your choice.
• Send save-the-date cards if you wish.
7-5 months prior
• Choose and order invitations. Decide how invitations will be addressed. If printer will be printing envelopes, provide guest list. Book calligrapher if one will be used.
• Confirm decor concepts and contract vendors needed for decor items including rentals, linen, florals, props, centerpieces, personalized favors etc.
• Meet with your caterers to obtain sample menus for each of your weekend events and schedule tastings.
• Remember to order challahs and mitzvah cake, if you will be serving one.
• Book bartenders and service staff if needed for any of your weekend events.
• Begin shopping for formal outfits for the whole family for the religious service and the celebrations, and purchase tallit for the bar or bat mitzvah.
4-3 months prior
• Order kippot for religious service.
• Weigh an invitation at the post office and choose/purchase stamps needed.
• Take invitations to calligrapher, if using one.
• Order imprinted personalized accessories and giveaways/party favors.
• Consider providing welcome bags/baskets for out-of-town guests.
• Mail out-of-town invitations.
• Make necessary arrangements for transportation for your out-of-town guests, if needed.
8-6 weeks prior
• Mail local invitations.
• Meet with your entertainment company to confirm details such as candle lighting, music requests, video montage, novelties and set schedule for the flow of the party.
• Arrange a mitzvah portrait session with your photographer. Photos from this session may be used for a guest sign-in board or book.
4 weeks prior
• Event planner to work with the venue to design floor plan for the party once final number of guests is determined.
• Finalize hotel welcome bags/baskets order. Arrange with hotel for distribution to your guests upon check-in.
• Create a personalized letter to accompany the welcome bags/baskets including the weekend schedule and directions to all weekend event venues.
• Finalize aliyah list for the religious service to provide to your synagogue.
2-3 weeks prior
• Confirm final numbers for catering from RSVPs and note special meals requests.
• Event planner to assist with seating logistics to provide the venue with table seating chart.
• Meet with event planner to draft the formal timeline for the Mitzvah party. Event planner will then share the approved written timeline with the venue and all vendors.
• Event planner to coordinate all vendor’s setup schedules with the venue.
• Complete and print copies of the religious service brochure, if distributing one to guests at the service.
Last 10 days
• Assign tables, prepare seating cards. If professionally printing seating cards, allow three days minimum.
• Deliver welcome bags/baskets to hotel when out-of-town guests begin to arrive.
• Provide final payments to vendors as per their contract specifications.
Mitzvah Day
• Remember to bring kippot, tallit, aliyah list, Torah study note, handouts, speeches and any other personal items to the service.
• Remember to bring candle lighting notes, video montage cd, giveaways, personalized favors, seating cards and any remaining vendor payments to the party.
Enjoy your celebration!
Toby Benton is a Certified Special Event Professional and vice president of Living Energy Events and Productions in Scottsdale.
