8 Questions to Ask Bar & Bat Mitzvah Venues Before You Book

Finding the right venue to host a mitzvah celebration is crucial to planning a successful and enjoyable event. To select the perfect location, you’ll want to ask smart questions and confirm that the venue will serve as a true partner in planning and executing your child’s special day. Before searching for the perfect venue, it is important to know what you need and want for your event, and the easiest way to do that is through our Mitzvah Planning Toolkit. Here you can not only note what you need, but you can also track the progress you’ve made and the information you’ve found to help you make the best and most informed decision you can!

After you’ve customized the planning toolkit to fit your needs and are ready to start looking, be sure to ask your prospective mitzvah venues these eight questions before booking your event.

Photographer: Photography by Jen Davis - Princeton, New Jersey
Venue: Battleground Country Club - Manalapan, New Jersey

1. What is your maximum capacity?

When you’re planning your mitzvah, one of the first decisions you have to make is how many guests you’re inviting. Once you’ve finalized your guest list, you can start looking into possible venues that are size appropriate. Remember to inquire about any new COVID-19 restrictions each facility may have in place regarding maximum capacity.

Photographer: Omar Gonzalez Photography - Hoboken, Westfield, Montclair, and New York City
Venue: 4Sixty6 Caterers - West Orange, New Jersey

2. What do your typical event packages cost?

Always, always, always remain firm on your budget when you’re looking at your mitzvah venue. Let each venue know the absolute maximum you’re willing to spend and only consider those venues that align with your budget. Be sure to ask venue management if there are any additional costs — such as parking, corkage fees (we’ll cover this more in the next section), WiFi, and audio/visual — that are included in your total bill.

3. Do you provide catering? If so, what kind of food/drinks do you offer?

One thing to keep in mind when you’re looking into mitzvah venues is that many event facilities require guests to use their in-house caterers and service staff, or they may provide a list of preferred caterers to choose from. If the venue provides a catering service, you can request a food tasting so you can sample possible menu items for your event.

Remember to ask if the catering staff needs to know your final headcount ahead of time and if you can make last-minute additions. Be sure to specify if you or your guests have any food allergies and ask if the venue itself has any food restrictions, such as Kosher food, Kosher wine, no nuts, etc. Some venues do require you to use their own bartending service while others will allow you to bring in your own liquor. If the venue does allow you to bring your own liquor, remember to ask if they charge corkage fees.

4. Am I able to transform the space to fit my vision?

When finding the right venue, you can go one of two ways: find a venue that fits your bar/bat mitzvah theme and your vision, or find a venue that fits your budget, size and location requirements but needs to be transformed to fit your look. If you find the latter, simply ask if they provide a variety of decor options or if you and your nj party planner are allowed to bring your own decor and decorate the space as you please.

Photographer: Scott Roth Events LLC - Wharton, New Jersey
Venue: Galloping Hill Golf Course - Kenilworth, New Jersey

5. What is my allotted time frame?

When you’re looking into bar/bat mitzvah venues, ask about the allotted time frame for your party, both for preparation and for the event itself. For example, if you’re hosting your event on a Saturday, there may be another event happening in the afternoon, so the time you have to set up for your mitzvah might be tight. Also, remember to ask if the venue’s staff helps with the setup before the party and the breakdown and clean-up afterward.

6. Can you accommodate my vendors?

As you start looking into venues, think about what other vendors will be involved in your celebration. For instance, if you’re hiring a mitzvah entertainment team to provide DJ services and other enhancements like live performances, you’ll want to make sure your chosen venue can provide adequate space and audio-visual (AV) connections to suit your vendors’ needs.

Photographer: VeroLuce Photography - Montclair, New Jersey
Venue: 4Sixty6 Caterers - West Orange, New Jersey

7. What kind of parking options do you offer?

When you’re considering venues, ask about available parking for your guests, especially if you have some older relatives and friends attending. Make sure there is adequate parking for all of your guests and ask if there are any overflow parking options. If the venue does offer on-site parking, inquire as to whether or not it’s valet parking so your guests can plan accordingly.

8. Are there nearby photo opportunities?

While many of the photos will be taken during the mitzvah and afterward at the party, many families like to also take more scenic photos in a nearby location to help them remember their son or daughter’s special day. If the venue is in a scenic location or provides good photo opportunities close by, that is one less thing you have to plan, and could make the venue even more appealing when deciding. While this should not be a make-it-or-break-it question, it is definitely a good question to ask, to check all of your boxes off if possible! If there are no nearby options that the venue can suggest, check with your bar/bat mitzvah photographer, as they may have experience nearby and can recommend a few good spots.

Photographer: Peach Photography - Freehold, New Jersey
Venue: Perle - New Brunswick, New Jersey

A lot goes into making your child’s mitzvah a huge success. Start proactively preparing for this day with our mitzvah planning toolkit, complete with a realistic budget projector, a customized planning timeline, guidance on how to find the right vendors, venues, and so much more!