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Best practices, tips and unique ideas for the BEST. PARTY. EVER.
Unique Candle Lighting Ceremony Ideas and Songs for Your Child’s Mitzvah Celebration
Want a bar or bat mitzvah candle lighting ceremony that stands out? Here are some unique ideas and special songs to consider.
The mitzvah candle-lighting ceremony is a fun and meaningful tradition to honor the special people in your child’s life. To recognize those who have positively impacted your child, the guest of honor may dedicate a candle to the individual (or group of individuals) and play a special song while the honored guests help light the candles. Not only does the candle-lighting ceremony allow for your child to turn the spotlight on their family and friends by showing appreciation for the impact they’ve had on their life, it also allows for a break within the party and helps create a natural flow and meaningful moment during the event.
Photo credit: Photography by Jen Davis - Princeton, New Jersey
It’s easy for bar and bat mitzvah candle lightings to get repetitive, so you and your child will want to work together to plan an extra-special ceremony that your guests will remember. Here are some ways to really wow your guests with a unique ceremony and mitzvah candle-lighting songs.
Unique mitzvah candle lighting ideas
1. Decorative, themed candle displays
Many mitzvah celebrations feature candlesticks in individual holders or glass votives. To make your child’s candle lighting ceremony more unique or on-theme, think outside the box and create a customizable display. Your guests will love looking at a stunning visual display of large letters with your child’s name or candle holders filled with things like marbles, gel water beads, seashells, or colored sand.
2. Sand pouring
Rather than lighting a candle, have your child give each of their honorees a designated glass or cup of colored sand. As each guest or group is called up, have them pour their sand into one bowl in the center of the table. This represents the unique bonds they share and all of their special loved ones coming together in unison.
3. Giant puzzle pieces
This option is a fun one for everyone involved. Set up a frame with a blank on a tripod for all to see, and designate a puzzle piece to each honoree. They can then come up and stick their velcro or magnetic piece to the background. The puzzle represents your child’s life thus far and shows that each honored guest is an important part of it.
4. Write a poem or perform a rap
Each person that you’d like to give the honor of lighting a candle during your mitzvah is unique. So what better way to honor them, than with a unique way of introducing each of them? Rather than a speech or story, you can take the time to make them feel special by putting together a poem or rap specific to your relationship with them. Not only will this make it more meaningful to the guest you’re honoring, but it will make it even more enjoyable to watch as a guest in the crowd, as there are many ways that you can go with the format you choose: funny, sentimental, etc.
Photo credit: Fotolux - Princeton Junction, New Jersey
Songs to play during your bar or bat mitzvah candle ceremony
The music your child chooses for each of their dedication candles can be deeply personal and special, but sometimes it’s overwhelming to choose a song. If your child is stuck, here are a few popular options for the different groups of people in their life:
Parents
Siblings
Grandparents
Aunts and Uncles
Cousins
Friends
Family Friends
Guest of Honor
Memory Candle
Photo credit: Dom Pierre Photography - New York
Venue: Rushmore Estate - Highland Mills, New York
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!
The Best Music to Use for Your Mitzvah Photo Montage
If you’re planning a mitzvah photo montage for your child’s celebration, here are our planning tips and top-recommended music choices.
Many families planning a mitzvah celebration want to incorporate a photo montage into the evening’s event timeline. A montage allows your child to honor their friends and family that have been a part of their lives, as well as show how much they've grown.
The music you choose for your child’s mitzvah montage is just as important as the photos you include in it. While a soundtrack for your montage is optional, it can showcase another aspect of your child’s personality and set the mood and ambiance for viewing the montage. However, it can be difficult to narrow down just one or two special songs to play during this special part of the celebration.
Image credit: Tada Images / Adobe Stock
To help, here are our best tips for planning your photo montage, along with our recommendations for the best mitzvah montage songs to use.
How to plan your mitzvah montage
If you’re hiring an entertainment team for your child’s mitzvah, they will be able to help you create, edit, and play the photo montage during the event. Here are some of the elements you’ll need to consider when preparing your montage materials:
Photo selection. We recommend selecting a total of 100 horizontally-oriented, high-resolution pictures for your montage. This number of photos typically produces a montage that is approximately seven minutes long and is accompanied by two songs. Include as many pictures of your family and friends as possible — everyone loves seeing themselves represented on screen!
Photo order. The photos you choose for the montage can be displayed either chronologically or random. A random order can be a fun surprise on the day of the mitzvah, but choosing a specific order allows you to tell a special story about your child’s life. To organize the pictures chronologically, you’ll want to change the file name of each picture to reflect the corresponding order (i.e. 001.jpg through 100.jpg) before you share them with your entertainment team.
Montage theme. Some families select a visual theme for their mitzvah montage, which can make it a little more interesting and engaging to watch than a series of photos scrolling by. Some popular montage themes we help our clients create include traditional ones like Infinite Collage, Light Panes, and Keepsake, or specific ones like Life’s A Beach, A Wonderland of Snow, and Bon Voyage.
Music. Montage songs can be slow and sentimental, or upbeat and lively, depending on the photos you choose. Whichever songs you select, make sure your child likes and approves of them!
Our top-recommended mitzvah montage songs
Slow Music
When showcasing moments of growing up or reflection, here are some of our favorite songs to play.
1. Never Grow Up by Taylor Swift
2. Beautiful Boy by John Lennon
3. Better Place by Rachel Platten
4. A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman
5. 100 Years by Five for Fighting
6. Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars
7. Have It All by Jason Mraz
8. My Wish by Rascal Flatts
9. Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys
Upbeat Music
Not every moment of the montage is going to be sentimental. Here are our picks for fun and upbeat music to show the more playful side of your family and friends.
1. On Top Of The World by Imagine Dragons
2. I Lived by One Republic
3. Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah) by Andy Grammer
4. Best Day Of My Life by American Authors
5. Wake Me Up by Avicii
6. Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake
7. Firework by Katy Perry
8. Roar by Katy Perry
9. Story Of My Life by One Direction
Creating a photo montage? Get help from the mitzvah planning experts.
Music tastes are constantly changing, and you want to play music that is unique and special to your child. If you need help picking songs or putting together your photo montage, contact the experts at Xtreme Event Group for a consultation call.
8 Essential Vendors to Help You Plan the Perfect Mitzvah
If you’re starting to plan your child’s bar or bat mitzvah, here are the essential mitzvah vendors you need to look into.
When you're planning a bar or bat mitzvah, you'll work with multiple vendors to ensure your child's celebration goes off without a hitch.
Here are eight types of mitzvah vendors you'll want to research as you begin the planning process, when to book, and what to look for in each.
Image credit: Jen Davis
Mitzvah vendors you'll need to plan your celebration
Venue
Before planning any other aspect of your child’s bar and bat mitzvah celebration, you'll need to know where you're having it. Research local venues such as banquet halls or hotel ballrooms if your mitzvah will be a more traditional affair. If the mitzvah has a specific theme, look for venues that could enhance it. For instance, you can host a sports-themed party in a premium gym or have your party in an art gallery for more creative themes.
When to book: As soon as you decide on a date / 12-24 months before the event
Entertainment
A world-class entertainment team can help bring energy and excitement to any bat or bar mitzvah. Their staff of DJs, party motivators, and emcees can liven up the dance floor or play games that get everyone involved. A great entertainment team means there’s never a dull moment at your child’s mitzvah.
When to book: At least 10-18 months before the event
Caterer
Many venues include catering options within their packages. However, if they don’t or if you want to use a specialized Kosher vendor, you can look into alternative options. Talk with your child about the type of food they want at their party and assess the guest list to choose meals that will please everyone. You should also ensure that the caterer you choose can accommodate any dietary restrictions or food allergies you or your guests may have.
When to book: 10-12 months before the event
Photography and videography
Such an exciting and special day in your child’s life should be captured professionally. Hire a photographer to ensure that every moment gets remembered. You can also hire videographers to record the event and edit the footage into a special cinematic keepsake video your child can enjoy for years to come.
When to book: 10-12 months before the event
Party planner or event planner
Much like any special celebration, you want to enjoy your child’s day and not worry about time management and curating all the details. A bat and bar mitzvah party event planner can provide all of the décor and coordinate with all your vendors, making sure no details are forgotten. On the day of the event, they can work with the vendors to make sure everything is set up and prepared, as well as move the event along so nothing is rushed or forgotten.
When to book: 10-12 months before the event
Photo booth
What better way to help your child and their friends document their bat or bar mitzvah memories than by renting a photo booth? Kids (and adults!) love capturing fun photos together, especially when there are props involved. The print-outs from your photo booth can double as an additional party favor with your child’s name, party date, and logo, too.
When to book: 6-10 months before the event
Stationery and invitations
Even in the digital age, nothing compares to a beautiful and elegant paper invitation. Your invitation suite serves as the “first impression” of your child’s bar or bat mitzvah, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase the theme and get guests excited. Choose a stationery company that allows for complete customization of your invitation, from the colors and fonts to the type of paper and included inserts.
When to book: 6-8 months before the event
Party favors and Swag
Every great party leaves their guests with a little reminder of the fun time they had. Countless companies can create specialized SWAG items like t-shirts, rally towels, and more with your child’s name, date of their bat or bar mitzvah, and a custom logo to match the branding and color schemes for your child’s celebration. Favors can be handed out on the dance floor by your entertainment team for a fun and interactive experience.
When to book: 3-5 months before the event
What to look for in a mitzvah company
Here are some key components to help you select which bat and bar mitzvah vendors to work with.
Investment. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for when you’re planning a mitzvah celebration—and as a parent, you want the very best for your child’s special day. Price and quality are often closely correlated, so you don’t want to skimp on the vendors that matter most. For your child’s mitzvah venue, entertainment team, and media team, make sure you choose a company that offers premium services and inspire confidence that they’ll make your event truly unforgettable.
Quality. All of your vendors should offer high-quality service and performance. Look at online reviews if available (and they should be!), interview your prospective mitzvah vendors, and ask if they can connect you with past clients for a clear picture of the experience you’ll have with them.
Referrals. When you're starting this process, you should first go to people who have planned similar events. Maybe your child raved about the DJ at their friend’s mitzvah, or a fellow parent was impressed with the photographer at their child’s celebration. Talk to friends and family who have hosted a mitzvah recently to see who they recommend.
If you're looking to host an in-person or virtual bar or bat mitzvah, contact Xtreme Event Group today. We’ll help you plan a one-of-a-kind event that you and your family will never forget.