On January 12th, I celebrated my twins’ b’nai mitzvah. It was magical and memorable, and 98% stress free. Yes, almost entirely stress free. And, whether you’re planning a wedding, a bar/bat mitzvah, or any other large party, you’ll be calm and collected too if you follow my tips for planning that perfect party!
Party Planning Tips
10. Select invitations. Sometimes printing takes longer than you think, and you need to allot time for the envelopes to be addressed. Timing: 6 months in advance.
11. Limit group decision making. If you’re planning a bar/bat mitzvah, let your child make some decisions (from a range of acceptable options that you’ve already vetted) about what s/he really cares about (e.g., party favors, entertainment, their outfits), and you decide the rest. When planning a wedding, involve as few people as possible in the decision making.
12. Make a timeline. Write down everything you want to occur during the party and when.
13. Make a list of photos. Be very specific about the pictures you want the photographer to take. You don’t want to risk not having a picture of someone important to you.
14. Consider hiring a party planner for the day. It’s a small price to pay to be a guest at your own party!
15. The devil is in the details. Don’t underestimate the amount of time you’ll need to devote to details in the last month. You’ll need to finalize the headcount, select the menu, make sure your clothing is ready, and make table assignments.
16. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Something will go wrong, and no one will notice, and no one will care.