Bar And Bat Mitzvah Invitation Wording 101

Perfecting Bar and Bat Mitzvah Invitation Wording

Getting bar/bat mitzvah invitation wording  can be confusing and leaving information out may cause you to have to scramble and email family, parents, and kids. It also can be difficult because you need to communicate a lot of information with little space.
Here is a breakdown of things to consider including and various renditions of wording that you can copy and paste for your invitation.

What To Include On Your Invitation

Here are the must-haves:

• Name of the bar/bat mitzvah teen
• Date
• Location name and address of the service & dinner – bat/bar mitzvah party
• Service time & reception time
• An RSVP date – when all guests need to reply to the invitation (we recommend three weeks prior to your event). Don’t be afraid to add compelling or funny RSVP wording to your bat/bar mitzvah invitations.
• The parents’ names/hosts of the event

Here are the optional items to include depending on your event:

• Information about a Kiddush luncheon
• Meal selection – be sure to check with your caterer to see if this is required before you print!
• The Hebrew spelling of your son or daughter’s name
• Attire (cocktail, festive, fun, classy, club, black tie, formal, theme-related, etc.)
• Hotel room block information
• Teen pickup time
• Transportation provided
• Parking information

Invitation Wording

Here are some ideas on how to word your invitation:

• Please share in our joy as our son/daughter
  [NAME]
• is called to the torah as a bar/bat mitzvah
  We invite you to join our family as we celebrate
  [NAME]
• Becoming a bar/bat mitzvah
  With great pride and joy we invite you to join us as our son/daughter
  [NAME]
• is called to the torah as a bar/bat mitzvah
  We invite you to join us in ceremony and celebration at the bar/bat mitzvah of our son/daughter
  [NAME]
• Please share a special day in our lives as we celebrate the bar/bat mitzvah of our son/daughter
  [NAME]
  
• We invite you to share in our happiness as our son/daughter
  [NAME]
• Makes this passage and is called to the torah as a bar/bat mitzvah
  Please join us as we honor our son/daughter when
  [NAME]
  
• Is called to the Torah as a bar/bat mitzvah
  In celebration of tradition, youth, and the promise of tomorrow
  Please join us as our son/daughter
  [NAME]
• Is called to the Torah as a bar/bat mitzvah
  In tradition of our ancestors
  We invite you to join us as our son/daughter
  [NAME]
• Is called to the Torah as a bar/bat mitzvah
  We invite you to celebrate with us the traditions of the past and the promise of tomorrow
  As our son/daughter
  [NAME]Is called to the Torah as a bar/bat mitzvah

OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

THE REALITY ABOUT THE POSTAL SERVICE: If you are sending through the mail, the postal service can be slow, delayed, or sometimes unreliable, especially during holidays. There will always be a handful of guests that will never receive your invitation. We know this can be nerve wracking, but it is the reality of the postal service. If you don’t hear from your guests by the RSVP date, call, email or have your planner call/email those guests to make sure they received everything and to see if they are coming.
THE REALITY ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY: There will also always be a handful of guests that do not RSVP. Be prepared to follow up by email or phone. This is also something you can potentially pass off to your planner and have them do the follow up. Additionally, some of your guests may forget to write their name on their RSVP card. It sounds silly, but it’s true! Avoid this by numbering the RSVP cards that refer back to your master guest list. You can do this by putting a small number on the back of the RSVP cards. Most of your guests won’t even notice.
DIGITAL VS. PAPER: There is always the debate about if you should send a paper invitation or a digital. There is no right or wrong answer. Paper invites can get expensive, while digital invites may not set the tone you are desiring or will not work for older guests. One compromise for consideration is to send paper invitations to some guests and online invitations to your son or daughter’s friends. Another idea is to receive RSVPs to an email address to save on postage and costs of the extra inserts.
CHECK AND DOUBLE CHECK: Even if you are having a professional custom-make your invitations, always ask your planner and/or a family friend to proof read your invitation. ALWAYS!