Bat Mitzvahs - Best Mitzvahs

PHOTO PARTY ENTERTAINMENT IDEAS Bar/Bat mitzvah pictures and photo stations one of the most popular forms of entertainment vendor for the kids Typically, at a bar or bat mitzvah, there is some type of entertainment or vendor the kids. A photo-type of vendor appeals to both kids and adults, which makes it a great option. It can also serve as a favor/take-home gift from the event. PHOTO VENDOR IDEAS: Photo booth: This is a tried and true photo vendor. Your guests step up to the camera, and typically 3-4 poses are taken back to back. Generally, there are two ways this is set up: enclosed in a booth or open air. If you choose the enclosed option, it provides a provide environment for your guests to be silly and not get embarrassed by their poses. One downfall is it limits the number of people that can fit in the picture. The open-air option can allow for large groups of people with varying backdrops. LED blow-up booth: You can take your photo booth to the next level and use an LED blow-up booth. It’s large, impactful, and can add to the décor of the room. Green screen: This is the same technology they use in the movies. Guests walk up to a green backdrop and take a photo. The technician will then use photo editing software to place you onto unusual backgrounds. This is a fun alternative to the photo booth since you can choose from multiple backdrops and can accommodate large groups for photos. Light painting – Step into a dark enclose and create a photo using light up props – gloves, wands, hats, and beyond. With a long exposure photo, you can create images and shapes using the props. This is a fun option for a club or light-themed bar or bat mitzvah! Selfie station – Setting up a successful selfie station is all about the logistics. You need a large backdrop and a selfie stick available to your guests to use. Step and Repeats – This is a fun idea to accent your décor or theme. It’s mostly used with a Hollywood or glamorous theme. It also is a great way to make sure you get a photo of everyone at the party, as guests would stop at the step and repeat before continuing into the ballroom. Polaroid station – This is inspired by the wedding industry, but translates to bar and bat mitzvahs. All ages love the newly redesigned polaroid cameras. Set up a selfie station and have guests add their photos to a book or hang them on a board. Tip: be sure you have extra batteries, chargers, and film! Flipbook – This is a throwback to the old flipbook cartoons reimagined for today. They are a lot of fun for a creative crowd that likes to perform. The only downside is they can take a long time so not all of your guests may get a chance to participate. Photos on phone cases – A very popular option is to have a cell phone vendor who takes your photo and puts it on a case. This is by far one of the most popular options with the teens, but it can be costly and it’s hard to offer ALL options to guests since there are so many different sizes and types of cell phones. Some Considerations For Your Photo Entertainment: SOCIAL MEDIA: Being able to upload the photo or creation to social media is very popular. Many people don’t keep tangible items anymore – they get thrown in the trash. On the flip side, social media can be a huge distraction at parties – keeping kids glued to their phones instead of on the dance floor. A great alternative is choosing a vendor that can upload everything to an online portal after the event. That way, people can download their photos and share them, but it doesn’t have to happen during the event. TIMING: Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have a photo vendor at your event the entire time. Consider just having it at the beginning of the party. We recommend starting the vendor during cocktail hour and having them stay through dinner. This way everyone has a chance to participate, but if you want everyone to dance, closing the vendor will force everyone to move to the dance floor. Shortening the vendor’s contracted time can also save you money. Oftentimes you can always add on overtime at the event if you decide to keep them longer. ATTENDANTS: The professional staff is just as important as the quality of the product. Read reviews and get referrals from your planner on who will have the best staff. Some important considerations are if the staff is friendly with kids, dressed professionally, and attentive to your guests (e.g., not on their phone!). PERSONALIZATION IS KEY: Making the photo experience personal to your event is the best way to distinguish from party to party. Consider purchasing your own props, making your own backdrop, or creating cut out word bubbles with funny sayings. These types of things come at a minimal cost to you but can surprise and delight your guests. PRINTING TIMING: One thing to watch out for is the printing time from your vendor. Some vendors will print the photos instantly so that the wait time is practically nothing, while others wait until the end of the event to print. If your vendor waits until the end, there is a good chance your guests will leave without taking their photo, which somewhat defeats the purpose. Often this is not covered in the vendor’s contract, so be sure to ask! VENDOR MEALS: Read your contract carefully. Many vendors require a “vendor meal” which is a meal from the caterer at some point during the event. While the cost of this is minimal, it’s important to understand if the meal is needed so that you can give the correct counts to your caterer. SCRAPBOOK STATION: Adding an on scrapbooking element can make the experience very personal, and can also take the place of a sign in book/guest book. You will need tape, pens, stickers, and colorful paper to allow your guests to be as creative as they’d like. Be sure to set your printer to two prints of each – one for the guest, and one for you to keep in the book.