If you're planning a bar or bat mitzvah for your child, you know it can be overwhelming for both of you. Your child wants a special party like none other, but you're probably also worrying about how to pull it off without breaking the bank. This is one time when all attention will be focused on your child, so you want to make it as special as possible for him, but this can be easier said than done. If you're having a hard time pulling it all together, you might need some help!
Even before the party invitations are sent out, you need to start coming up with a plan for the celebration. If you're looking for a theme for your party, try to focus on something your child loves, or a color she adores, and then find a way to add that to the party in an inexpensive fashion. For example, if your son loves sports, you might want to decorate each table with memorabilia or equipment for one of the sports he enjoys. You could also give out mini versions of sports-related items, like small footballs or golfballs, which make inexpensive party favors. If you're focusing on color, use coordinating table linens and favors in that special hue your child loves to add pizzazz without going overboard.
For entertainment, try to seek out lesser known musicians or groups for the after party. Maybe there's a local youth rock group that costs a bit less than your typical band. You might be surprised what you can find if you do a little research. If you're thinking a DJ is in order instead, you can save hundreds by designating a trusted person to play tunes off an iPod, rather than hiring someone else to do it for you.
When it comes to food, make the party kid-friendly by relying on favorites. Finger foods and appetizers are always a hit with kids in this age group, and adults usually love them, too! Think pizzas with fun toppings, nachos, and mini sandwiches. For dessert, skip the fancy options and create a sundae bar, where guests can create the dessert they desire. You can also set up a candy bar with small to go bags. This is another inexpensive way to impress guests, as they load up on their favorite treats to eat at the party or take along to be enjoyed later.
No matter what you decide on for your child's bar or bat mitzvah, remember that while parties are always fun, that isn't what the day is all about. Don't take the planning too seriously, and don't forget to have fun!
04/03/2012
06/10/2011
05/20/2011
04/27/2011
Wedding Mistakes and Martha's Solutions
Every bride is going to make some mistakes in planning her wedding, but there are other common mistakes that can be avoided using tips from Martha Stewart.
Don't sweat the small stuff when it comes to wedding planning. If your place cards are a different shade than your invitations which are a different shade than your flowers, brush it off. If that is the biggest thing that goes wrong while you're planning, consider yourself lucky. If you are nervous about stationary colors matching perfectly, however, the best thing to do is get everything from one vendor in order to assure that "purple" doesn't mean "blue-violet" and "green" doesn't mean "yellow-green." Make sure to check the Martha Stewart wedding invitations etiquette, as well as her other stationary etiquette, before sending out your invitations.
Another very common mistake is trying to drop two (or more!) dress sizes before your wedding day. If, like many, you are shopping for your dress nine months before your wedding, you trust that you will lose the weight in those nine months. That, however, means that you will be buying a dress that is too small for you at the time of purchase. When you go in for your fittings later and find that you are not yet the svelte size two (or six or ten) you're looking to be, not only does that put stress on alterations to make the dress fit, but it also puts an enormous amount of stress on you. Everyone knows how they feel when they set out to lose weight and don't do it, but magnify that feeling by about 1,000 because everything is more important on your wedding day.
The best decision to make regarding dress size is to purchase a dress in the size you are now. That way, if you do lose weight before the wedding, your dress can still be taken in, and there is no pressure to lose more weight than you can. Besides, it is easier to take clothes in than let them out, so last minute alterations will be simpler. Martha knows to find a dress that flatters your figure and exudes your style. Don't worry about what's on the runway. Your groom wants to see you on your wedding day, not what's hot in Paris.
So when you're planning your wedding and something seemingly horrible goes wrong, just think, "What would Martha do?"
03/22/2011
02/15/2011
Destination Wedding Invitations: A Unique Way to Announce Your Wedding
In the last few years, destination weddings have become extremely popular as people have decided that they want a romantic and special day, uniquely designed to start off their marriage in a fun and different way. Destination weddings, aside from being a lot of fun, have also become a great way to find a good deal on a romantic place with a lot of extras for newlyweds. Many fancy hotels and other destination vacation spots offer great deals and services to newlyweds and those getting married while on their trip. A destination wedding is a fantastic way to use an extremely romantic spot to begin your married life together.
Along with any wedding, however, comes invitations. Traditionally, wedding invitations have been very formal and rather stuffy, but now there is a strong trend towards "themed" invitations. From little things such as presenting the invitation in the colors designated for the wedding to planning the whole invitation to match the style of the wedding (modern, traditional, romantic, etc.), the wedding invitation is now much more integral to the wedding than it has been in the past. Wedding invitations for those who want a destination wedding have always been problematic as they are hard to find, expensive to design, and don't usually match the style or mood of the wedding. Brides and grooms who wanted invitations for destination weddings had to sacrifice either their desires or their funds to be happy. But that is changing as destination wedding invitations are becoming much more popular and, therefore, more common.
Invitations that match the destination wedding have become a sleek, stylish way to announce a destination wedding with flair and style. Beach-themed invitations for weddings in places such as the Caribbean or Hawaii; French-style invitations for Parisian weddings. These examples and more have all become a good way for the couple to invite their friends and loved ones to their wedding, while simultaneously announcing their plans to have the wedding in an exotic location. These invitations also provide much more leeway in wording and pictures, making it possible for the couple to inject their own personalities into the traditionally staid designs.
Destination wedding invitations are a great way to announce the beginning of a new marriage and life together in a beautiful place. It is easy to understand why they are becoming more and more popular today.
