Needless to say, planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah during COVID-19 has some very unique challenges. Many families have been left in a sort of a “holding pattern” where they are nervous about signing contracts and putting down deposits due to the uncertainty of what is to come over the next few months.

We get it! You are right to feel nervous about moving forward with your plans and you are not alone. Clients engaged in planning just about any type of event have shown their hesitation to move forward in the process.

But, venues are starting to re-open and vendors are adapting to the new normal. Our advice is to re-start your planning and begin moving forward – carefully. What follows are some important factors to consider.

Bar and Bat Mitzvahs that were scheduled for spring have already started rescheduling their events with their venues and vendors for fall and winter. This is putting tremendous pressure on Mitzvah vendors. If you decide to hold off on making plans too much longer, you run the risk that your favorite vendors and locations will be booked.

To protect yourself and stay flexible, discuss your questions and concerns with your event planner or individual vendors. For example, what would happen if your event needed to be rescheduled due to another stay-at-home order? Each vendor likely has a slightly different policy. Would you still receive a full refund if you were unable to reschedule your event with them? What terms are open for negotiation and does your contract reflect what was agreed upon? Open communication and mutual understanding from the start is key. Most vendors anticipate and understand your fears given all the uncertainty. They want to make you happy and they need your business.

Now, more than ever, it is important to do business only with strong, reputable vendors. The unfortunate truth is that many businesses will not make it through this pandemic due to sudden and complete loss in income over the past few months. Strong vendors will become even more popular, so you should consider finally putting down that deposit to ensure they will be there for you and your guests when your event rolls around. We also suggest leaving your deposits on a credit card to give you some extra security and peace of mind, just in case.

These are just a few of the many factors to consider when planning your Bar or Bat Mitzvah as we come out of this crisis. It is important to start working with your planning professional now to help you manage a process that has become even trickier since the pandemic and ensure a wonderful Bar or Bat Mitzvah event for everyone!

The post Moving Forward With Mitzvah Planning appeared first on Modern Mitzvahs.

As disappointed as you may be feeling about having to reschedule your event, we are hopeful that your event will take place sooner than later. In the meantime, here a few things to consider when postponing your Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration.

Finding a new date

There are a lot of factors to think about when deciding on a new date. Depending on the type of service your son or daughter will be having could determine when to reschedule. Most importantly, you will need to check with your synagogue or rabbi to find out what dates are available. How about your guests? Will you be expecting guests that will be traveling from out of town? How will this new date effect them? Would you be open to other days of the week to hold your event? When thinking about your options, our recommendation is not to get attached to any certain date but have an idea of a general time frame and go from there. Your decision to find a new date will impact not just who will be able to attend but whether the venue and additional vendors you have hired will be available.

Informing your vendors

Most likely the venue you have chosen and any other vendors you have hired will be expecting that your event will need to be postponed. However, it is a good idea to look over your contracts to determine what scenarios are covered and what your vendor’s polices are regarding postponement. Our experience is that everyone in the events industry is doing what they can to support their clients and understand that rescheduling is far better than cancelling.

What about your guests?

Once a new date has been scheduled you will want to inform your guests, especially anyone who may be traveling from out of town. We are optimistic that rescheduled events will take place with new restricted guidelines. To make things easier regarding updates, etc. it might be a good idea to correspond via email and hold off on the save the date cards.

These are just a few tips to help get you started. Keep in mind that a planner can be brought on at any stage of the planning process and can help with all the logistics involved with postponing your event. Contact us for a complimentary consultation.

We are here for you!

The post How To Postpone Your Mitzvah appeared first on Modern Mitzvahs.

Getting started planning your Bar or Bat Mitzvah celebration can be quite overwhelming. So often we see busy parents who don’t know what to do or where to start and with our current situation you may be feeling limited as to what planning you can do. However, now is a great time to get the ball rolling. Here are a few ways you can get started without leaving your home.

Make your guest list

This is one of the most important steps of the process and our recommendation of where to start. The number of guests invited determines EVERYTHING about your event. Where you can host it. How much you’ll spend. How many ____ you’ll need. While your guest list will fluctuate over the next year, the number of guests is a good starting point to make sure you have a space that is the right size and can give solid estimates to all of your vendors.

Interview the guest of honor

Your child has worked so hard to reach this milestone. The celebration is the fun part and the planning should be too!

We love a party that reflects your tweens unique personality. So take advantage of your kids being home and sit down with your son or daughter and start asking away. Find out how they envision their celebration? Do they have a theme in mind, certain colors? What type of entertainment do they think their guests will enjoy? Do they want a D.J. or band? Any activities? How about keeping traditions like a candle lighting ceremony or participating in the Hora? Sometimes kids know exactly what they want and other times they need to explore their options.

Still feeling overwhelmed?

Modern Mitzvahs can walk you through every step of the way. We are like a coach for your Bat or Bar Mitzvah planning. We help to break down the process into manageable pieces, so you can take it one step at a time. We help you pace yourself throughout the planning, so it stays slow and steady throughout. We’ll be there telling you what needs to happen and when, giving you advice and making sure you’re doing things right and keeping on track.

We understand that sometimes getting started can be the toughest part. But now that you’ve made your list and have a good idea of how your child envisions their party, KEEP GOING!

Contact us for a FREE Bar or Bat Mitzvah planning consultation. Because everyone deserves a Modern Mitzvah.

The post Feeling Overwhelmed With Mitzvah Planning? appeared first on Modern Mitzvahs.