DIY Beach Club Theme for Beach Loving Bat Mitzvah Girl

Dylan Bornstein has been going to Long Beach Island (aka LBI), New Jersey for as long as she can remember. Her grandparents’ beach house is filled with special memories, and is a cherished destination for her family. When it came time to choose a theme for her Bat Mitzvah, Dylan knew she wanted to celebrate her favorite things about LBI… especially the beach. With that, the idea for “Dylan’s Beach Club” was born.

Mom Lauren Kohlberg and grandmother Helaine (a retired party planner and graphic designer) designed and executed the entire event – from the custom Tiki bar (made by stepdad Jeff from reclaimed wood) to the cabana stripe table linens and boogie board place cards. Much of the decor, including buoys, pales, shells and starfish were purchased locally in LBI. The finished product was a bright, whimsical take on Dylan’s life at the beach.

Photo above (L-R): stepdad Jeff, brother Brett, Bat Mitzvah girl Dylan, mom Lauren. The photographer for this celebration was VeroLuce Photography. A complete list of vendors follows at the end of this Spotlight.

Read on to learn more about Dylan’s creative DIY decor and more:

Maariv & Havdallah Services

Dylan's butterfly invitation was designed by her grandmother and assembled by the Bat Mitzvah girl and her mom

Dylan looked beautiful at her Maariv and Havdallah services

(L-R) Grandma Helaine, brother Brett, stepdad Jeff, Bat Mitzvah girl Dylan, mom Lauren, grandfather Richard.

Seasonal flowers added a pop of color to Congregation Agudath Israel

Close-up of flowers for the service

Beach Party

The beach ball logo (created by her grandmother!) set the tone for FUN

Three boogie boards were transformed into this clever place card table

Individual place cards were attached to multicolored carabiners

A bright beach umbrella adorned the sign-in table

This incredible gift box was made from a toy Woody (classic surfer car!) on top of a surfboard and topped with a box for envelopes

DIY centerpieces for the kids were made from colorful beach balls, flip flops and Dylan's logo

Close up of kids' centerpieces

Adult tables featured seasonal flowers in message-in-a-bottle style vases

Cabana stripe squares were placed over solid black table cloths; straw placemats in bright colors kept the vibe fun and beachy

A lounge area was set up in the ballroom with Adirondack chairs and towels

Decorative beach pillows added to the theme

Dylan's stepdad built this tiki bar (back right) out of reclaimed wood!

Additional beach decor included a fishing net, life preservers and other whimsical touches

The DIY candle lighting display was made from small beach buckets, wave plaques and pink letters! Thick white pillar candles were placed into polka dot pails

Dylan enjoyed a special dance with her dad

Fun in the photobooth; the step-and-repeat backdrop featured Dylan's beach ball logo

Surrounded by her friends for the last candle, Dylan is all smiles!

Black drawstring bags were filled with t-shirt favors

The Lifeguard t's were printed by a local promotion company

Logo stickers completed the look

Mitzvah Advice

Mom Lauren shares her 10 biggest pieces of advice when planning a child’s Bar or Bat Mitzvah:

1. Try your best to start planning early, 1.5 to 1 year in advance.
2. Stay organized, make lists.
3. Think of your theme as early as possible.
4. Go with your gut.
5. Try to enjoy yourself.
6. Stay calm! This will help your mitzvah child tremendously as well as your marriage/relationship.
7. Allow people to help you.
8. Wear comfortable shoes!
9. Encourage your Mitzvah child to practice at least 4-5 times a week.

Mitzvah Project

Dylan collected nonperishable items for Oasis House, a shelter for women and children who are the victims of domestic violence. She also volunteers at her religious school where she works with K-2 students.

Vendor Directory

The following vendors helped to make Dylan’s celebration memorable. If you contact them, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.

Venue/Security: Congregation Agudath Israel, 973-226-3600
Party Planner/Invitations/Decor/Sign-In Board: Mom, Lauren and Grandmother Helaine
Music/MC/DJ/Photobooth: Xtreme Entertainment Group, 732-536-8155
Photographer: VeroLuce Photography, 973-449-6167
Favors: designed by mom, printed by MJG Promotions, 973-575-8877
Food/Cake: Kosher Nosh, 201-445-1186
Florist: Caldwell Flowerland, 973-226-1309
Dresses: Lola’s, 732-972-5222
Suits: 580 South, 973-758-0580
Hair/Makeup: Kathleen Vybihal, 201-787-9169