Planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah party can be stressful- there are so many factors to consider, from venue to food to entertainment and more, and it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily, there are many tools available online that can help you figure out a planning timeline, budget, and quantities needed to throw the party of your dreams. While these 5 party planning tools won’t do all the work for you, they’ll help set you up for success and get you on the right track.
The Timeline
Before starting any official planning, make sure you’re operating in the right timeline to get things done. You should know your B Mitzvah date as early as 3 years in advance, and putting together logistics for the party can start up to a year and a half before the big day. This may seem like a huge window to work in for one party, but it’s better to start early than to find yourself in panic mode a month out from the event. To help set your intentions for your party planning timeline, check out this comprehensive, Mitzvah-specific checklist and timeline from Cutie Patootie Creations.
The Budget
Whether you’re working on a budget of $1,000 or $100,000, setting and sticking to your budget is fundamental in planning a successful party. For experienced party planners, the sight of a budget spreadsheet is a welcome challenge. For newbie planners, the thought of outlining every last budgetary detail can feel like a nightmare. Both starters and pros can get use from this party budget worksheet that has pre-made categories to consider and makes budgeting easy and accessible. The worksheet is specific to birthday parties, but by saving your own copy, you can customize it completely to your party’s needs.
The Venue
Once you’ve got your timeline in place and your budget set, booking a venue early should be your top priority. With so many venues to choose from, it can be hard to know exactly what kind of space you want and need. With this simple venue capacity calculator, all you need is an estimate of how many guests you plan to invite and you’ll get a breakdown of how large of a space will be necessary to accommodate that number. See the difference between a reception-style set up versus a cocktail party or banquet hall. This will help you narrow down exactly what kind of space is the best fit for your party needs.
The Food
Ensuring that there is enough food and beverages for all of your guests can be especially tricky, and it’s necessary information for your caterer or food provider that can really impact your budget too. Once you have a general idea of how many people will be in attendance at your party, use these tips for calculating an estimate on food and drink amounts. This will make your life easier and guarantee your guests leave your party feeling satisfied and happy.
The Details
Once the big stuff is out of the way, you can focus on the fine details of your party. One such detail that can really change the aura of your party space is uplighting which people have been using for decades to elevate their event. If you know your approximate venue size and number of guests attending, you can turn to this uplighting calculator that will determine the number of lights you need to get the desired effect you’re looking for.
Conclusion
Planning a Mitzvah party requires a lot of attention to details, but with the right tools, it doesn’t have to be a stressful process. Working with an event planner who knows the ropes can help alleviate a lot of potential anxieties, but whether you’re working with a planner or operating on your own, it’s important to use all of the tools at your disposal. Good luck, and happy planning!
