By Claudia Miller
What do you get when you combine custom pickles, a Justin Bieber impersonator, and one special girl swinging from the sky? Hint: they all happened at Dylan Woods’ Bat Mitzvah!
For many Bat Mitzvahs, deciding on a theme can be the hardest part. For Dylan, though, it wasn’t a color scheme or a favorite sports team that defined her celebration; instead the entire weekend was simply a way to reflect her vivacious and outgoing personality. At the event held at SPACE Events in Englewood, NJ, you could see elements of the star all around.
“She got to make it her own thanks to the people at SPACE,” says Dylan’s dad, Ethan Woods. “You can just tell that they enjoy what they do and they’re really good at it. It really did reflect her (Dylan); she’s got so many different areas of interest and intrigue so it worked out well.”
Dylan’s personality popped starting at the invitations. The family wanted to keep it elegant and classic while still representing who Dylan is at her core. Purple, one of her favorite colors, served as the base for the plexiglass invites, that featured glittering elements and flirty touches like a kiss mark. The response card offered options of “Love To,” with a heart for those attending, and “Broken-Hearted,” for those who couldn’t make it.
That same lighthearted feeling continued from the moment Dylan arrived at the afternoon extravaganza. She showed off her style with a quick change from the outfit she wore to synagogue, into a glittering two piece mini-dress; trading her heels for a pair of sparkly sneakers.
For her logo, Dylan took inspiration from the must have sweatshirts from the brand Aviator Nation and their iconic lightning bolt design. Projected on the screen at the center of the room and printed on t-shirts, pillows, and décor around the venue, the unforgettable DW initial logo served as the glue connecting all sides of Dylan included at the party.
Her taste even shone through with the special treats from a Dunkin’ Donuts-like display, proclaiming “America Runs on Dylan,” to a custom pickle bar — one of her favorite snacks —playfully titled Dyl Pickles. And it didn’t stop there. She entered the party on a swing from the ceiling amidst fog, confetti, and music. She continued surprising her guests, spraying them with her own fog gun.
During the party, Dylan’s friends enjoyed an exclusive glam bar, arcade games, and a couple of important special guests. Magician Devonte Rosero wowed friends and family during the cocktail hour with his mesmerizing tricks and illusion. The second was a surprise to everyone but her dad. “After my speech and the montage – and without Dylan or my wife Stephanie knowing – I secretly worked with SPACE to have a Justin Bieber look-alike,” explains dad. He told the guests: “We have a very famous celebrity here today; please welcome Justin Bieber.
“The kids went wild… for about 12 seconds. The minute he came out it was so obvious it wasn’t him, but they had fun dancing and singing with him.”
Once the Bieber excitement died down, the DJ and dancers from SPACE kept the party going with classic games like Coke & Pepsi, giving away swag like Bluetooth speakers, Polaroid cubes, and gift certificates to the winners. Those who didn’t win still left with custom photo magnets, bags full of candy, and trendy DM logo-branded sweatshirts, hats, and apparel.
Dylan and her camp friends didn’t let the party stop there. The group hopped in a limo to head to a giant sleepover at the Hilton in Woodcliff Lake, NJ, where they spent the night splashing in the indoor and outdoor pools and diving into endless pizza pies.
“Everything just worked,” says Woods. “From the food and drink to the music and the entertainment, people were just raving about it and the amazing time they had. You can tell the sincerity in what they were saying. It was one of those parties where everyone really let loose and had a great time.”
Vendor Directory
The following vendors helped to make the celebration special. If you contact them, please let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Party planning, Catering, Entertainment, MC/DJ, Décor/Flowers, Sign-In Board: SPACE Events, 201-567-3810
Invitations: Leslie Goldberg, Out of the Box NY, 914-934-2323
Photographer/Videographer: Chris Herder Photography
Glam Bar: Glam On the Go, 732-983-1065
Favors/SWAG: Missy, fingerprintpromos.com, 310-601-7669
Magician: Devonte Rosero, devontemagic.com, 917-536-2868
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