DIY Bat Mitzvah: Invitations, Favors & More All Designed by Mom

Planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah without the help of an event planner could be daunting for some, but Mitzvah mom Jamie Rattien pulled it off without a hitch…twice! “We gave our children the choice of a bigger, more expensive party, or a less expensive celebration plus a vacation of their choice,” says Jamie. “For our son Jacob (who became a Bar Mitzvah in 2016) we had a party and then went to Turks and Caicos. For our daughter Jenna we are heading to Disney!” 

From the online resources she utilized (including Mitzvah Market!) to how she managed the budget, Rattien shares how she planned Jenna’s recent Bat Mitzvah. Following a service at Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan New Jersey, the Rattiens celebrated with family and friends at the Smithburg Banquet Hall in Freehold. “We rented a banquet hall and, with the help of some amazing vendors, created an amazing party from a literal blank canvas,” she says. “The most important element for Jenna was the DJ because she is a competitive dancer and all of her dance friends would be there.” Dad Peter, an amateur chef, catered the entire event with the help of his own father!  Even brother Jacob got in on the DIY effort, rolling out every single table and chair for the party so that his mom could focus on decor and his dad on cooking. Truly a family affair!

Read on to learn how this Mitzvah mom created her own centerpieces, sign-in board, popcorn bar and more.

Vicky Silvermintz Photography was the photographer for this event. A complete list of vendors follows at the end of this Spotlight.

Jenna’s Service

Mom Jamie created this beautiful invitation online

Jenna is all smiles at her service at Temple Shaari Emeth

The Bat Mitzvah girl is joined by (L-R) dad Peter, brother Jacob and mom, Jamie

DIY Details

This before and after shot shows how the Rattien family transformed a blank space for Jenna's big day. Brother Jacob rolled out every single table and chair so that mom could focus on setting up the decor!

DIY centerpieces featured oversized balloons, spray-painted craft boxes (by Grandma!), filled with shredded paper and topped off with tons of candy. Alternating tables were decorated with gold glitter and large martini glasses filled with candy

Mom Jamie created this logo and modified the color scheme of the original

The sign in board was made using a frame and matting from Michael's. The candle lighting centerpiece doubled as decor

Lollipop place cards had the name of each guest and their table assignment (all tables named for candy of course!) with Jenna's logo

Close up of the place card lollipops

Jenna made her big entrance in beautiful blush gown

She did a great job with her candle lighting ceremony. TVs flanked the DJ booth and featured her logo and photo montage

The family was photo bombed by their youngest guests

The Bat Mitzvah girl shows off her custom candy bar. Each guest received a triangle cone bag to fill up and take home

The multi-flavor popcorn bar was a HUGE hit

In addition to beer, wine and soda, Jennalicious Lemonade was the signature pink drink

The vanilla and strawberry cake was made by a local supermarket bakery

Entertainment, Favors & More

The entertainment was the most important part of this DIY celebration; MC Carlos created a high energy atmosphere

DJ Taj was a big hit with the kids

"Everyone was on the dance floor the majority of the party," says mom. "It was amazing!"

The photo booth, provided by the DJ company, entertained guests of all ages

An optional print out or text option was available for guests to commemorate the party; here mom Jamie was joined by her friends

Mom designed this logo and had shirts printed by an online custom print shop

Mitzvah Mom Advice

“Keep a to-do list– even when you feel like you’re adding more than you’re checking off. It will keep your eye on your goals.” says Jamie. “Use sources like Mitzvah Market to inspire you and then put your own twist on things for originality. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just put your own spin on it.” When it comes to the budget, Jamie advises, “Allocate the most (money) to the elements that truly make the party. For us, this was the DJ. Since we did not have a party planner and our venue did not have someone to run the show, the DJ set the schedule and tone for the event.”

Mitzvah Project

Jenna created an Amazon wish list full of items to be donated to the homeless men who stay at their synagogue’s homeless shelter program during the winter.

Vendor Directory

The following vendors helped the Rattien family to bring their DIY vision to life. If you contact any of them please let them know you read about their business on MitzvahMarket.com.

Venue: Smithburg Banquet Hall, Denise, 732-804-6658
Event Planner/Decor/Logos: MOM!
Music/Entertainment/Photo Booth: Royal Entertainment, 732-618-0677
Photographer/Videographer: Vicky Silvermintz Photography, 423-736-7327
Invitations: Created by mom using Canva.com
Balloon Centerpieces: Balloon and Co., 848-261-4001
Candle Lighting Centerpiece: Lady J Designs, 631-473-5398
Candy Bar/Bags: Amazon, Party City, Amazing Savings
Popcorn Bar/Bags: Popcorn Wagon Frankenmuth, 989-652-1114
T-Shirt Favors: Jesse’s T’s, 732-903-4613
Cake: Shoprite
Dresses: Azaria Bridal, 732-637-8785
Suits: Macy’s
Hair/Makeup: The Gypsy Shop, Danielle, 732-610-1268 (hair), Lauren Vena, 908-415-7766 (makeup)