Mitchell Abes celebrated his Bar Mitzvah on August 25, 2012 at Camp Barney Medintz in Cleveland, Georgia, about 90 miles north of Atlanta. This is where he spends his summers so the theme was appropriately, Camp Mitchell! Their “Camp Mitchell” theme kicked off when guests arrived. Waiting in their cabin was a “care package” filled with items they would need for the weekend (flashlights, bug spray, sunscreen, Mad Libs, granola bars, etc.).
Pictured L-R: Sister Amanda, Mom Julie, Bar Mitzvah boy Mitchell and Dad David.
A welcome sign greeted guests as they arrived
The sign-in flag! It flew all weekend long, then guests signed it at the party
The Abes know how to have fun!
The centerpieces above and below were used at the Kiddish lunch
Creative signage all over
Amy Wohl of FabuDesigns.com created the invitation, website and logo
There were many friends and family who joined them for a weekend of fun! After lunch, camp was open for tie dying “Camp Mitchell” shirts at arts and crafts
The lake activities were in full gear with paddle boarding
The inflatable iceberg
Rock wall and water slides
Place cards were placed on little tree stumps found on Etsy
Above was a laundry line of photos of Mitchell through the years
After guests showered and “dressed” up for the camp dance, the Saturday night party began! The adults had a cocktail hour followed by a seated dinner.
Table decor from the evening party included lanterns, burlap, and candles
Guests enjoyed a green screen photo booth with fun signs
Mitchell makes an entrance
Vibe Entertainment provided the music entertainment
Up on the chair!
The horah gets crazy!
They had a video montage that used the theme of the Muppet Show that ended with people in Mitchell’s life singing “mahna mana”
The “canteen” was open to all so you could take home candy treats
Dessert was from a local frozen yogurt shop with plenty of toppings
Wide World Shirts created the T-shirt favors with Mitchell’s logo
A great idea! Mom Julie had postcards made for their guests. They asked that everyone surprise Mitchell with a note after the weekend. He loved getting the postcards for weeks after his Bar Mitzvah
Drop in box for special meesages
Some Planning Advice from Mom Julie
“Planning a Bar Mitzvah can be completely overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! The best advice is to start early by researching reliable, amazing vendors in your area. Then, find ideas to execute your theme and talk to your friends who have been through it before. I also found it best to stay organized by keeping a notebook with contracts, invoices, pictures of my ideas, and contact information of all my vendors. There was also a Bar Mitzvah computer program that kept my database of guests, their addresses, gifts, and to do lists. It was invaluable! I happen to love party planning and love all of the details that can go into a Bar Mitzvah. Keep in mind, if you can’t do it all, hire a party planner to help you along. Our son’s weekend was really something different, having to plan an entire weekend as a ”destination” Bar Mitzvah. It made it extremely special as it was at a place he feels so connected. I feel with each Bar/Bat Mitzvah you have to know your child and know how they want to celebrate. The best part is stepping back during the service and the party and taking it all in. It is one of the few times everyone you love is in the same place dancing, smiling and celebrating your child’s big day!”
Bar Mitzvah Project
Our whole family has been involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) since Mitchell was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 2. Mitchell spearheaded our family team for the annual Walk to Cure Diabetes, raising $55,000 last October.
In addition, Mitchell volunteered his time as a Junior Volunteer at the JDRF Black tie gala in Atlanta. He spoke to the 700 attendees about having type 1 diabetes and helped kick off their fundraising part of the evening. The entire event raised $1.6 million for diabetes research.
Vendor Directory
The following vendors made Mitchell’s celebration special. If you give any of them a call, let them know you read about their services on MitzvahMarket.com.
Venue: Camp Barney Medintz
Caterer: Goldfish
Music Entertainment: Vibe Entertainment
Favors: World Wide Shirts, 404-875-1291
Green screen photo booth: Scenesations Photography, 770-616-0553
Photographer: Patti Covert, Scenesations Photography
Videographer/Montage: Blue Orchid Productions, 404-275-2290
Invitation/Logo/Website: Amy Wohl, FabuDesigns.com, 312-513-1698
Décor/florist: Lorena Rothfarb Events and The Flower Buds
Sign-In flag: NorthStar Flags
Dresses: Mom, Milly (boutique in Memphis) and Amanda, Free People (boutique in Boston)
Suits: Nordstrom
Hair/makeup: Jocelyn Ryan, Structure Hair Studio, 706-867-6320
Transportation: Atlantic Limousine & Transportation 770-751-7078, Crown Mountain Limo
Place cards stands: Etsy
