If you have a child of bat or barmitzvah age, it must seem like there is a different simchah every weekend, so how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? There is a balance to be found between doing something different and exciting and making a party that people cannot stop talking about - for the wrong reasons. A bring-your-own packed dinner theme, for example, may be original but it is probably not the best way to win friends.
Simchahs have a formula for a reason; variations that are tried and tested. But that does not mean you cannot add a bit of your personality to your big day.
You could think of this personalisation as "branding" - and it is a big trend among tweens right now. Lucy Barnett, owner of RSVP Lucy, which creates bespoke invitations and event stationery, says that a logo is a great way to "put your stamp on your simchah and turn what could be a formulaic function into something personal to you and your family". And bar and batmitzvahs lend themselves particularly well to the sort of merchandise that makes your brand stand out.
Barnett recommends using the logo from the very start: on the envelope of the invitation and of course on the invitation card itself, through to T-shirts, giant photo backdrops, baseball caps and stickers on the dance floor.
Your brand can be anything from a subtle logo made up of your child's initials to a life-size image of the leading girl or boy projected on to the walls of the venue.
And of course, you can keep the branding going even after the party is over, by printing the logo onto sweets for the going-home goody bags.
For something even more theatrical, you could invest in your very own immersive party experience, allowing your guests to become the stars of a drama of your choosing. Phototheatre supplies a photobooth as you have never seen it before. The company provides a customised stage and a team of producers to dress and choreograph your guests so they look their best, hold the props correctly and interact well with each other on set. With 150 themes, from Downton Abbey to Star Wars, you are likely to find one you fancy. But if nothing seems to fit your simchah perfectly, Phototheatre will create a bespoke backdrop.
As a happy reminder of your function, guests can then download their photoshoot or instantly upload their favourite photo to Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. A picture of the bar or batmitzvah standing with their servants, Downton-style, or cowering next to a larger-than life iPhone in a "Honey, I shrunk the kids" pose, would also make a memorable thank-you card once the festivities are over.
Another interactive activity that has been around for a while but has been boosted by better technology is the graffiti wall. Using a digital spray, your guests can make their mark - or leave a message of congratulations - in electronic ink. This artwork can be displayed throughout the evening and then printed off after the event for a lasting memento.
To really get the party started however, you need, well, a party. But why sort through the traditional roster of showbands or DJs when you could have an "entertainment experience"?
If you are planning a simchah you have probably heard the name Muzika. This band has recently launched Avenue 10, aimed specifically at the bar and batmitzvah market. Avenue 10 allows you to take the reins of your entertainment, offering a bespoke service combining live music (to introduce that all-important interactive element) and DJ, so the younger guests can hear the chart music as it sounds in the charts. There is the fun option of mash-ups between a DJ and a live horn quartet, choreographed dancing and spectacular costumes.
And if after all that you still cannot decide what style of music you want - how about some silence? Imagine dancing to a song of your choosing, next to your friend who is dancing to a different song. A silent disco at your simchah will keep the party going, while allowing your guests to be their own DJs. You still have the traditional DJ but, as your guests wear wireless earphones, the DJ can play music into multiple channels. So when that song you just can't stand comes on, you can change channel and boogie to something else. Think how surprised any latecomers will be when they walk into a silent room full of dancing guests.
And then there is the question of where they will be dancing. Instead of a parquet square in the middle of the room you can have a circular dance floor (decorated with that logo we mentioned before), a mirrored dance floor or even one that is part of the entertainment itself and lights up.
Entertainment company Totem can provide any shape of dance floor you can imagine. And the finishes range from light-up, see-through and neon to something highly personalised.
One recent batmitzvah party took place in the host's indoor swimming pool, which Totem boarded over to make the dance floor. It then created windows in the covering, through which guests could see into the pool while dancing.
Another option is to project images or even videos on to the dance floor. Always wanted to party in Times Square or have your barmitzvah in the Bahamas but the budget would not quite stretch? Customise your backdrop and transport your guests to anywhere in the world.
Dancing does not have to be confined to the floor. You can organise a "stage table" - guests sit at a table that wraps around the performance area, so that the centrepiece of the dining table is a platform for the band, who perform during the meal. No more quiet moments of concentrating on your chicken supreme between the hora and the DJ.
You can make your mark with the food, as well, selecting inventive menu combinations and taking advantage of the current trend for original meal displays. Think about hanging food from copper frames or presenting desserts in flower pots.An interactive element is always fun - set up a pick-and-mix stall next to the dance floor after the main meal, or provide syringes filled with syrup, chocolate mousse (or alcohol for the adults) for guests to dress up their desserts.
photobooth-out-of-order.co
rsvplucy.com
totem-tribe.co.uk
muzika.uk.com
