This party was originally created for a Bat Mitzvah, but it can inspire and help you with any party you might be planning, including a Purim seudah! One of our favorite parts about this setup? The spray painted wine bottles-turned candlesticks. You can’t get more Purim appropriate than that!

 

Read on for AMAZING tips and ideas, and be sure to save this article for the next time you’re planning a simcha!

 

 

You want your party to be special, unique and personal. You want the decor to be appealing, the food to be delicious and the guests pleased. But this can be a challenge if you’re short on time, not particularly creative, working on a budget or low on energy. Sooooo… to help you out, we’ve exposed some of our best tips, inspiration and shortcuts that we’ve employed in planning a magnificent Bas Mitzva bash.

 

Rule number one for a doable party is DISPOSABLES ONLY. This is going to sound funny but when we plan a party we always start with the papergoods and move forward from there. Bluesky Trading has an incredible selection of magnificent paper goods, including loads of exclusive, trending designs that actually look real. This party design was inspired by the gold stroke plates. We put a coordinating white plate on top to soften things a bit and chose two different sized wine goblets to add an air of sophistication. We went with a classic gold for flatware and found it a refreshing spot in the napkin pocket 🙂 We like this placement because it saves space on the table. The chargers can be purchased at the Dollar Tree. Once we had our papergoods mapped out we chose tablecloths we liked, opting for contrast over monochrome this time.

 

 

On to centerpieces! We bought the gold runners at Amazing Savings, an all time favorite when it comes to accenting a tablescape. Eucalyptus leaves are a wonderful way to add a rich, green look. We bought these on- you guessed it! Amazon.

Fresh eucalyptus from Posie Floral Design on each plate brought the settings together with the steady string of green down the center of the table, creating a harmonious design. Believe it or not, those rustic, bottle-like candlesticks are actually recycled wine bottles. Nothing a little spraypaint can’t fix 🙂

 

 

What’s a party without flowers?? These classy but artistic arrangements were created by Posie Floral Design, an incredibly talented florist and an absolute dream to work with! The soft whites and greens added an element of quiet sophistication to the affair. Flowers are the most effective, attractive, and easiest go-to when it comes to softening a dark color scheme or harsh design. We used mason jars from Target as vases- they’re inexpensive and added a vintage flair.

 

 

A little personalization in your decor is always necessary- that’s what differentiates this Bas Mitzva party from last year’s Chanukah party and the Vort next week. Thank you Personally Printed NJ for your gorgeous and precise work and for your fast turnaround!

 

 

 

And speaking of personalization… there’s nothing like a custom cookie to make the Bas Mitzva girl feel special! One Smart Cookie USA created these stunners to match our tablescape. The incredible thing about them is that they enhanced both the decor and the menu in one fell swoop 🙂

 

 

And for the party favors… We’ve basically confirmed that peanut chews are the tried and true, undisputed winner when it comes to munchies. That’s why we chose these beautiful and delicious peanut chews from Sweet Occasions NJ (732-966-1480) to go inside these little lucites. The chews were certainly a crowd-pleaser; topping mints or chocolates in both taste and creativity! The lucites can be purchased at Bluesky Trading and are available at most groceries and party goods shops in smaller quantities.

 

 

Who doesn’t love sushi?!

Perhaps the only way to top a platter of fresh sushi is with a poke bowl station. You get to decide what goes in, what stays out and how much you’d like on your plate.

Prepare all the parts so they’re ready to eat and line them up in bowls on an easy to access table. We chose to use these sleek angled bowls from Bluesky Trading and display them on a tiered buffet table so our guests could easily and conveniently see all their options. Depending on your guestlist, you may want to prepare quinoa in addition to rice as a base option.

 

Some popular toppings to include:

 

• Roasted cubed sweet potato

• Diced or shredded cucumbers

• Diced or shredded mango

• Romaine lettuce

• Shredded carrot

• Sauteed onions

• French fried onions

• Cubed avocado

• Cubed salmon

• Shredded kani

• Crushed nori

• Sesame seeds

• Spicy mayo

• Sweet sauce

• Soy sauce

 

 

We have a little secret for you: beverage dispensers. It’s one of our favorite tricks 🙂 You can actually pour any standard drink like orange juice, water or iced tea into these cool-looking things, and voila! You’ve upgraded that party by much more than a notch. The concept works with almost any look- artsy, classy, elegant.. It’s all good! We purchased these on Amazon.

 

 

Few things party up an event like funky flavored popcorn! We chose to put up identifying signs because not everyone likes surprises, but feel free to skip that part and add some drama to your party. We bought the serving bowls from our favorite paper goods supplier 🙂 Bluesky Trading

 

Here are some cool, fun and absolutely scrumptious recipes that won’t take too much time.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN

 

INGREDIENTS

2 large bags sweet & salty Golden Fluff kettle corn
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Transfer the popcorn to a baking sheet.
2. Heat the chocolate chips in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds or so until the melted chocolate is smooth. Drizzle over popcorn.
3. Repeat the same process with the peanut butter.
4. Sprinkle with salt.

SWEET & SALTY POPCORN

 

INGREDIENTS

2 large bags sweet & salty Golden Fluff kettle corn
1 teaspoon margarine
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Transfer the popcorn to a large bowl.
2. Heat margarine, honey, vanilla and salt in microwave for 20-30 seconds or until margarine is melted. Stir to combine.
3. Pour the mixture over popcorn and toss to coat evenly.
4. Season with additional salt, if needed.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MINT POPCORN

 

INGREDIENTS

2 large bags sweet & salty Golden Fluff kettle corn
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 to 3/4 cup finely crushed peppermint candy (like starlight mints)

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine the popcorn and crushed candy, then transfer to baking sheet. Melt chocolate chips in microwave, stirring every 20 seconds or so until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Drizzle over popcorn.

 

 

 

 

Prime Images Photography captured this event for us like no one else can!

 

Papergoods- @bluesky_trading
Photography- @prime_images_photography
Personalization- @personallyprintednj
Cookies- @onesmartcookieusa
Flowers- @posieoraldesign
Peanut chews- sweet occasions_nj– 732 966 1480