1) The interesting thing about planning a Bar or Bat Mitzvah is that, unlike so many other events, the planning can start waaay in advance, up to 3 years in advance. That means you have a 10 year old when you begin thinking about it. That 3 year old, though, will have 3 more years worth of friends by the time you actually host this event. While you may say he/ she only has about 20 friends now, that number will get to 75 by then. Plan for that. That also means that what your 10 year old likes now will definitely change by 13, too. While she may like pink now, she may hate it at 13. While he may love Harry Potter now, he will have outgrown it by 13. Don't feel rushed to pick a theme or color scheme right away. While you may have had to choose a date because your synagogue books up years in advance, and you may decide to hire your planner, book your site and the sought after entertainment while you're at it. Take a breather and let your child grow into the person they are to become for next year or two.
2) 13 is the hardest age to entertain. I have an almost 15 year old daughter and I can tell you 13 was not fun. She was a pleasure and so sweet and loving, and really a good girl, but at 13 children are so self conscious and concerned about what others think and what is cool. Because of this, you MUST have entertainers that are experience with Bar/ Bat Mitzvahs. It is a world unto itself, your room is almost evenly divided into kids and adults, the kids are very young, so age appropriateness is an issue. After your site and your planner, your entertainment is the next thing to book because the good ones are working every weekend. And you want a good one.
3) Take some time to think about catering. Hiring a good kosher caterer requires a little more thought than usual. They will need to use a kosher kitchen, so if your site does not have one (and trust me, they don't), the caterer will need to set up a mobile kitchen on site. Make sure you discuss that with your venue. Also, they will need to bring in special serveware (nothing porous) so don't assume you will be using the plates that come with the site. This all can be done, while it sounds overwhelming, the professionals you hire are used to this sort of accommodation, so keep the lines of communication open and everything will be great!
Of course, you can message me for more tips and trick or stay tuned for other ideas. Mazel tov!
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