I was recently brought on board last minute to assist with decor and day of direction for August 15ths Bar Mitzvah celebration for Daniel Lebenbom.  The Bar Mitzvah ceremony took place at Shir Shalom in West Bloomfield.  The Dave and Joyce Sakwa Family Sanctuary is an absolutely stunning location for any Jewish occasion.

The Cantorial Soloist, Penny Steyer, has a memorizing voice and was a great addition to the entire ceremony.  The bar mitzvah also did a wonderful job and handled the mother language with ease.

The reception followed the ceremony in Pontiac at the Centerpoint Marriott.  The family selected the rooms closest to the patio, allowing guest to step out into the warm summer air in August.

The bar mitzvah reception theme was prehistoric.  Daniel has always expressed interest in paleontology and this was a great outlet to allow the imagination to run wild.  The biggest challenge to a “dinosaur” party is not to create a childish atmosphere.  Most of the decorations out there are geared towards a 5 year old, and that is definitively not what we were attempting to achieve.

Taking inspiration from the BBC series Walking with Dinosaurs, the room was transformed.  When the guest arrived, they received their escort cards in the shape of stones.  The escort table was dress with Daniel’s initials covered in moss.

Guest got a jungle entrance walking under the doorway arch.

Each table contained a mini dig site containing dinosaur parts for the guest to put together throughout the night.

Daniel and his family chose to light 3 candles instead of the traditional 13.  The candles burned through the night, representing The Past, The Present, and The Future.

Room was lit and decor scattered throughout to continue the prehistoric jungle theme.

Right before dinner, a slide show created by Full Circle Eventi played.  Incorporating the first 13 years of his life, the photo montage was orchestrated to music and brought a tears to many guest’s eyes as they remembered the grandparents and aunt that are no longer with us.  But they all offered up a bit of advice via Spamalot’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”

Entertainment was provided by Zodiac Entertainment.  Vince Markowicz did an excellent job as the DJ during the night until karaoke kicked off.  The guest enjoyed singing and dancing through the night.

Guest favors were T-Shirt, sporting the theme “I Got Eaten Alive at Danny’s Bar Mitzvah.”

It was a great event and day for all.  Congratulations again Danny!