A bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah ceremony is meant to be shared with friends and loved ones. As your son or daughter comes of age in the Jewish faith and you are planning the celebration for this rite of passage, you may want to consider sending save the date cards. These announcements can give your guests the advanced notice they need to clear their schedules and make travel arrangements. So, what do you need to know about bar mitzvah save the date cards? Here are the top dos and don'ts.
Do mail your bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah save the date cards at least four months to a year in advance. Simply put, people have busy schedules. They make plans well ahead of time, schedule vacations, business trips and family obligations. You want to make sure that your guests know about your child's bar mitzvah date before they make those other plans. It is also a courtesy to people from out of town, so that they have enough time arrange for discounted air fares and hotel rooms.
Do include the important phrases "save the date" and "invitation to follow" on your bar mitzvah save the date cards. Whether you're making your own cards or ordering them from a professional, it is important to emphasize that these are not invitations. Bar mitzvah save the date cards are a relatively new innovation, so it is possible that some of your recipients may not understand the purpose of the card, unless you are very clear.
Don't add RSVP to your save the date cards or enclose a reply card. This can really confuse people. You just want to alert them to date of your child's bat mitzvah or bar mitzvah ceremony and celebration, so they have time to plan ahead. A response is not necessary.
Do include your child's bar mitzvah website address to your save the date cards, if he or she has one. You can update the website with travel and hotel information, as well as the plans you are making for this big event. If you don't have a website, you can always print a list of hotels in your area, with their 800 numbers, and slip it into the envelopes for your out of town guests.
Don't forget to send a formal invitation to every last person who received one of your bar mitzvah save the date cards. You don't need to send a save the date card to everyone you're inviting. But if you send one, you must follow it up with an official invitation. If you're not sure someone will make it to the final guest list, don't send them a save the date card.
Do consider photo bar mitzvah save the date cards. The latest trend is to include a photo of your child on the card. You might even want to use more than one photo of your son or daughter at different ages. This is a fun way to give your guests a glimpse into how your child has grown!
Do send bat mitzvah or bar mitzvah save the date cards that will stand out. Shop around until you find a design that reflects your child's personality. Whether you go with your own handmade creation, a store-bought card or professionally custom made postcards, magnets or photo cards, the object is to grab your potential guest's attention.
In this hectic society, it is a nice gesture to alert your friends and loved ones to this upcoming event. It shows consideration of their busy lifestyles and allows them to plan ahead. As a result, those who receive your bar mitzvah save the date cards will be likely to reach for their calendar and save that special date.
It's not a certainty about the one you may receive, but national printers sell professionally designed, glossy brochures to DJs by exclusive territory and classification (Wedding, Corporate, etc.) and simply plug in each local DJ's logo and phone number. The descriptions and photographs are usually generic! Those same partygoers sure get around.
You can tell by noting if specific DJ information is found on the front and back covers ONLY. Is it sneaky? Is it credible? Does it matter? Should you care? You decide. It's not the end of the world, it's just another DJ sales technique, or it may indicate an agency.
If you choose to speak with an agency and bypass discussion with the DJ who will perform at your party, you're walking on eggshells. So watch your step!
Agencies subcontract a crew of DJs (keeping a liberal amount of the fee for booking them). A benefit agencies promote is that they're able to provide a replacement in the event of an emergency. OK, so? Although they stress the fear factor to favor themselves over an individual, an emergency isn't probable. You're not booking an insurance policy. Besides, all decent single operators network too, and can offer the same assurance.
So is it money well spent? Remember the old Wendy's commercials: "Where's The Beef?"
What else do they offer? If you're hiring a "name" who works exclusively for the agent, that's fine. But if you're getting a guy from their stable, find out who's been assigned to your party. Does he favor a tuxedo or a backwards baseball cap? Even if the agency has been around for years, he may be newly trained or hired last week. You're spending big $$$...buy experience!
If the agency won't allow you and your assigned Disc Jockey to speak together without the agency as an intermediary, assume the worst and walk away. Quickly. The DJ will be more frank and/or you'll be able to judge his experience (or lack of experience) without Big Brother watching (or listening).
At a large catering hall which divides into four separate banquet rooms, I recently ran into a local booking agency's DJ as we were both unloading our equipment for different affairs. He came in to check out my set-up and did everything but drool. I walked into the adjoining room and saw his "gear." It looked like a DJ starter kit from Circuit City. Actually that's unfair to Circuit City. Make that Toys-R-Us. (You know something? It's almost unfair to Toys-R-Us, too!)
He volunteered to me that the agency was paying him a $35 per hour fee. Here's a fellow who was content to go home with $140 in his wallet that night (before taxes). Is it any wonder that he couldn't afford a professional system?
Anyone who's been around for a while wouldn't pack up his vehicle for $140. The key is that the agency booked the job for $400 ("Return Your Contract Within Ten Days And Receive A Special Discount From Our Regular $500 Fee"). Of course, what the customer ultimately received was an $140 Disc Jockey, not a $400 (or $500) DJ. Please note: This one example may not be typical and it's certainly not meant to impugn respectable and reputable agencies, of which there are plenty. But, it is not extreme.
What do you think would have happened if this DJ received a last minute phone call from Agency "B" for a job that would pay him $250 cash that evening? It's obvious. He's a mercenary and a likely no-show nightmare for you. Re-read that last sentence.
And if Agency "A" subsequently fired him, so what? What's Agency "A" going to do? Take him to court for $140? He's a subcontractor out for himself with no vested interest in the agency. Nor is he indebted to you. He's never even spoken to you! He doesn't have a conscience. What he would have is an extra $110 in his pocket for the same amount of work. But where would that leave YOU?
Be aware, not wary hiring through a booker. Do they have office space or handle everything over the phone? Can they offer advice regarding invitations, photographers, light shows, dancers, sign-in boards, prizes and party favors? They're a bargain and worth the extra expenditure if they assume the full burden. I want to be clear: many agencies are conscientious and exemplary. If you've gotten personal referrals--perfect! Dump it all in their lap. If not, PLEASE request professional references. Not glossy brochures.
Both Linda Kling & Joe Pachino are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Linda Kling has sinced written about articles on various topics from Babies, Kids and Teens and Home Improvement. Linda Kling is the owner of , which offers personalized photo favors and custom invitations and announcements. Visit her website f. Linda Kling's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.
Joe Pachino has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Entertainment Guide. Joe Pachino has been a Radio & Mobile DJ in Baltimore since 1974 and authored