You’ve done the heavy lifting. You’ve found the venue. You’ve found all of your vendors. You’ve selected the menu. You’ve sent the invitation and are gathering RSVPs. And you’re starting to get very excited for your child’s Mitzvah. It’s all happening! But you have a sinking feeling that there’s something you’re missing. You realize that you don’t know what you don’t know and can’t ask the questions that you don’t know to ask. You feel like you must be missing something. Here’s where a Month Of Coordinator party planner comes in to save the day!
About four to six weeks prior s/he will:
1. Check in to make sure you’ve done everything right
You’ll provide all of your event’s contracts to your coordinator and then s/he will have a million questions. S/he will evaluate where you are and help you figure out the final to-dos. S/he will also be there during the contracted period to answer all of the questions you have (and probably some you didn’t know you had!).
2. Help to create a schedule for the party
From the time the first vendor arrives to the time the last vendor leaves and everything in between, a Month Of Coordinator will help to figure out when things need to happen to keep the party moving. How long will it take everyone to eat dinner? How long will it take everyone to move from the cocktail hour location to the party room? When is the right time to show the montage or have the mother/son dance? S/he will work with your DJ, entertainment and caterer to ensure everyone has enough time to do their part of the party right.
3. Help create a floor plan for the party
The Month Of Coordinator will work with your venue or caterer to create a floor plan that makes sense for the flow of your party. Is there enough space between guest tables for waitstaff to get by? Is the DJ positioned near an electrical outlet? How far is the photo booth from the dance floor?
4. Coordinate with vendors
The month before the party is when your vendors will have the most questions. They’ll need to know about the schedule, floor plan and a host of other logistical items. Where do the vendors load in their equipment? How far is the loading dock from your event space? Is there even a loading dock? Do you really want to deal with those questions while you’re dealing with final Mitzvah rehearsals and last minute tutoring?
5. Help with event setup and breakdown
You can’t help set up, you’ll either be in Shabbat services or enjoying time with family and friends. Who is going to make sure that each centerpiece is on the correct table? Or that the escort cards are placed in the right order? Or that the exact seat your child requests is reserved for them? At the end of the night, after a long, LONG day, will you really want to stay to make sure the venue is left in broom clean condition? Who will pack up your gifts early in the night, to ensure nothing gets swiped? As part of my package, I give you gifts and cards and anything else that can be packed up early in the night, if you choose, you can leave before breakdown up ends so you can go home to crash. My assistant(s) and I get there as early as needed and stay as late as needed.
6. Allow you to be a guest at your event
And finally, the most important. Family and friends have traveled from near and far to be with you for your child’s special day. Don’t you want to spend time catching up, dancing, eating and drinking with them? My guess is you’d much rather do that than check in with vendors or keep an eye on your watch to make sure the hora is happening when scheduled. You be a guest rather than a party planner, and let your coordinator handle all of the details behind the scenes.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of things to think about immediately leading up to your Mitzvah and having a Month of Coordinator will help make the process as stress-free as possible. I’ll leave you with a testimonial from an awesome Month Of Mom that I worked with, which I think perfectly captures the benefits of Month Of coordination.
I didn’t know it was possible to hire an event coordinator to just get you across the finish line in the month before the event – and that was EXACTLY what I needed. I honestly don’t know how I could have survived the last month without Brynne’s help. I tend to be a “control freak,” but recognized that I would be better off letting Brynne take the wheel. She was beyond conscientious – thinking of things I would not have thought of. She helped me make my vision a reality. Everything was ready by Thursday night and delivered to the venue by Friday afternoon. I was able to relax and enjoy time with family on Friday night, get a good night’s sleep, and just focus on enjoying the Bar Mitzvah experience without worry. I feel like it was a 100% success, due in no small part to Brynne’s help. For the very reasonable price, it was worth every penny! – Josh’s Mom
