I’m so excited to share a new blog feature with you today. A few times a month, I’ll be interviewing vendors who work with Mitzvah families. You’ll get to know the vendors and their businesses a bit better which will help you plan the best event possible. Everyone wins!
For our first vendor, I’d like to introduce Holly Blum, The Word Whisperer at A Speech To Remember. Holly is the perfect vendor for anyone who is struggling with what to say at any point during the Bar or Bat Mitzvah ceremony or party. She can help with candle lighting ceremonies, toasts, speeches from the bima — basically any time you or your child will need to speak in front of a group, but have no idea what to say! Holly truly has a way with words and I’m so excited to share her thoughts with you.
Why did you start A Speech to Remember?
After a long career in public relations, I was looking for a more creative outlet for my writing. In my personal life, I’ve relished every opportunity I’ve had to express how I feel about the people who matter most in my life. In fact, the speech I gave at my brother’s wedding was so positively received that I started to think about how I could help other people find those “just right words” for their biggest moments. And the idea for A Speech To Remember took form.
What’s your favorite part of what you do?
I love hearing about my clients’ lives and transforming their own thoughts and ideas into words that will be remembered. As the Word Whisperer, my job is to make the final product sound like they wrote it themselves. I love this challenge of writing in someone else’s voice. This is true of all Mitzvah-related speeches, whether they are on the bima, during the party or as part of the candle lighting ceremony.
What’s your pop color–that something special that makes you, you?
I like to think that I have mastered the art of balancing heartfelt and humor. People joke that I should have been a Hallmark Card writer given my ability to express my deepest emotions. At the same time, I have a sarcastic, witty side to me that can make people laugh when they need to most.
What’s your favorite moment of a Bar or Bat Mitzvah?
A Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a true culmination of a twelve or thirteen-year journey for a child and his/her family. When a Mom or Dad takes the microphone to express how they feel about their son or daughter I love to watch the raw display of emotion on the parents’ face and how special the child feels listening to his/her parents’ words.
What questions should parents ask someone in your field?
I encourage parents to think of me in a similar way they would if hiring a party planner to oversee the event, a stylist to help with wardrobe selection, or a photographer to tell the story of their celebration. Ask me about how I gather information and get to know you and your family. Ask me about the writing process and how I make sure that anything you say sounds authentic to you. The speech and candle lighting ceremony are important moments of the celebration, but they are often left until the last minute. With my expertise and guidance, my clients find that their speeches shine just as brightly as other aspects of the celebration.
