Customizing the right dress for this important religious occasion
So your daughter's having a Bat Mitzvah, how to decide on a dress
Mazel Tov! When planning a bat mitzvah, it is important to consider the following: The date and location of the event The religious or spiritual elements of the ceremony The guest list and invitations The catering and reception The music and entertainment The attire for the bat mitzvah girl and guests Any additional activities or events, such as a party or trip It's also important to consider the budget and to plan enough time in advance. Having a clear communication with Rabbi or Cantor in your Synagogue can be helpful in terms of preparing the religious elements of the ceremony.
A bat mitzvah is a Jewish coming of age ceremony for girls, typically held at age 12 or 13. The term "bat mitzvah" literally means "daughter of the commandment" in Hebrew, and is the female equivalent of a bar mitzvah. During the ceremony, the bat mitzvah girl will lead parts of the service in the synagogue and read from the Torah, a sacred text in Judaism. She will also deliver a speech or teach a section of the Talmud. The bat mitzvah ceremony marks the point at which the girl becomes responsible for her own actions and obligations under Jewish law, and is considered an adult member of the Jewish community. The celebration following the ceremony is usually a party or reception, where family and friends come together to celebrate the bat mitzvah girl's achievement.
We asked Sara Renee Lowell, the event guru of Sara Renee Events, a wedding and event planner in South Florida, what is the biggest "wants" from a girl celebrating her Bat Mitzvah girl? "Our Mitzvah girls all want some kind of WOW Instagrammable moment! Some kind of build-out that looks like a “room” where everyone can take their photos. This is a huge request. Also, another trend we are seeing is scheduling in some “TIK TOK TIME”. Our guests of honors like to have a moment alone in the ballroom before guests enter to make their "Tik Tok videos” Lastly, PRIZES…They LOVE dance floor prizes!". Our recommendation for these parties of (typically) 120 to over 220 is do the right thing and hire a event planner!
When shopping for a Bat Mitzvah dress, it is recommended to start looking for a dress at least 2 months in advance of the ceremony, minimum. This will give you enough time to try on different styles and make any necessary alterations to ensure the perfect fit. It's also a good idea to shop early to ensure that you have a wide selection to choose from and to ensure that you will have enough time to have the dress altered if needed. You may also consider to shop early in case you find a dress that you love but you will have enough time to design her dress with us and get the exact look you hope to achieve. It's also important to consider the time of the ceremony, weather, and location of the ceremony when choosing the dress. You'll want to make sure that you are comfortable and that the dress is appropriate for the occasion, and is "daddy approved". But we think, most of all, that your daughter should have a say in what she wants to wear because after all, it is her event too!
Fashion wise, they love tulle BUT want to be different that their friends as well. Although we hate it, they LOVE high top sneakers so sometimes if you compromise on the shoes you can have a bit more say in what she will want to wear. For many of the occasions these modest styled girls gowns will have a sleeve but that length is really up to what is expected at your synagogue. Pegeen can customize whatever sleeve length, 3/4 sleeves or sometimes a cap sleeve and in-between that you need and a higher neckline if you also prefer. Feel free to call us and if she has an idea, please email us or chat on the website - it's best if we see what her expectations are. Like we said, the girls right now are all about the tulle HOWEVER we find that more and more are requesting beaded and sequined fabrics to be used on their bodice or even their entire dress. Our Bat Mitzvah dresses start around $300 and we try to keep the prices below $600. However, the more embellishment, the more expensive a dress can become.
Below are the standard styles we start with but with your ideas, we can really create anything. Some of the dresses below were used for Jewish Weddings as well.
