Roman's Amazing Bar Mitzvah

So it's been a minute since I've had time to post a blog...ok maybe more like a few years. Bust since I have some time now I  thought I'd try to post some of the pretty events I've been covering too brighten your day.

Today I'm going to share Roman's amazing winter themed Bar Mitzvah from last year. Kristen at Amazing Events Dallas transformed the ballroom at Bent Tree Country Club into a stunning winter wonderland. Service was at Congregation Shearith Israel where I absolutely love taking photos.

This is Roman...he's an awesome kid with such a fun personality.

 We took some pretty portraits at the Temple a few days before his Bar Mitzvah.

Mom and Dad even got in on a few photos with this handsome young man.

I love that Shearith allows me to come to the final rehearsal and take a few candid photos.

 Finally it's party time!

 Just look at this stunning decor. The lighting, the ice sculptures on every table, the trees...I just can't get enough of this.

 Let's party!

 Dance contest

 Roman spent a lot of time up in the air. He crowd surfed and was on the dancer's shoulders a lot.

 Oh how I love a packed dance floor with everyone having fun.

Mom and dad love to party too.

 I just love capturing all the expressions during the montage.

 So the DJ put Roman on the spot to ask a specific girl to dance and it was maybe the cutest thing I've ever seen...so much fun.

 He did have a sweet dance with his mom.

And a fabulous Hora too!

 Everyone had a great time up in the chair.

 Near the end of the night, Roman's friends lifted him up one last time.

 A kiss for mom and he'd been wondering all evening if his tongue would stick to the ice sculptures...just so you know it did not stick.

A few party gifts for his guests.

Thanks for having me capture all these amazing memories for you! Mazel Tov!

Claudia's Comic Strip Bat Mitzvah

Oh gosh I'm so behind on blogging...but I've finally gotten a little break since Bar and Bat Mitzvah is just about over so I can post a few of my favorites. I'll start with Claudia. Her Bat Mitzvah was in February and it was fabulous. Chillin' with Claudia was her theme and she had a custom comic strip made for her party theme. It really was super original. I've been to a lot of Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties and I've not seen this before. Her service was in the morning at Temple Emanuel in Dallas and her party was later that evening at Royal Oaks Country Club. Randi did a great job with the planning and DJ Haze and Fenton rocked the party. It's so much fun to look back at her photos and relive her amazing day. Here are the highlights.

Claudia's family had be photograph their Shabbat Dinner at The Mercury.

 A few of the pretty details from the dinner.

 Claudia listening to her dad welcome the guests.

They had a quick Shabbat Service.

 Then they did a candle lighting ceremony. I love this tradition. Probably because it reminds me of my nieces and nephew's Bar and Bat Mitzvahs and I just don't see it very often in Texas. I love that everyone gets to come up an light a candle and if you listen to the rhyming poem you can learn a lot about the family and what they do together. So fun!

 At the end Claudia is lit by all the candles. Love this!

 Saturday morning we met before the service to take family photos at the Temple. Claudia is such a beautiful girl, I love photographing her.

With her mom and dad.

 And her amazing sister. I got to photograph Morgan's Bat Mitzvah a few years ago so it was fun to see how much she's grown up. You can see her Bat Mitzvah photos here.

 So cute.

 The whole family.

 Claudia on the Bimah.

 The family with the Torah.

 A few service details.

 Later that evening it was time for Claudia's big party. We had spent a few hours taking photos to use for her decor and I love how all the photos I took of her were prominently placed. We had taken a photo of her that mirrored the comic Claudia and they were back to back at the entrance. Then every table had a light up box with photos on two sides and a comic word bubble on the other two sides. Such a fun idea and a great use of photos :)

 The room was filled with purple light and had the comic strip across one wall.

 The tables had the boxes, flowers, candy and candles on them

 Claudia and her family arrived a little early so I could photograph them in their party clothes.

Love this one.

 Claudia made her grand entrance at the end of a comic video that ended with Comic Claudia opening a door and then Real Claudia burst through the paper.

and the party started.

 Montage.

 Group photo.

 Father Daughter Dance.

Bonnie danced with her dad while Monte danced with both his daughters.

 The Hora

Everyone went up in the chair.

And the family ended the dance together in the middle of the circle.

 Snowball dance. Of how I love the snowball dance. Just look at all the girls waiting to see who gets picked next and the boys...where are the boys? ahh to be 13 again.

 DJ Haze kept the dance floor packed all night.

 Somehow their ended up being a ladies on one side, men on the other singing battle near the end of the night.

 Finally the family ended the night standing on the DJ table above the crowd. So.Much.Fun.

Mazel Tov Claudia! Your Bat Mitzvah was amazing and I can't wait for the next time you get to model for me.