Mad for Miranda // Temple Israel Minneapolis Bat Mitzvah
#MitzvahMonday is back for fall and boy, did I miss sharing these amazing life cycle events over the last few months! But now we're back in the swing of a new year and so many fabulous events are coming up on my calendar that I couldn't be more excited about!
Last spring, I worked with Miranda and her family for her bat mitzvah and it was nothing short of fabulous, amazing, surprising, beautiful and filled to the brim with moments that I hope her family remembers forever.
We photographed fun portraits Saturday morning at Temple Israel in Minneapolis, where the service and luncheon were held. Miranda did a beautiful job in the service - so poised and eloquent!
The luncheon was from another world, as Miranda's Alice in Wonderland theme was planned and executed beautifully by Allie with Amy Zaroff Events & Design. Mom Vanessa showed her crafty side with a few of the details and Deco Catering was delicious as always.
I can't wait for you to see the party photos! Oh boy!! Miranda was surprised and welcomed to her party by a live Mad Hatter - he stayed in character the entire night and it was fabulous! All the guests were thrilled, a bit frightened and it was perfect! The Minneapolis Golf Club was a great spot for both kids and adults to enjoy the decor, theme and the slow motion booth by Playatta. And of course, the party was complete with Ross from A-List Entertainment keeping everything moving and grooving ;)
I loved working with Miranda and her family for this event - I just cannot say enough about how gracious, fabulous and awesome they are! A lovely and ideal client in every sense of the word. PLUS! They were willing to be guinea pigs in my first Facebook LIVE video when I delivered their final package - what troopers! Take a peek here, if you'd like. LINK TO VIDEO
Endless Mazel Tovs to you, Gollins! I enjoyed every minute! I can't wait to deliver your beautiful album this week :)
Peyton's Bat Mitzvah part 2 is here and filled with lots of big, beautiful smiles from Peyton and her family! Before the service started, a big surprise arrived: a dear friend who recently moved to Florida showed up to celebrate with Peyton - it was such an endearing moment, watching Peyton realize what was happening and it brought everyone to tears! I of course didn't stop crying there - to Peyton's speech, her mom's speech and watching Peyton and Tyson's relationship reminding me of my own with my brother... it was fabulously filled with emotion. Peyton's confidence was exuding all day!
The luncheon brought a change in traditional buffet setup - the family-style soups and sandwiches from Kafe 421 were delicious and totally connected to the family atmosphere surrounding Peyton's celebration. Of course, I loved the gold touches in the placemats, the chevron table runners, the sweets table and the balloon centerpieces. And the heart-shaped grilled cheese?! LOVE!
Stay tuned for the biggest, pinkest party - coming soon!
xoxo,
Sydnee
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VENDOR LOVE
Synagogue: Temple Israel
Luncheon catering: Kafe 421
Floral: Pink & Green Floral Design
Mitzvah Monday is back for 2015 and with a fabulously pink + gold bat mitzvah for Peyton! Peyton's mama Amy did a great job creating such a beautiful event - I loved all the custom details of this Valentine's weekend celebration - the gold foil on the invites, the pink lighting, the chocolate hearts, pink kippahs, the custom heart braid challah for the Shabbat dinner... it was endless!
Friday kicked off the weekend with the Oneg and out of town guests arriving at Temple Israel in Minneapolis for Shabbat and the dinner at the W downtown Minneapolis. Beautiful, classic and filled with love from family - I can't wait to show you parts 2 and 3 coming later this week!
xoxo,
Sydnee
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VENDOR LOVE
Synagogue: Temple Israel
Shabbat dinner venue: The W Hotel, Mpls
Challah: Breadsmith, Edina
Part Two of Eva's Bat Mitzvah is here!
This service and luncheon was so special and filled with lots of family touches. Eva's tallis and kippah belonged to her aunt and had delicate pink and gold details - LOVED this! Eva's mom remembered she still had lilac napkins left over from her baby naming 13 years prior, so planner Lindsay added those to the cereal bar at the luncheon. This girl LOVES her cereal - I can totally relate! As a nod to a family friend recently diagnosed with cancer, the centerpieces at the luncheon featured gift boxes for pediatric cancer patients that were delivered after the event.
My favorite part of this day was taking portraits outside Temple Israel - the light was perfect! Usually it's too bright or raining or snowing, but this day was just right. This fun-loving family was all about the non-traditional portraits with a nod to the traditional too - a blend I think is 100% fabulous!
Check back later this week for part 3 - the real #EveofEva - the party!!
xoxo,
Sydnee
#MitzvahMonday is back with one of my favorite bat mitzvahs to boot!
Joely's mom Lisa contacted me almost a year and a half before her big day, so when the day finally arrived, it was so fabulous to see all her hard work and planning come to fruition! And all a day to celebrate Joely's accomplishments - complete with donuts... but those are coming tomorrow!
In this post, you'll find our portrait session at Temple Israel + the Shabbat dinner at the uber-amazing Create Dining Studio in NE Mpls, PLUS the tear-jerking and beautiful service at Temple Israel. All with a simple and classic elegance that is total Joely :)
Dearest Gendlers, thank you for choosing me to document this most amazing weekend for you! I had such a blast getting to know all of you and working (but not work, totally fun!) to bring out Parker's fabulous personality and showcase Joely in all her awesomeness. Your laidback personalities made my job so easy - I hope these were the moments you were hoping for and will hold dear for years to come! I can't wait to see you in a few years to celebrate Parker's big day!
xoxo,
Sydnee
VENDOR LOVE:
Synagogue: Temple Israel
Planner: A2Z Do It Directed (Allie Markman)
Shabbat Venue: Create Dining Studio
Photobooth @ Luncheon: The Traveling Photobooth
Catering @ Luncheon: Deco Catering
Happy (belated) Mitzvah Monday, friends! This amazing spring weather in Minneapolis is making that summer itch even stronger! Last June, I had the honor of working with my very first mitzvah family ever - the Harrisons! Sophia was my first ever Bat Mitzvah client in 2009 and it's been a wild ride since, so when Norah contacted me about Jonah's upcoming Bar Mitzvah, I did about 3857 cartwheels of joy!!
(Side note: I first met this family back in about 2005-2006 when I was working at a summer camp, assisting my photography professor Cate, teaching kids about pinhole cameras and the darkroom. Sophia and Jonah were two of the kids we taught!)
June came and with it, one of the biggest storms of the last decade! Trees were down all across the metro and with it, the power too. Not even Temple Israel was spared! The staff there was FABULOUS in their quick-thinking skills and lit candles all over the synagogue. When I saw Jonah for the first time, he put up his hands and said, "well! I said I wanted my Bar Mitzvah to be memorable!"
Jonah shared his Bar Mitzvah with his friend Sasha - the two of them were adorable together! The service was stunning - candles and bright sunbeams shining through the windows helped with the lighting factor and for the first time ever, photographers were allowed on the main floor to photograph. I count this as a career highlight, for sure!
The Kiddish luncheon brought another set of challenges. Held in the basement at Temple, there were candles everywhere and friends and family actually asked me to continue taking photos with my flash so they could see what they were eating! Jonah's brother Joshua was running around showcasing the centerpieces with a flashlight, guests were using their cell phones as lights - hilarious!
Although his day brought a few challenges, Jonah totally rose above everything and did an amazing job. So proud of this kid, ahem, young man :) It didn't matter that the lights were out - Jonah's bright personality shown even brighter!
Stay tuned tomorrow for part 2: the party!!
xoxo,
Sydnee