How to get into party planning I spent 25 years in HR, leadership development and diversity and inclusion strategy before I became an event planner. My route into party planning was not traditional, but that is part of the point: there is no single background or career path required to do this work well. If you'd told me at 30 (or even 40!) that this is where I'd end up, I wouldn't have believed you. I have no regrets about making the leap, but there are a few things I can share! Somewhere...

How much money should you give for a bar or bat mitzvah? I get asked this one a lot, usually by an out-of-town guest coming to New Jersey for a bar or bat mitzvah, or a local parent whose child has just received their first invitation. It also comes up all the time on mitzvah-planning Facebook groups. If you are trying to determine an appropriate bar or bat mitzvah gift amount, there is no single correct answer. Your relationship with the guest of honor and family, your own budget and local...

If you're in the early stages of planning — or you're a guest trying to figure out your Saturday — here's the short answer: most bar and bat mitzvah services last approximately 90 minutes to three hours, although private services may be shorter and some traditional Shabbat morning services may run longer. Here's how that breaks down. Bar Mitzvah service length by denomination: Reform, Conservative, Orthodox Does denomination affect the length of a bar or bat mitzvah service? It can, because...