Raleigh Bar Mitzvah Photographer | Ian

I’ve been to and photographed my fair share of Bar/Bat Mitzvahs but it’s always fun to see how creative a family get’s while planning the mitzvah and the little special touches that make each Bar and Bat Mitzvahs different.  There was certainly a lot of creative planning for Ian’s Bar Mitzvah at the Raleigh-Durham General Aviation Terminal, at RDU.  It was a wonderful open space, with lots of natural light and very friendly staff.  All the details of the Bar Mitzvah were carefully planned and helped to create a fun atmosphere… especially for the kids!  Some other special touches the family put on their Bar Mitzvah was the cake (theme was traveling around the USA) and Ian is a hockey player so they turned a hockey stick into a candle holder for the candle lighting ceremony.  Very cool details!  Evan Pike Photography was also providing the green screen photo booth for the party!  As you can tell by the photos, the kids were dancing and having a wonderful time all night.  Of course I also had a wonderful time photographing the Bar Mitzvah and helping the family celebrate with my photography!  Mazel Tov Ian!

Raleigh Bat Mitzvah Photographer | Deena

I’m always happy to return to the Raleigh Renaissance Hotel.  I have so many wonderful memories both as a guest at my own wedding and working as a wedding or bar and bat mitzvah photographer at the Raleigh Renaissance Hotel at North Hills, Raleigh.  Deena’s Bat Mitzvah was another wonderful event that I was happy to be the photographer for.  Not only was I the photographer for the bat mitzvah, but also the Happy Smile Photo Booth was rented to get fun and unique photos of the bat mitzvah guests during the celebration.  And this Bat Mitzvah was quite the celebration that the family and friends all had a good time at.  The girls almost immediately took off their shoes to start the bat mitzvah party, so I knew it was going to be a party filled with a lot of dancing.  Of course it was also filled with lot’s of love and good times for the family and guests as the celebrated the wonderful milestone for Deena and her family.

Alexandra’s Wicked Bat Mitzvah | Raleigh, NC

Wow.

Where to begin!? Good thing I am a photographer, because I am having trouble coming up with the right words to describe just how awesome of a party this was! This Halloween Bat Mitzvah was not your typical costume party (or typical Bat Mitzvah for that matter)! Moreover, the family was one of the nicest and most loving families I have ever met. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great family and a wonderful, loving relationship with my parents and sister, but Alex’s family is just bursting with love and anyone who has the pleasure of meeting them can immediately see this. It was a very special Bat Mitzvah, for a very special family and I am so thankful that I was given the opportunity to document the day! Oh, and did I mention that just about everything was a surprise to Alex!? Her parents did an incredible job of planning out the event and put together an amazingly “wicked” cast of vendors for this Wicked themed party:

• Lauren Kennedy || staring as Elphaba
• Andrea Schultz Twiss || staring as Glinda
• Ray Walker || staring as Fiyero
• Randy Wogick || staring as the party organizer and planner
• “B” Sharp Productions || staring as the band and DJ
• CE Rental || set design (elegant linens, chairs, cushions, chargers, salad plates)
• English Garden || art decoration (gorgeous flowers and table pieces)
• Showtime Events || visual effects (incredible wall and table lighting)
• Swank Cake Design || Wicked (and of course delicious) cake
• Charlie Weeks || cinematographer (did the video of the service and the party)
• Maria Steiner || costume designer (service and evening gowns for all girls in the family)
• Megan Brewer || catering manger at the Raleigh Renaissance Hotel

Also, I want to thank Megan and Dean from the Raleigh Renaissance Hotel! Not only did they do a fantastic job with this Bat Mitzvah, but were incredible for me as well for my own wedding at the Renaissance!

Congratulations to Alex and a HUGE thank you to the whole family!