Checkerboard has just released a truly gorgeous new collection of bar bat mitzvah invitations called "From Generation to generation." Their designers have been working hard -- and getting some divine inspiration! View the collection.
eMitz has just reorganized our bar mitzvah invitation shopping page! You can now browse by motif, Style Editors' Picks, printing options or brand!
WHAT’S TRENDY?
RIBBONS, RIBBONS, RIBBONS: They’re everywhere, it seems. Sheer, striped, polka-dotted, monogrammed, made of silk, made of raffia. Glued under, around, and between the invite. Layered here, laced and tied there. We think this is a fun, beautiful trend with many opportunities for creativity and personal expression. View examples
ORDERING INVITES ONLINE: THE PROS AND CONS
If you’ve stood, daunted, in an invitation shop before a wall of 200 sample books, each weighing 20 pounds, you may have experienced Invite Inertia. Instead, we suggest considering this alternative: ordering online. A great place to start is at the the Mitz Mall.
PROS: Typically far lower prices than in shops. Ease of shopping (yes, we're talking to you, in the pajamas). Some sites, like eInvite.com, let you play around with the font, ink color and placement of your text interactively, in real time, allowing you to see different versions of any invitation you like. Wider selection of both upscale and value options, as not all shops carry each vendor's entire bar bat mitzvah line.
CONS: You can't feel the weight of an invite's paper online but you can order a $1 or $2 sample, which usually arrives in the mail quite swiftly. Factoring in the convenience and savings of up to several hundred dollars, we think this is a negligible drawback.
HELP! WHERE DO I BEGIN?
To the rescue, eMitz’s lowdown on the differences between some of the biggest invitation companies and their B Mitzvah offerings. Remember, you can order samples for a dollar or two so you can see and touch any product you're considering.
CHECKERBOARD has a very wide selection of stylish, mid-priced-but-high-quality B Mitzvah invitations in five categories: modern, soft & pretty, watercolor, traditional, print at home. Many have Jewish motifs, such as Torah scrolls or Stars of David; others are simply festive and gorgeous. Checkerboard offers a simple, nearly fool-proof way to add Hebrew text to your invite (in other words, no more Torah portions spelled backwards!) It's also got an unrivaled selection of 47 different Hebrew fonts. Thermography only. View the Editors' Choice samples at the Mitz Mall Invitation Gallery or view the entire Checkerboard's bar bat mitzvah line at our partner site, eInvite.com.
CRANE’S is all about elegance, tradition and quality. Designs are, typically, subdued. Choice of 85 motifs; those of interest to B Mitzvah kids include: a tree (nature theme), a compass (travel theme), musical notes (music or Broadway theme), a palm tree, a sand dollar, flip flops, beach dunes and a seashell (tropical/ beach theme) and various graphics like embellished lines and swirls. No Star of David or Judaica motifs. (There’s a pig and a cow but you’ll have to figure out what theme those are for.) Hebrew fonts can be added by special request. Monogram options (in lieu of a motif) range from ultra-formal to a more preppy initial in a circle. Engraving and the less expensive thermography are both available.
BIRCHCRAFT appeals to the same market as Crane's but at a lower price point. This company has some of the most handsome Judaica motifs we've seen around, such as the stunning lions of Judah flanking the Ten Commandments. Other bar and bat mitzvah motifs include a charmingly hand-sketched open Torah scroll, tallis or star of David. Fifteen Hebrew fonts are also available. Browse the Birchcraft book
