Opulent Elegance

The tablescapes at my son’s bar mitzvah were beyond magnificent. Planning all the details, especially the decor, was a true joy and creative expression. My incredible event planner, Andrew Charles of AHCEVENTS, and I had the most wonderful time putting together this visual experience for my family and guests. I always start to formulate my vision with the idea of how I want people to feel upon taking in my event space. My choices are never just aesthetic based, rather it’s what the aesthetic will achieve. I always go for my guests being immersed in the details in a way that evokes feelings. Given that this bar mitzvah took place in the winter, I wanted people to feel emotionally warm; cozy and enveloped as a beautiful refuge from the frigid temperatures (3 degrees!!!). Green malachite was the jump off point for our green, navy, and saffron table themes. It was fabulously interesting to take in the three color schemes. Each tablescape had its own uniqueness, and we also used some crossover elements to tie everything together so it didn’t look haphazard. The chairs, china, and napkins were all the same, the prayer books and challah covers the same but different colors (as were the table assignments in the gilded frames), and each table was laden with layers of rich and whimsical detail. We drew from nature, art history, and warm winter jewel tones. My son loves both nature and art, and he and I decided on winter jewel tones 2 years ago:). He loves animals and birds, and there were amazing gilded wildlife replicas in the most unexpected places. The more you looked, the more you discovered. It was a delightful experience taking this all in, from the peacock feathers that transformed an otherwise tan room to the oriental vases to the giant birdcages. Creativity and heart mixed with beauty is a decor formula I live by. I find that guests will respond most to individuality and personality, that’s what makes this so much fun. A tablecloth is just a tablecloth, no matter how beautiful it might be. People remember the unique details that connect them to the host. It was a shared creative expression that I couldn’t wait to show my family and friends.