I had high hopes and lofty aspirations when I started planning my son, D’s, bar mitzvah. I
intended to make my own invitations, centerpieces, place cards, etc. and I intended to blog about each step of planning. I was sure I would have everything done (or at least a good chunk of it
done) three months before the big day. Well, yesterday was twelve weeks until the bar mitzvah celebration (two days ago was twelve weeks until the service) and I am nowhere near done. My hopes of making my own invites were dashed a few months ago when life got in the way – my father passed away while I was in the middle of designing the invite. I went straight to the hospital to visit him after shopping for a printer just for this purpose – I showed him a sample sheet I had printed so he could see how vivid the gold was and how vibrant the blue. I was excited about creating the invite, but after he passed away a few days later (right after getting home from the hospital), I just couldn’t concentrate on it. After a month or two passed and I still hadn’t found papers I liked, it was simply too late to make it myself. So, I ordered invites at Party City. (I was actually quite surprised by the variety of invites they had and the quality, while still being in my budget.)
Now, I will simply use that fancy printer to print out the envelope addresses. The return addresses are pre-printed. I am hoping to use it to make my own place cards, as well, but I really need to get cracking on that. I know I can’t print them until I know who’s coming, but I can at least design them.
I found a website with very cool, customizable and printable place cards, but instead of being excited to design them myself, I am becoming anxious that I’ll be printing them the night before the affair. I’m still not ready to hand the reins over to someone else, though. I have decided that I am a control freak and I like to do everything myself – a nightmarish trait when coupled with my inherent tendency to procrastinate, unless I have a looming deadline. I know that I will insist that I can do it and will – but, only at the very last minute. That is why I gave in and ordered the invites – I may be a control freak, but at least I am somewhat realistic in my limitations. And since invites need to be ready a couple of months before everything else, I knew there was no way I would get them done in time.
Another reason I couldn’t get the invites done was that I have been spending every free minute working on a novel that an agent expressed possible interest in. I still haven’t finished, but it’s getting there and I need to put as much effort into it as possible, since it could be a huge break and if it’s not, at least I can self-publish or shop it elsewhere. But, as crazy as it is, I hope I don’t have to do that – I have dreamed of working with this agent since I met her 14 years ago. So, am I crazy that I haven’t given up on the idea of making my own place cards and centerpieces with everything else that I have to do? I’m driving a bus for my kids’ camp and work at camp sometimes, so that leaves me about four to five hours to clean up from the morning rush, do laundry, work on my novel, run errands and take care of bar mitzvah related tasks (which as of last week, included shopping for a dress, but that’s another blog post) – on the days I don’t work. It sounds like a good chunk of time, but it’s not. It slips by so quickly, like sand through an hour glass – I never get everything done. But, although I suppose I may be willing to bend on the place cards, I just can’t give up the thought of designing and making my own centerpieces. My cousin added fuel to the fire by giving me adorable baseball planters that she used for her own son’s baseball themed bar mitzvah. I brought one with me to meet with my caterer and he said that if I add balloons to the decorations I planned (a pennant, D’s baseball card, etc.), they should be perfect. I feel like with this great head start, I would be silly not to make the centerpieces.
It’s this idea – if I can do something myself, why should I pay someone else to do it that trips me up.
It’s not just a money thing really – I fancy myself a crafty soul and I just can’t let go of the opportunity to create something. I know I’m making the sign in book. I had a business making sign in books several years ago and there is no way I could pay someone to do it. I’d have to get paid in order to turn over the reins on that project to someone else. Plus, I already bought the materials.
But, even my husband, who is desperately trying to keep this party on budget, is a bit wary about homemade centerpieces. Our caterer brought up a valid point when he reminded me that if I make the centerpieces myself, I need to come in and set them up myself right before the party. They have another affair Saturday night, so that leaves Sunday morning to set up the room. I don’t know how I
will possibly do that. Plus, the day we met with him he sent me into the ballroom to see the homemade centerpieces for that afternoon’s affair. As I walked in the breeze from an air conditioning vent sent the top of the centerpiece closest to me tumbling to the table. As I
glanced around, I noticed other “headless” centerpieces. A cautionary tale if there ever was one.
With less than twelve weeks to go, I better make up my mind soon. I am already having
nightmares about a room bare of any decoration, save for those migraine inducing “intelligent” lights bathing the room in different colors. I really hate those, but D. wants them and I believe we already paid the DJ for them. But, no matter how many colors the room turns, it needs some sort of
cohesive theme, some sort of embellishment – whether it will be by my hand or not, remains to be seen…