Ceremony and rites of passage are embedded in cultures all over the world. Some of them have a religious history, such as a Bat/Bar Mitzvah, Communion, Confirmation, Weddings etc. and some are traditional in their own right, ie: Sweet Sixteen, Quinceañera, Debutant Ball, Weddings (again) etc. The common denominator of all these ceremonies and rites of passage include one thing: celebration with friends and family.
Celebrations at a Rite of Passage event comes with a budget, and that budget needs to be set by the people paying for the event production, which is usually the parents. In a country still trying to recover from a deep recession, does having an extravagant party make you out of touch with reality? After interviewing dozens of parents from all sides of the economic spectrum we have to loudly say “NO!”
Planning an event production on Long Island, New York or metropolitan area means a large spectrum of budgets can be accommodated. If a family opts for a lavish celebration then we, as their friends and family, shouldn’t begrudge them the honor if we ourselves choose something more frugal. And the family that has planned an extravagant event should not feel guilty that they have the privilege to do so. The heart of the event is to gather with friends and family and celebrate a rite of passage with food, fun, dancing and lots of good wishes for the guest of honor.
Honoring your child in a Rite of Passage party means establishing a budget you as a family feel comfortable doing so. Does giving your child a grandiose Sweet Sixteen mean you’ve spoiled her for life? No! Does it mean you love her more than the family that has a considerably smaller budget? No! It means that you, as a family, made a decision that best fits your family, period.
A positive side effect of your event is that it does stimulate the local economy. Party planners and event production companies are generally small neighborhood businesses, sometimes family owned, that hire local people and support your community.
A Sweet Sixteen, Quinceañera or a Bat/Bar Mitvah on Long Island and in the New York City area may or may not include items such as: DJs, MCs, lighting, LED or white dance floors, illuminated furniture, glow cubes, staging, event furniture, bar, gobos – speciality lighting, pipe and drape, video montage, outside screens, lighted entranceways, outside decor, personalized items, etc. The decision on what you want to have at your party or not have is completely up to the family that is paying for said party.
Some people save for years to give their child a memory for their Rite of Passage and some are able to afford it without blinking an eye. At the end of the day, what matters most is celebrating milestones in life with friends and family.