A few days after I photographed her Bat Mitzvah rehearsal, I joined Ariel and her family at Spertus Institute for the big celebration.
Ariel was decked out to the nines and ready for her party!
She and I spent a few minutes beforehand taking pictures outside of Spertus.
Her dad gave her a big hug before going inside.
Then he held the elevator door for us…
…so we could go to the rooftop for some family photos.
After we finished, she wanted some photos with her best friend!
The whole family watched as she checked out the party site for the first time.
It’s pretty obvious which floor the kids were on!
Ariel’s sister and best friend shared a hug.
Then the friends gave speeches in honor of Ariel.
The design of the party was incredible. Joede Berman helped out with the planning of the day.
Kehoe Designs gave Spertus a unique look for Ariel.
The table cards were positioned above…
…these floating flowers.
Check out these centerpieces…
The theme of the party was all about Ariel… she even had her own acronym- R.E.L.
…which described Ariel perfectly!
After speeches, dancers came out and performed with Ariel.
They were putting on a great show.
Guests couldn’t help but join in, too.
Ariel’s little brother was quite a showman.
Ariel’s mom was having a great time dancing.
So was her dad.
Then there was the grand finale…
…before Ariel thanked her guests for their support.
A barefoot speech. Awesome!
Her stepfather shared his happiness.
One of Ariel’s older brothers.
Her mom was beaming with pride as she spoke about her daughter.
There was a slideshow of moments from Ariel’s life.
All of Ariel’s siblings participated in making a video to congratulate her.
It was really funny!
Big hugs all around…
…then it was time to chow down! Wolfgang Puck Catering prepared a delicious meal.
Father and daughter share a moment.
And her brother got things started on the dance floor. Check out that move!
I wonder if he’s available for my next party…
Next up was the Hora!
Dad had his turn as well.
The Hora wrapped up…
…but the dancing was just getting started.
The kids had a dance floor separate from the adults.
They were all having a great time.
This kid gets the “best face of the night” award!
The party even made it’s way to the elevator!
Thanks for letting me join your party, Ariel! Congratulations on your Bat Mitzvah!