When you walk into a celebration at Powerhouse Studios, you feel the energy before you turn on a light. That’s what’s most important for a bar or bat mitzvah party, said Lisa Messing, sales and banquet manager at Powerhouse Studios. When the formalities are over for the bar or bat mitzvah, they want to have a great time with their friends. Dancing. Games. Food. Fun. And parents love that it’s a turnkey party, with the staff handling all the arrangements including the music, emcee and entertainers. “It’s the emcee who motivates the guests and gets them to dance,” said Messing. “The emcee provides hours of high energy to make the party successful.” Food is the other important element of a good celebration, and Powerhouse makes kosher parties easy. They will arrange Glatt Kosher catering for you, or you can bring in the kosher caterer of your choice.
Powerhouse has three different locations, each with a unique atmosphere and décor. New this year is the Pavilion @ Powerhouse Studios East Hanover, a beautifully decorated, tented outdoor party space that can be used on its own or combined with the adjacent Ultra Lounge. “It’s absolutely stunning, not a run-of-the-mill rental tent,” said Messing. “We have beautiful gray, wood-grain flooring, high ceilings, up-lighting and seasonal greenery.” While indoor parties are proceeding as well, following all state and CDC guidelines, Powerhouse added the outdoor option for those who feel it is the best fit for their guests.
The largest party space is the Hollywood Ballroom @ Powerhouse Studios in Paramus. With room to fit up to 325 guests comfortably, the Hollywood Ballroom has the configuration for ceremonies, a cocktail hour, lunch or dinner, dancing and games. Their third location, Vegas NJ, located in Randolph, has a sleeker, more modern setting, but with all the Powerhouse fun. Vegas NJ can accommodate parties of up to 225 guests comfortably.
With 35 years’ experience, owners Sam and Melanie Pellegrino and their team know how to work with clients to plan and execute the best party. They help parents make decisions according to their budget and the child’s personality. The party is personalized not only by theme, such as sports or butterflies, but according to the style that makes the child most comfortable. Some children want to be in the spotlight, and Powerhouse articulates that to the emcee, dancers and game hosts, who make sure the child has a leading role and is the center of attention. Other children want the opposite, and the team makes sure everyone knows to have the child blend in.
The space can be personalized as well as the theme. “The venues are beautifully decorated and can be customized with a multitude of optional branding. You’re not going into a venue with a blank slate,” said Messing. “We help you choose the floor plan with seating and linens all included. Very few people use their own party planner because we fill that role.”
Powerhouse offers different packages and payment plans. You can choose add-ons, like a photo shop where guests get a fun photo favor to take home. “Some clients want small and simple, while others want the hottest, newest, biggest,” Messing said. “If you don’t want the music too loud, tell us and we keep the volume down. Want to shake the roof? We can do that, too. It’s your party.”
When there are afternoon and evening parties in one day, Powerhouse has the resources to completely transform the room between events. “We had an afternoon party with purple and pink butterflies, and that night we had a Yankees theme party,” said Messing. “We transform the space based on the client’s theme and colors.”
When her kids were small, Messing loved to throw parties. As the kids got older, she began working at Powerhouse and has been there about 14 years. She even had her daughter’s bat mitzvah party there. “I was concerned it might feel like I was at work, but I didn’t want it anywhere else,” she recalled. “The party was spectacular and gave me an even better feeling of what we have to offer.”
For more details and photos of Powerhouse Studios, visit www.powerhousestudios.tv. For a tour of any of Powerhouse’s unique venues, call Lisa Messing at 800-287-4613 or email her at [email protected].
