A child’s christening is one of the first decisions that every parent must make. If you decide to have your child christened there are some things to keep in mind to make the whole ordeal less stressful for you, the proud parents. Decide first whether you want it to be a small affair with just family and close friends with a buffet after the ceremony or if you want to have a large christening party. After you have decided on the scale of the celebration here are some things to keep in mind.
1 Talk to the Vicar
Talk to the vicar of your church to set up the perfect date and time for your child’s christening. Keep in mind that you will need to confirm dates with close family if they live out of town. Make sure to ask whether photography and video are allowed as some churches do not allow this.
2 Choose the God Parents
The God Parents are traditionally spiritual advisors for your little one. Keep this in mind when selecting from your friends and family. Choose responsible people that you yourself would depend on in a time of crisis. Make sure they are free on the day that you have planned the event on and ask them if they are interested in helping you plan the event.
3 Make a Gift List
Decide before hand whether or not you want people to bring gifts. If you do not want gifts you must put that on the invitations that you send out. If you would like gifts it is helpful to start a list of things that you may want for your guests to choose from.
4 Pick out the Perfect Outfit
The perfect outfit is required for your little one’s special day. You can pick up everything from tailor made christening gowns and outfits to second hand outfits, and everything in between. Keep in mind not to buy it too much in advance of the ceremony as babies grow quite quickly and you want to ensure that the outfit still fits on that special day.
5 Plan the party
Often, a christening party can make a special day truly memorable. Make sure to send out the invitations with plenty of advance time so that people can rearrange their schedules if they need to. Ensure that people RSVP so that you know how many people will be coming. Book a professional photographer if the church allows pictures so that you can be sure that this day is professionally recorded for posterity. It is up to you whether you decide to hire a caterer or make the food yourself. If you are making the food yourself make sure that the venue that you have it in allows you to do last minute heating up of food and has a refrigerator to keep things cold until the last minute. Get a few of your friends to set up the food while people are congratulating you so that the food is all ready to go when the banquet portion starts.