Make sure you pick your godparents first – even before you decide on the date of the christening; make sure you’ve chosen the appropriate people to stand for the child. There can’t be a christening if you don’t have any godparents, so you need to pin them down and work your christening party schedule around them.
There’s a chance they’ll want to help organise the party too, and if so, make sure you let them. Include them in the whole day, not just the ceremony – in a way you’re welcoming them into your family too.
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Once you’ve got an idea of when your godparents are free, contact your local church to see how their christening ceremonies are organised. Some integrate it into a Sunday service and do several baptisms at once, though some will allow you to have your own ceremony. Check what the church requires of you as a parent when you’re arranging these dates as well: some will want you to attend a few services before the date of the baptism. Remember when organising the christening to also double check if the church allows photography during the ceremony
Organise the ceremony and christening party for around a month away, to make it easier for your guests to take time off work and make travel arrangements.
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Make sure you ask the priest (and their spouse, where applicable) to the party you’re holding after the christening. Another thing to remember is that generally people bring their children to a christening party, so you need to plan accordingly. Make sure you’re not counting a married couple as two guests if they’ll be bringing four children along with them.
When it comes to invitations, good etiquette is to send out paper invites with all the details already on it. Note on the invites that you want an RSVP, that kids are invited, and with what level of formality you want with your guests to dress. Semi-formal is the assumed attire for christening parties, but if you’re looking for anything in particular when it comes to dress code, specify it early.
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For your venue, the best choice is somewhere nearby the church. Match your choice to your number of guests: if your party will fit into your house then it’s as good a choice as any, but for something a little more special consider the church hall or a local club.
What food you serve also depends on the time of day, but another deciding factor when it comes to the difference between a sit down meal and a buffet is whether or not the christening party will serve as a mini family reunion. If you have relatives who you rarely see coming together, then having a buffet rather than a sit down dinner gives them more of a chance to mingle with each other throughout the christening party. The most important thing to remember when it comes to the food is that you’ll be expected to provide a cake.
It’s also expected that one or both of the godparents give a short toast at the christening party. A few words will do, but if both are uncomfortable with the idea of speaking in front of a room full of people, don’t be afraid to buck tradition and invite someone else to speak, or even speak yourself!
You’re guests are likely going to bring presents for the baby being christened, so make sure you have an area of the party set aside to store them safely. When your party’s over and done with, it’s usually expected that you’ll send out thank you cards to those who attended and gave presents.
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If you’re looking for a way to make your christening party stand out as a little different from the usual afternoon of standing around a buffet table, you can hire in some entertainment to really make it memorable.
When it comes to booking entertainment however bear in mind that you’re booking for children as well as adults. It might be a good idea to hire out entertainment specifically for them – children get bored a lot more quickly than the grownups, and they might grow restless during an evening of chatting and food. There are lots of entertainment options out there specifically designed with children in mind. 7
A magician is a great option – they specialise in holding children’s attention for long periods of time, and you can segment off an area of your venue that’s just for them. This gives the grownups time to mingle without any distractions, and gives the kids something fun to do to keep them occupied. If you really want to push the boat but keep things firmly kiddie-themed, consider hiring something like a Go Kart track. If you have the space and the budget this will definitely keep the kids at your christening party entertained. The adults are bound to love watching it too, and they’re definitely going to be impressed.
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For entertainment that both the grownups and kids at your party can get involved with, you can’t go wrong with hiring a photo booth for the evening. Everyone will want to get in on the action, parent and child alike, and it doubles as the perfect way to memorialise your child’s christening party with the minimum of effort. Most photo booth companies include the option of double printing the photos and placing one set in a guest book for you to keep, which is a perfect way to remember your child’s big day forever.
If you’re looking for musical entertainment during the christening party, your best bet is to choose an instrumental act. Something like a string quartet, guitarist or even harpist is going to be understated and suit the occasion perfectly – as well as being quiet enough that it’s not going to hurt any little eardrums!
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