subject: Planning a Christening Reception [print this page] Planning a Christening Reception Planning a Christening Reception
After the Christening service or naming ceremony has taken place, you will probably be looking forward to celebrating the occasion with a decent bash afterwards.
If your child has been christened in a church, remember to invite the vicar to your party. It is considered bad form if you do not extend this courtesy to him or her.
After the service, which usually takes place in the morning, everyone will be ready for a good square meal. Make sure you know how many guests will be attending, and book your preferred venue well in advance to avoid disappointment.
A child friendly venue in which to host your christening do', is essential. The last thing you want to have to endure is the exasperated expressions of fellow diners as the little ones run riot!
Make sure that the venue has menus for children, or, failing this, is happy to offer bite sized portions for tiny tummies. Otherwise, the bill might just take the edge off your appetite.
Also check if any of your guests have special dietry requirements, and that your chosen venue is able to cater for their particular needs. Vegetarian or gluten free diets are much more common than we might think.
Also take into account the fact some guests might be dieting; in which case you will want to tempt them with a delicious selection of healthy options they will enjoy as much as calorie loaded no-nos.
If your party is sizeable, then the restaurant may ask you to circulate menus in advance, so it can plan ahead accordingly. Make sure everyone gets a menu, is aware of the deadline for choosing what they would like, and that they know who to contact with their choices.
Traditionally, the baby who is to christened is dressed in his or her smartest Sunday best. You guests will also appreciate a little direction when it comes to what to wear. Let them know the order of the day on that front to avoid embarrassment on their part.
If you are really preparing to push the boat out, celebration wise, then you might want to give your guests a welcoming flute of champagne. Ensure you order this in advance, and that said champers has been put on ice long before your party is scheduled to arrive.
Your guests will want to buy the christened cherub something special to commemorate the occasion. Therefore, make sure you have sufficient space for the safekeeping of these gifts inside the restaurant or hotel you have chosen as your venue.
Also extremely important is the availability of decent baby changing facilities, as chances are, other guests have cherubs of their own. It might be worth enquiring about milk warming and sterilisation facilities so that the star of the show doesn't receive a bad wake-up call in the form of an ugly disruption to his routine.
Personalising christening gifts has been popular for generations. This will take the headache out of choosing that special gift. It will also ensure any engraving will be done in time for the event.
