Tag: Planning a Christening

Planning A Christening

Planning a Christening in the near future? Not sure where to start? Today, we’re re-posting a step by step guide for planning a Christening. You’ll be care-free on baby’s big day, knowing everything’s been taken care of.

1-6 months before event:

-Contact the church or clergy member you wish to perform the ceremony. Determine what paperwork/preparation is required.

-Set a date.

-Decide who you want to be in attendance. Who do you choose as Godparents to watch over your child’s religious instruction? Do you want a large or small gathering? Determine how many guests you will have.

-Visualize what kind of event you want. This is the fun part! Will you have an all-inclusive at-home event, an intimate post-ceremony gathering at a restaurant, or a gala bash at a local reception venue? Whether simple or luxe, consider what you want when it comes to location, decor, food, favors, music, clothing, and photography. Depending on who you want to work with, you may need to book services many months in advance.

3-4 weeks before event:

-Order (or create) invitations.

-Go shopping. Ooh! Another fun part! {wink} Find the perfect gown or outfit, or make arrangements for a custom-made or family heirloom garment for baby’s special day. Don’t forget to plan clothing for siblings and parents!

-Schedule a portrait session–trust me, you don’t want to not have photos of your baby in his/her precious outfit! Whether you go for a formal studio session or a natural-light gig, have a list of shots you want the photographer to capture. If possible, allow enough time to have framed prints to display at your event.

2 weeks before event:

-Tie up all loose ends…check in with venues, food providers, photographers, etc.

-Mail christening invitations or simply make phone calls to those with whom you want to share this experience. Be sure they know when and where to show up!

Day before event:

-Gather everything you’ll need for the big day: baby’s clothing and accessories, items to be used in the ceremony, cameras, decorations, etc. Pack the diaper bag. Here’s a great article on what to pack for a Christening.

-Press or steam baby’s finery as well as your own outfit.

-Finish up any last-minute details.

Day of event:

-Take a deep breath and enjoy the companionship of your loved ones in celebration of this blessed day!

Christening Ideas: How to Get Your Baby to the Church

So, you’ve filled a Pinterest pin board with Christening ideas, sent invitations, booked the venue, planned the after-party and packed for the Christening. The big day finally arrives, and you’re preparing to head out to the church. You’re ready, the diaper bag is stocked and you just got baby all dressed up in her gorgeous Christening outfit. Then you realize something. You have no idea how you’re going to fit that big, beautiful gown (with her in it) into the car-seat. And how are you going to keep his freshly-pressed romper from wrinkling where the seatbelt is? … Now what?

We’ve been there. We’ve found that the best solution is to dress Baby after you arrive at the Church if at all possible. Put him in a comfy onesie or one-piece pajamas for the drive-especially if it’s a lengthy one. Leave the socks, and headbands off too! (You won’t want to be missing a sock and retrace your steps to find it laying in a dirty gutter!) Since you’ll most likely have to arrive early anyway, it makes sense to dress baby there. Baby will be in their gorgeous outfit for less time before the ceremony, which means blow-outs or spit-ups are less likely to soil it before its big debut. Give yourself plenty of time for a fresh diaper change before dressing. The more you can take your time, the more you’ll be able to talk and play with baby-so he’s sure to show his best smile for all your guests.

If there’s no way you can dress the baby at the site, purchase an outfit that will fit in the car seat and allow baby to be fastened in. Choose booties that can be laced on baby’s tiny feet instead of just socks that are likely to slip off in transit. Splurge on a matching bib that you can remove just before the ceremony so baby’s drool and spit-up won’t soak the outfit before it even begins.

After we arrived at the church on my daughter’s big day, we realized her headband was nowhere to be found. I was so glad my sister-in-law had a spare white one in her diaper bag for me to borrow. Lesson learned: pack an extra headband and socks! You never know when those things will slip off and be lost forever!

Free Printable: What to Pack for a Christening

We’re all about making your special events go more smoothly! When planning a Christening or Baptism, you’ve got a lot on your plate! Between scheduling venues and officiators for the event to food and decorations for the after-party (not to mention catering to your out-of town guests!) we know you’re starting to feel the stress! Among everything you have to worry about, you have to pack all that you’ll need for your baby’s event. The last thing you want is to forget something at home and have to make a flying trip to get it — or worse, go without it. Let us help! We’ve come up with a free printable checklist of what to pack for a Christening. You can pack up baby’s things with confidence that you’ve got everything. Or better yet, assign someone else to pack! With one less thing to worry about, you’ll have time to enjoy your baby, guests, and event! After all, that’s what it’s all about!

{Print your free What to pack for a Christening checklist here}

Did we miss anything? Please share what else you found helpful to have on your Christening or Baptism day!

How to Plan A Christening

It’s coming up, where do you start? Today we’re re-posting our step-by-step guide detailing how to plan a christening or blessing, along with a convenient printable checklist for you (in two versions – one for Christening, one for Blessing):

How to Plan A Christening

Congratulations on your new (or soon-to-be) bundle of joy! Somewhere in the jumble of emotion, change, and busyness that is the first year of your baby’s life is a once-in-a-lifetime event: your baby’s christening or blessing.

The timing of your christening or blessing is largely up to you and is influenced by family circumstances, tradition, and religious affiliation. Whether you are blessing your newborn or baptizing your 18-month child, the planning process is the same. Here’s a basic checklist to get you started:

1-6 months before the event:
Step 1-When: Contact the church or clergy member you wish to perform the ceremony. Determine what paperwork/preparation is required. Set a date.
Step 2-Who: Decide who you want to be in attendance. Who do you choose as Godparents to watch over your child’s religious instruction? Who do you want to stand in the blessing circle? Do you want a large or small gathering? Determine how many guests you will have.
Step 3-Visualize: This is the fun part! Will you have an all-inclusive at-home event, an intimate post-ceremony gathering at a restaurant, or a gala bash at a local reception venue? Whether simple or luxe, you need to consider what you want when it comes to location, decor, food, favors, music, clothing, and photography. Depending on who you want to work with, you may need to book services many months in advance.

3-4 weeks before the event:
Step 4-Invite: Order (or create) and mail christening invitations or simply make phone calls to those with whom you want to share this experience. Be sure they know when and where to show up!
Step 5-Shop: Ooh! Another fun part! {wink} Find the perfect christening/blessing gown or outfit, or make arrangements for a custom-made or family heirloom garment for your baby’s special day. Don’t forget to plan clothing for siblings and parents!
Step 6-Portraits: Schedule a portrait session—trust me, you don’t want to not have photos of your baby in his/her precious outfit! Whether you go for a formal studio session or a natural-light gig, have a list of shots you want the photographer to capture. If possible, allow enough time to have framed prints to display at your event.

2 weeks before the event:
Step 7-Finalize: Tie up all loose ends…check in with venues, food providers, photographers, etc.

The day before the event:
Step 8-Pack: Gather up everything you’ll need for the big day: baby’s clothing and accessories, items to be used in the ceremony, cameras, decorations, etc. Pack the diaper bag. Press or steam baby’s finery as well as your own outfit. Finish up food and decor details.

Day of event:
Step 9-Relax: Take a deep breath and enjoy the companionship of your loved ones in celebration of this blessed day!

{Free Printable Checklist}