tutorials

Category: tutorials

Planning A Christening Checklist - One Small Child

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.

Planning A Christening Checklist

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!

How to measure your baby for a christening gown - One Small Child

How to correctly measure your baby

Sometimes you worry about estimating your baby’s size for ordering the attire for their special day. With the purchase of a simple seamstress measuring tape from the store (very inexpensive) you can measure your little one yourself and order the size you need. Our video shows you how to correctly measure your baby so you get it right.

Painted Feather Tutorial - One Small Child

How to Make a Painted Feather Garland {in 3 Easy Steps}

How to Make a Painted Feather Garland | Christening Party Decorations

We came up with this pretty painted feather garland for our Vintage Christening Party shoot, and love how it turned out! Also: it’s seriously easy to put together, and the options are endless. Here’s how we did it:

Easy Painted Feather Garland Tutorial | Christening Party Decorations

Painted Feather Garland Tutorial

Supplies Needed:

  • Feathers (any size, color will do, it’s all up to you–we used various sizes of white feathers for this garland)
  • Masking Tape
  • Spray Paint
  • String/Rope/Ribbon/Lace to hang your feathers on (we used jute twine & lace)
  • Floral Wire
  • Scissors

Step 1:

Find a surface you can adhere the feathers to, in a well-ventilated space where you can safely spray paint. Grab a feather and place masking tape over the area you want to remain the natural feather color. You can do any pattern: we did some of ours in a chevron shape, others with diagonal or horizontal stripes. Your imagination is the limit!

Step 2:

Spray the feathers with the spray paint. We liked ours with a heavy coat towards the bottom fading to a lighter coat towards the top. Again, it’s all up to your imagination. Just play with it and see what you like best–there’s no right or wrong way! Let the paint dry. It should take just a few minutes (this will depend on how heavily the paint is applied, just be sure it’s dry to the touch) and remove the tape.

Step 3:

Attach the feathers to your string with floral wire by wrapping a bit of wire around the feather and the string. Space the feathers as desired along the string, then hang the garland and ENJOY!

Painted Feather Garland | Christening Party Decorations

Christening Gown Keepsake Bag - One Small Child

After the Ceremony: How to Preserve and Store your Christening Gown or Outfit

Your beautiful event is now over. All the guests have now gone, the decorations have been taken down and all those thank you cards are sent. There’s just one more thing on your to-do list: preserve the outfit. So, what are the best methods of storage for your precious gown? Are there any preservation tips or tricks? How do you keep your gown looking crisp for siblings or generations to come? Today, we’ll teach you how to preserve and store your Christening gown or outfit the right way.

Step 1-Dry clean or hand-wash the baptism gown or blessing outfit as directed on the clothing tag. Why? Stains and body oils can irreparably discolor the fabric. If your item calls for a hand-wash, avoid using harsh soaps, chlorine bleach, fabric softeners, and starch. Rinse the christening dress or outfit well to remove detergent residues.

Step 2-Once the gown or outfit is completely dry, stuff it with clean, acid-free tissue; this will help prevent hard creases that can weaken the fabric. Fold additional tissue into pleats and slip it between layers of fabric.

Step 3-Place the christening outfit in a 100 percent cotton muslin garment bag. Plastic or vinyl bags are unacceptable for long-term preservation since garments need to breathe. For this same reason, you should not seal or wrap a cardboard box containing heirloom christening clothing. Never pack mothballs with your christening apparel since they can ruin fabric over time. Also avoid storing the christening suit or gown with metal items. If you have purchased a bracelet for your special occasion, you can find the perfect display frame here. It’s a good idea to label your storage container (if it is not already monogrammed or personalized) with your child’s name and event or birth date.

Step 4-Store the christening gown in a dark, cool, dry place (for example, in a closet or under a bed). Avoid storing the box or bag in places where temperature or humidity may fluctuate seasonally (for example, a garage or attic). The ideal storage place has a relative humidity of 55 percent and a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is a good idea to check your outfit once in a while to ensure that it is maintaining its beauty. When you handle your christening heirloom, wear cotton gloves–skin oils can discolor fabric.

When you wish to use your treasured christening gown or outfit again, remove it from the storage container and air it out for several days. You may need to steam the item to remove wrinkles; iron only as a last resort, and only on a very low setting.

That’s all there is to it. Now you know how to preserve and store your Christening gown or outfit for generations to come!

Christening Gown Keepsake Bag | One Small Child by Katy Lane

{Our Muslin Keepsake Bags can be personalized with baby’s name and event date embroidered on the front.}

Phoebe Christening Collection - One Small Child

How to Plan A Christening

How to Plan A Christening | One Small Child

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 sessiontrust 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}

planning a christening checklist PDF