Once your little one arrives, you’ll have a
lot of things to think about. Eventually, organising a christening or a baptism
might be on that list. Every family does this in a different way, and it
normally centres around their religious beliefs. Yet this is not important to
every new family. One thing that rarely changes about the event however, is the
part that happens after all of the formalities. The party.
Knowing What Type of Party to Have for a Christening
Are you inviting a lot of guests to your
baby’s christening? If so, there may be those who have to travel from quite far
away to attend, and so their needs will have to be considered. If you are
having a smaller, more intimate gathering, your plans can probably be more
relaxed and less formal, as you’ll have less people to deal with! Knowing who
you are going to invite, and the expected numbers, is the first step in
organising a party of any kind.
Venue
Once you have all of the numbers, there’s
one thing that you’ll need to decide quickly on, and that is a venue for all of
your guests. Many new parents have their parties in their own home, which is
great for a small group. If you are expecting a crowd however, the pressure of
catering for so many people means that it’s probably best to look into hiring
somewhere that can take care of all of the details for you. After all, you’ll
have your guests to talk to and a baby to look after! There are loads of
christening party venues for hire in London, so you won’t be stuck for ideas.
Think about what it is you want out of the party and focus on that idea. Whether
it is formal or informal, a large venue or small, you’re sure to find something
that suits you and your new family perfectly.
Location
When picking out the venue you’ll also have
to consider some practicalities. How far away is it from where the service is
being held? How will people get there? Is there adequate parking for all of
your group? While it might seem like the perfect place, your guests are going
to be annoyed if it is difficult for them to get to, or there is a large distance
between it and the service venue. You’ll need to consider how easy it is to
park at the venue as well, as many of your guests might have cars with them.
Deciding the Date
The date will most likely be decided by
when the service can be arranged. If you are having a Naming Day as opposed to
a religious service, you will be able to be much more flexible with this. It’s
best to organise the date well in advance so you can book the venue in plenty
of time and it’s much more likely that all of your guests will be free to
attend. Think about when you think your family is really going to be ready for
a christening party when you have a new addition to take care of.
Invites
Invites need to go out to all of your
guests as soon as you have settled on the date and venue. They need to contain
where the service is and what time it’s at, where the christening party is, as
well as some other vital pieces of information. This includes whether there is
a dress code, and if there are going to get a meal at the party or not. You
should also mention how long its expected to last, and if children are invited
along as well. The more information that you can give your guests, the more relaxed
everyone will be.
Catering
It’s not uncommon to just have a buffet at
a christening party, and it certainly won’t look out of place. This helps to
keep the costs down and introduces a much more relaxed and party-like feel. If
you already have a large group attending, and there are a lot of people from
out of town, they might expect something more substantial. Enquire with your
venue about set menu options for your group – you’ll be surprised at the offers
they might be able to provide you. As always, keep in mind any dietary
requirements of your guests, as you don’t want anyone going hungry.
Bar
You’ll need to decide early on how long the
party is going to go on for, and if you’re encouraging the adults to head to
the bar. If it finishes early, that’s a clear sign to keep the drinking to a
minimum, although you might want the time to catch up with friends and family and
celebrate the addition of your new arrival with them properly.
Kids
Will there be a lot of other children in
attendance? If so, you’ll need to take this into consideration, and provide a
few fun activities that they can do on their own while the adults have a drink
and chat. There’s nothing worse than a room full of bored kids, so think this through
carefully. The parents will be thanking you for your foresight, as it means
that they’ll be at liberty to stay a little bit longer.
A christening party is one of the best
types of celebrations. A new life into the world and a new addition to your
family is the perfect reason to host a party. Whether you go for a religious
service or not, organising an event where everyone can join together and have a
chat is an amazing way to celebrate baby.
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