We are so excited to have a guest post today!  Paperlust creates amazing invitations for any special event.  Check out some of their great christening invitation tips and designs below.  Enjoy!

Christening Planning Guide: Christening Invitations

A christening, baptism or dedication is a joyous time for a family, celebrating and thanking God for the gift of a new baby. It makes sense to want this sort of occasion to be perfect! One of the most important things to plan is the christening invitations. They not only ensure all your guests get to the right place at the right time, but they often serve as treasured mementos for years to come. We’ve put together this guide to getting them right.

Who to invite to a christening or baptism

The baptism of a child is usually a family event, with the child’s cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents invited. Close friends of the family are often invited as well, especially if they are religious. It’s always a good idea to check with the church before you send out your invitations to see if there is a limit on the number of guests you can bring. If so, you might choose to limit the number of guests at the actual christening but host a big after party that everyone can attend. Just make sure to specify this on the invitation.

When to send your christening invitations

Christening invitations should be sent out 4-6 weeks in advance of the big day to give guests ample time to plan and leave the day free. The early lead-time is especially important if anyone is going to be traveling in order to attend. In fact, it’s a good idea to give any key guests (your parents, the godparents of the child) as much notice as possible via a courtesy email or phone call so there’s no danger of them missing the occasion.

Wording your christening invitations

When writing christening invitations, you should make sure to give guests all the information they need to be able to attend. This includes:

 

• • Who: specify who is being invited, who is being christened, and who is hosting the event (usually the parents of the baby). You might also include the names of any godparents.
  • What: be clear about what guests are being invited to. Is it a baptism, a christening or a dedication? Are you inviting guests to a religious ceremony, a party to celebrate, or both?

 

• When: include both the date and the time of the event so guests know when to show up

 

• • Where: give guests the location in two ways – the name of the church or other venue, and the street address.

 

• Dress code: this is especially important if the event is taking place in a religious setting. Is there a dress code at the church? Is it a formal occasion or something more laid-back?

• RSVP details: make sure guests know when you need confirmation of their attendance, and give them the details you’d like them to use to let you know.

 

 

For example:

 

You are invited to join us for the christening of

Emma Joanne Johnson

May 7, 2018, 11:00am

St. John’s Presbyterian Church

25 Manifold Street

Warrnambool, 3280

 

A luncheon will follow
Smart casual attire

RSVP by April 30

04523789

Most popular styles of christening invites

Christening invitations are usually quite restrained, but this depends on both preference and the nature of your event. The more formal and religious the christening or baptism is, the more simple it should be. Some common themes in christening invites are:

 

• Religious iconography – crosses and crucifixes, saints, doves, candles
• Typography – pretty script text accents
• Photographic – either a photo of the baby alone or a family photo
• Floral – illustrations of flowers or subtle floral patterns
• Lace – illustrations, patterns, or actual lace added to the invitation suite

 

Many people choose to keep the design elements simple but embellish the invitations with a premium print type like letterpress or silver foil.

 

When you’re going to all the effort of planning a christening – choosing godparents, liaising with the minister or priest, finding the perfect christening gown and planning the after party – it’s important to get the right invitations for the day. Using this guide, you’re sure to have no problem settling on the perfect invites for your baby’s christening or baptism.