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I know some of you have had your little ones christened - searched 'christening' and it came up with loads of posts!

I really want my little girl to be christened, but we need to save for our holiday, but really want her christened in June/July.

How much (roughly) did your LO's christening cost? You dont pay for the actual christening do you? Its just the after party bit.

When did you start planning it? When did you ring the Vicar up?? Me and DF have a big family and dont think they will all fit in church on a sunday with the other people, so can we ask for it to be done on saturday?

We dont go to church, I'm christened DF isint, but wished he was.

How old was your LO's when they were christened?

Thanks, and any replies, ifo and advice is really helpful.

Hi Laura,

We're having our little girl christened on the 20th April, she'll be just over 3 months old. We have to get it done soon as the Christening gown my mum made won't fit otherwise! We are hoping she doesn't grow too much in the meantime

We contacted the vicar before she was born but couldn't book it until we had a name for her. When we eventually got round to ringing him after she was born it was 2 months until the first available date. On the form we filled in it didn't matter if me or DF were christened but it did matter for the God parents. All our God parents are christened so not sure if that is a set in stone requirement

DF's nan goes to the church we have chosen so there was no problem booking it but not sure if you need to have a connection with the church. I know the rules for getting married in a church have slackened so wouldn't think you'd have a problem. We could only have it on a Sunday and i haven't heard of anyone having it on any other day.

The christening is free and we're having the party at my sister's hotel so are only paying for food.

There is another baby being christened the same day as Harriet so there will be less room in the church but i don't have a huge family so that's not a problem. Maybe you could ask if you are the only one that day?

Hope this helps

Rusty x

Thanks Rusty, Ruby was born in Jan so hopefully she'll be 5/6 months old. I'm gonna get in touch with the vicar tomorrow, did you know the vicar? Have you been to the church before? I'm abit worried he'll be like 'you've never been to this church before'!
One of my friends frinds baby was christened on a sunday, but before the ceremomy were everybody goes, so might ask him if he can do ours before!

Hope everything goes well

xxx

hey, i had my son christened on his 1st birthday and it was a absolutly brilliant day, we spoke to the vicar in the church and he invited us over and we talked about it

the church dont cost anything and our took place after the sunday service around 12.30 as we was worried as we have big family too,

as for the after party we made our own buffet and it cost me £80 in morrisons for everythign and that fed over 150 people we paid £30 for DJ and nothing for the room, but u can have the afterparty at ur home and just do a spread whateva you like

whateva you do it will be fab

Hi Laura,

Yes we do know the vicar although we don't live in the parish. My DF was choir boy there when he was little We are hoping that he'll agree to marry us even though DF doesn't live there anymore.

I think some vicars are more accommodating than others, do you have a specific church in mind?

Rusty x

Hi - I might not be any good advice wise as I suspect you are talking about a CofE christening but thought i'd share my experience with you anyway! (as its not like the party is denominational is it?!?!) I know a fair bit about christenings as I was an RE teacher before becoming a mum so I do know that in the CofE the rules can be quite strict BUT it is very much down to the individual vicar as to how he wants to interpret those rules - some are tyrants some are totally laid back. If one vicar says no another may say yes. Out of respect at the very least and some vicars will insist on it you should go to church a few times between now and then and make the effort to attend maybe half the sunday services between now and the date you have set - I made sure that in the preceding weeks to DSs I made sure I attended 4 out of the 6 sunday masses. Make sure you turn up over Easter for example!!!
DS was christened 2 years ago at just turned 3 and I wish I'd done it sooner as he did run around the church a bit! So you're picking a good age to do it. With us, I just contacted my priest said I wanted the christening and he was like great no problem. Re godparents, the rules were that at least 1 godparent had to be a baptised roman catholic, and the others could be anything so we ended up with 1 RC, 1 christened CofE and 1 nothing. I wanted a broad range of ideas for my DS as he grew older which is why I chose the godparents I did. I may be Catholic but i'm not a fan of brainwashing!!!!

As for the party - like Kia said - it can cost very little. I have a huge family so made sure I chose a date when the weather was likely to be ok - it was gloriously sunny and hot and we had half the guests out in the garden and half of them in the lounge - with my die-hard brothers drinking in the kitchen! I did the food for next to nothing as I did a buffet of sausage rolls, sandwiches and pasta salad etc and asked key family members like aunties and mums etc to make something to bring. Dad and my step mum offered to provide the drinks - and they bought some beer, wine and soft drinks - I made the cake myself out of normal chocolate sponge covered in melted chocolate and made a cross out of a flake (don't laugh it looked alright actually!!!)

If you wanted you could have the party afterwards in a pub skittle alley or similar so that guests buy their own drinks - that will save you a fortune. Most pubs have a tiny if any charge for hiring out their skittle alley - and if they have a beer garden - all the better for the kids to run around in!

Don't try to do too much - its a special day as it is and it shouldn't have to cost you an arm and a leg!

forgot to say we had ours same as kia - straight after mass - there was no way my dad and his lot would have sat through 90 minutes of mass and then another 30 minutes of christening! So we turned up at 12.30 had the service and the buffet was then lunch.

That was lovely as it was more private - my christening was actually along with a load of other people during mass and i wasn't so keen on that idea for my kids. This next one will be done in August after mass same as DS.

HI

my 3 children were all christened at 2weeks old

for 2 of them we just had food at home after the mass part it saves alot if u have a big family, WE just give the priest a donation of 20pound

Our twins were christened at 9 weeks old and we were the only ones there (large family also), after normal service. We chose the church that we were married in altho had not lived in the parish since then, but my parents did. We were not expected to attend any services beforehand, but did have a home visit to watch a video and have a little talk. We were asked why we did not attend and explained that we felt that you did not have to attend a certain place every week to believe in what you believe, they actually agreed with us. We had the party afterwards at my parents house and had a BBQ in the garden, it was a fantastic day and as everyone says, it doesnt need to cost a small fortune either.

Thanks for all your replies, they have helped alot!

Kia - are you and DP christened??
Im just abit worried as DP isint christened, but he really wished he was christened, one of the reasons why we are having Ruby done.

Rusty - Yeah we have a church in mind, the church I was christened in is were I used to live, so hopefully going to the church in our next village - our village doesnt have a church.

Everhopeful - We are hopefully getting her christened in a methodist church, and they are abit laid back about attending? Or so I've been told anyway!! Thanks for your info, really helped.

Oldmummy - were hoping to have a BBQ/garden party, aslong as we can sort the garden out first!

Thanks again guys.

Quite possibly as (if I recall correctly!) the emphasis is on the bible and more scholarly interpretation of the Christian message rather than group worship - I think of the denominations it is a more private and individual one?.......which would explain why they are more chilled out about attendance. But I've not taught for 2 years now so probably a bit rusty!

You'll have a fabulous day don't worry! And my DP is christened but as a CofE not RC so I don't think they worry about whether you are both "done" or not! As long as one of you is that will be fine I am sure. I think you are doing a really great thing - more people should christen their children and introduce them to ethics and morals - from whatever faith - might go some way to stopping these bloody ASBOS that seem to get handed out like sweeties these days!!!

Good for you! xx

kitkat -
we didn't give our priest a donation.. I knew it was the done thing to donate for weddings but I never thought to give him anything for christenings?!! Oops. We invited him to the lunch tho so we did ply him with nice food and lots of red wine (his fave!) so hopefully that was enough not to offend! Did your priest ask for one or did you just do it out of kindness?

We are having our baptism in may when our little one is 10 months old - with regard to the cost, the church does not require anything - but we have told our guests that there is a silent collection at the chruch ie paper money - that way they all contribute to the church and everyone is happy :-)

hey, the vicar did say we all had to be christened but me and baileys godmother hadnt been but we kinda told a lil white lie and said we had been i know we was bad

everyone else had been so it wasnt a problem its nto asif they can check