How to throw a christening or naming ceremony for your baby
(28/08/2008)

Mybabycelebration.co.uk has tips for parents looking for inspiration on how to add celebrity style to their baby’s christening or naming ceremony:

1. Create a sense of occasion. For your guests, the invitations are the first taster of what to expect so use them to create a buzz of anticipation around your event. Send them out in plenty of time so that the christening becomes a firm fixture in people’s diaries. Choose a formal style and include a dress code. If guests have made a special effort when choosing an outfit, they will feel the occasion is more special: this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Be aware that guests may have their own interpretation of your dress code – Liz Hurley turned up at Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham’s christening in a dress with a plunging neckline despite the request from Victoria Beckham for “modest attire”.

2. Be prepared for the paparazzi. Naturally the baby and parents are the stars of the show so make sure that the photos show you at your best. Most celebrities choose traditional christening gowns or cute sailor outfits for their babies to distinguish them from the other children. A knee length dress /coat ensemble for Mummy and a smart non-work suit for Daddy usually works well for those proud parent poses after the ceremony. Have a change of clothes handy for your baby in case of accidents or spillages but get someone else to look after the paraphernalia. Find the best way of holding your baby to show him/her off to best effect for the cameras – make sure the position is comfortable as it is likely that you will have to keep this up throughout the ceremony and much of the reception afterwards.

3. Simple and elegant – Many celebrities choose to have the christening reception in a marquee on the lawn at home for reasons of privacy but you don’t necessarily have to have a country mansion to do the same. Go for a sit down lunch if you have the space. Keep decorations simple but co-ordinated - use fresh flowers such as peonies, roses or gerberas in simple posies on tables. Keep linen and crockery white; ban paper plates, banners, balloons or streamers.

4. Be the hostess with the mostest - Get caterers in or buy ready-prepared food and pretend. Don’t do it yourself. You wouldn’t catch a celebrity preparing plates of food in the kitchen or stacking the dishwasher instead of mingling with the guests so hire waiting staff or ask close friends or family to help by doing specific jobs, thus freeing you up to be the sparkling hostess.

5. Keep guests entertained –Try to work the seating plan for the meal so that each guest can talk to someone they know or are likely to get on with. Have an order to the proceedings so that there are no long gaps with nothing to do. Party bags at the table will help to occupy children during the meal. Whilst your budget may not stretch to a celebrity-style goody bag, one or two well thought out gifts are likely to be appreciated more than a big bag of cheap fillers. After lunch, keep the children amused with a kids’ entertainer so that the adults can have a good chat. Have your event finish at a specific time so that guests go home wanting more rather than letting the party fizzle out.