How To Organise A Christening In Australia

For young parents in Australia who want to raise their child or children Christian, a christening is often the first significant ritual that marks the lifelong commitment to their faith in front of their church, family and friends.

However, it’s also becoming more common for modern Australian families brought up with a Christian background to host a christening as simply a way to celebrate and recognise their new infant.

So How To Organise A Christening In Australia?

In this article, we’re providing some handy tips and ideas for those planning this kind of event, and answering those questions you want to ask when working out how to organise a christening in Australia.

We’ll cover the steps for how to organise a christening below:

1. Choose Your Venue & Church
2. Speak With Your Vicar
3. Pick Your Child’s Godparents
4. Plan The Order Of Events
5. Finalise The Details

Choose Your Venue & Church

The religious, formal part of your christening ceremony will most likely take place in a church; either your local church, or a family church where you or your partner grew up. But afterwards, you’ll want a more relaxed space where your friends, family, and maybe members of your congregation can come together and enjoy more of a relaxed, social celebration.

You want to find a venue that’s a good middle-ground; being both family-friendly whilst having the facilities to cater for a proper party. And lucky you – that’s just what we have at our space in Melbourne here at Canvas House!

Speak With Your Vicar

It’s important to pick someone you trust to deliver your child’s christening service, as it’s a tender, intimate moment that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. Discuss with your vicar if there’s any readings, prayers or hymns you’d like to be read or sung during the service, and if there’s any other small ways you can personalise the ceremony to make it feel truly special to your family.

Some christenings will take place during a regular Sunday church service, and some will be held as a separate, private event. Depending on your church and local vicar or minister, you may be asked some questions about your faith, the details of the baptism, and information about the godparents.

Pick Your Child’s Godparents

You may have already named your chosen godparents at your child’s birth, but if you haven’t, now is the time to decide who you want them to be. The role of a godparent in civil terms is to provide support and guidance for the child, and to look after them if anything should happen to you as parents or primary caregivers.

In a religious sense, godparents promise to encourage the child’s faith and act as mentors. They may be directly involved in the christening by making these religious vows in front of an audience. Pick a friend or family member with similar values, that you trust deeply to have the best interests of your child at heart.

Plan The Order Of Events

Like most formal events such as weddings or funerals, a small order-of-service pamphlet is a good idea, as something you can hand out to your guests to let them know the itinerary of the day. The christening itself will likely only last half an hour or so, but you can detail the hymns, readings and prayers included in the service, as well as providing directions on how to get to the secondary venue, and a brief outline of what to expect during the next part of the event.

You might opt for drinks and nibbles, a formal sit down meal, or a relaxed, casual party. How to organise your christening is up to you, just make sure your guests are aware of what to expect on the day.

Finalise The Details

Once you’ve sent out your invitations (about a month or two before the christening date), focus on the specifics of your event. Traditionally, both boys and girls will wear a white gown on the day of their christening, though you may opt for a suit or other formal attire, or anything that holds particular significance for your faith or your family.

You may wish to decorate your christening venue hire with balloons, floral arrangements or other celebratory items. You can also decide whether you want to gift your child’s godparents during the christening event, to symbolically mark the start of their significant role in your child’s life.

Conclusion

However you want to mark your child’s formal entrance into the Christian faith, or just celebrate their new life in a sacred place, planning ahead will ensure everything runs smoothly. These tips are here to provide you with a guideline on how to organise a christening in Australia, though ultimately, choose what feels right for you and your family.

For a generous event space, pick Canvas House in Melbourne for your child’s christening. We’ll provide the setting for this special occasion, with beautiful high-vault ceilings in a contemporary space, and every facility you’ll need to host a memorable day. We’re a team of friendly, experienced party planners just outside of Melbourne’s city centre, who can also provide some ideas on how to personalise your christening, or simply give you a hand setting up the decorations.

Get in contact with Canvas House today with your event specifications, inquire via email or give us a call on 0478 056 390 to discuss your plans, so we can get started on organising the best christening event for your child.