Make Your Own Christening Invitations

A christening is an event practiced by numerous Christian faiths. At this event, the baby is bestowed with his or her Christian name and baptized by a member of the clergy. In some cases, a christening is practiced to welcome the baby into the faith community. Then there are denominations that begin with a christening to start the child on his or her spiritual path, and end with a confirmation when the child is old enough to make decisions regarding religious faith on his or her own. In some cases the child attends and graduates from religious education. Regardless of the type, christening invitations are a must to request the presence of friends and family at this joyous event.

There are online companies where you can order customize your invitations and review a sample proof before they are printed and mailed to you. Shopping via Internet can save you money and gives you a wider selection than any traditional store. You get to choose a christening invitation template, then customize it with your own text and sometimes your own illustrations. One popular style to consider is a photo invitation, which of course features a photo of your little one in place of an illustration.

You'll find that christening invitation styles range from traditional to eclectic and everything in between. Some are done in soft shades like cream with pastel accents (usually pink or blue depending on the gender of the baby.) Others might feature bright graphics or, as mentioned before, a color photo of the child. Whatever style you go with, it is helpful to have a grasp on traditional wording and etiquette for your invitations. There are no strict rules you have to follow, however there is certain information that no christening invitation should be without.

First, you will want to begin the invitation with something like, 'We respectfully request the honor of your presence at the christening of our daughter, Jane Smith.' The name of the child should be emphasized in some way and followed by the date, time and location. After that, the hosts names (usually the parents) will be listed, for example 'Hosted by John and Joan Smith.' If there are refreshments or a celebratory event to follow this should be listed as well. Finally, there should be an RSVP request with contact information and RSVP deadline.

With the right stationery computer software, you can design and print your own custom christening invitations. Many programs on the market today have different templates from which you can choose, then customize with your own text and graphics. In some cases there will be different invitation templates, so you just choose the christening invitation style you like best and customize it with your information. If your group of invitees is small, handmade invitations are even more special and something you can treasure as an heirloom souvenir from the ceremony. When printing or hand crafting invitations, make sure to use card stock or heavy paper so the invites won't tear or wrinkle easily.