A baby’s entry into the church should be marked with pomp and color. After all, it only happens once. This is why you should go out of your way to make the event fun and memorable. While the baby might whine and squirm as she’s blessed with water, it is a day to be cherished as she gets to join the church officially. One of the key aspects of a memorable christening is the dress code of all in attendance. After all, you will be taking lots of photos and even shooting videos. You want everyone looking their best.
Here are some tips on how to dress for a christening or baptism ceremony.
Dressing the Baby
It will be your baby’s day. She’ll be the center of attention and you need to dress her for the part. Ideally, the baby should be dressed in all white. This symbolizes her purity. As a tradition, some families have a baptism gown that is handed down through the generations. If this is the case, you have little option but to dress them in it. Otherwise you’ll be required to shop around. If you are shopping for a girl, you can get tastefully designed baby christening dresses from TCB. For a boy, you can opt for a simple white suit. You can complete the outfit with a pair of booties and a white cap. Make sure to find out whether there are guidelines on dressing from church leaders before picking an outfit. To keep out the cold, you can buy a blanket to keep the baby covered throughout the ceremony. It will also help keep the clothes clean.
Older Children
Soothing a finicky infant while trying to shush cranky older siblings during the baptism ceremony is not exactly what you signed up for. Make sure the older kids are smartly dressed and comfortable. Uncomfortable kids can get fidgety and annoying and will distract you from what is taking place in the ceremony. Consider the temperature inside the church and the dressing guidelines before picking an outfit. For a girl, you can go with a sundress and a sweater or even a skirt and blouse combination. A pair of corduroys or khakis can go well with a collared shirt for boys.
Parents and Godparents
As parents of the baby, you will play a big role during the ceremony. You are expected to support the baby as they are being baptized and also make the vow to help the baby become a faithful adult. It is imperative that you dress the part. Comfort should be the main consideration for the mother given that she gave birth recently. As the mother, you can opt for a soft dress or a pantsuit. Make sure whatever you wear allows for breastfeeding. For the dad, they can wear a collared short sleeved shirt with dress pants. Alternatively, they can opt for a full suit.
Guests
If you have guests that do not attend church regularly, you might want to give them a guideline on the dress code. This also applies to those who have never attended your church before. Splash on some color as it’s a happy occasion. Ladies can sport floral dresses or pastel pantsuits and fit in at any church. Gents can opt for a full suit or a jacket and khaki pants. They can also leave out the jacket and instead go with a dress shirt.
The key to dressing for a christening ceremony is to keep it decent and stylish. You do not want to attend the function looking like you were going out to the club for a night out. Some color won’t do you any harm as long as you do not overdo it. You also need not overspend as it is not an overly flashy ceremony unless the dress code says otherwise.
