If you're considering a naming ceremony - here's everything you need to know about what they are and how to make them the perfect celebration!
What is a naming ceremony? A naming ceremony is a celebration of your beautiful baby or child and is an opportunity to welcome them in to the family and tell the world how wonderful they are! If you love the idea of a Christening or a Baptism but you're not religious, a naming ceremony is the perfect alternative. They are also a great way to celebrate a newly adopted child or the coming together of two families to create a new blended family.
What happens at a naming ceremony? During a naming ceremony, you can tell everyone about your baby or child's arrival into the family and tell everyone about their little personality and what makes them so special. You can share the meaning behind their name and the reasons why you chose it. You can also choose to appoint guideparents or guardians who will have an influence on your child's life, and the parents and guideparents can make promises to the child to be the best they can be. If the naming ceremony is to celebrate a newly blended family, you can talk about the coming together of the two seperate families and everyone can make promises to each other about sharing their new lives together.
Can you include readings and music? Yes! You can include whatever you like and that is the beauty of working with a celebrant; I will give you inspiration and ideas of how we can bring your naming ceremony to life. You can invite siblings of the baby to do readings or perhaps some of their adult relatives or family friends.
How can you make them personal? Every naming ceremony is bespoke and I will write it specifically for your child so naturally it will be personal from the very start! But if you want to make it even more personal, you can use extracts from stories that your child enjoys or include music and songs that they love. You can also include different symbolic elements to the naming ceremony such as sand blending, wish trees, flower planting or a time capsule. The possibilities are endless.
How long is a naming ceremony? Every ceremony is slightly different depending on how many readings, songs or extra elements you include, but most naming ceremonies are around 20 - 30 minutes.
Where can you hold a naming ceremony? Anywhere you like! There aren't any special requirements needed for a naming ceremony venue so the choice is yours. Most people choose a venue that is meaningful to them, perhaps a family member or friend's home, or a restaurant or place that you visit frequently and is one of your favourites. You could even make it really special and choose to hold the naming ceremony at your wedding venue, or the place where you first met!
How will you make it special? I'm a mummy myself to two beautiful boys so I understand how special they are. They completely change your world and become the loves of your life! I will bring this love to your child's naming ceremony and make sure that we give them a really special day. I will give you ideas on how you can make it personal to you and my experience as a celebrant means that I will make sure the day itself runs smoothly and gives the whole family a beautiful day you will remember forever.
Are naming ceremonies just for babies? No! You can have a naming ceremony at any age. They can be a celebration of an older child who has been newly adopted, or it could be a celebration of a newly blended family and step children. You can have a naming ceremony for a transgender person as they start their new journey or you could even have a naming ceremony as a celebration of a fresh start after a divorce or relationship breakup!
If you have any other questions or want to start planning a naming ceremony you can email info@lauracrockettcelebrant.com or get in touch using the form below!