A Classic Church Christening for Mr. Small

A Classic Church Christening for Mr. Small

I had not intended on having Bump's Christening early. However, our local church said they were doing baptisms in mid-November. That meant Bump would be two months old. As there are generally no age rules on these sorts of things, the decision was left to us.

Mr. Tall and I were adjusting to the joys of new parenthood. However, having just given birth to Bump, hosting a special event was furthest from my mind. I did not want to deal with the hassle of having a Christening in the middle of a bitterly cold and snowy Winter. Delaying it until Bump was much older also did not make sense. I was eventually swayed, and Mr. Tall and I decided to go ahead with a Christening ceremony in the Fall.

With time being a challenge, I decided to go with "Tatty Teddy" as who doesn't loves a cute and cuddly bear? 

There is very little available for Christenings, especially in the Fall. Although custom made or DIY items are nice and add a personal touch, they can be tough and expensive to get together last minute. With a little over a month to go, Mr. Tall and I had to make quick decisions. We needed a theme, guest list, place, food, cake, and of course a cute outfit. Then there was choosing Bump's official godparents and notifying them.

I ordered Bump`s Tatty Teddy Christening invitations from England, and they arrived pronto!  I framed the invitation to use as part of the decor:

                                          "Tatty Teddy" Christening Invitation


Afternoon Tea or Sunday Brunch after the ceremony was ideal for this special occasion. However, booking Afternoon Tea last minute for a large groups is extremely difficult, especially with Christmas around the corner. Typically I love making appetizers and treats, but it was not practical with a newborn to tend to. It took one quick phone call to one of my favourite brunch spots run by one of the city`s popular chefs, Claudio Aprile, and Sunday Brunch for 20-25 guests was booked!

I wanted Sunday Brunch to be a relaxed affair with a mix of savory and sweet. The Chef was very accommodating, and we served Mac & Cheese for the kids. The adult menu:

 

SUNDAY BRUNCH MENU

Scones + jam + yoghurt

Eggs Benedict: smoked salmon + cream cheese + dill  

French toast : duck confit + blueberries + hoisin + sesame seed brittle + sour cream

Egg White Frittata + buffala mozzarella + ratatouille + pesto

French Toast : banana + coconut + peanut brittle + pineapple

Dulce de leche + lemon sponge + raspberries + yoghurt

Tea + Coffee

The restaurant itself had a nice formal elegance, with a black and bamboo backdrop to keep the atmosphere relaxed. Simple decor was all that was required since it was a large space with it's own ambiance. A Ralph Lauren teddy bear paired with Vera Wang Candles and a Photo Frame tied the Tatty Teddy event theme into our dining space:

 
I made Tatty Teddy Bear cookies for guests to take home. A standard bear cookie cutter, royal icing, and edible marker were all that was required.  On the day of the Christening, I also used them as part of the table setting placed in the centre of each dining plate.
 

At special events the cake is usually the centre of attention, and this one was no different. At Bump's Christening the Noah's Ark Cake was definitely the show stopper:
 

 

The cake itself was a traditional one made for Christmas, Weddings, and Christenings by my mother (very similar to an English fruitcake). We shaped it into an ark, then covered it with fondant and added detail so it looked like aged wood. I was subtle with the final personalized touch, and painted the lifebuoy featuring Bump's initials DCK:

The Noah`s Ark animals were pairs of Tatty Teddy bears dressed as various creatures, similar to the original bears dressed up!  I handmade the creatures out of fondant and they were time intensive (hours dedicated to a labour of love). The kitty cats went on top because they are our favourite! Finally, I hand painted on the animal prints to give each creature their own individual character:

Lions

Elephants

Tigers

Zebras

 Giraffes

 Hippos

Piglets

 

Kitty Cats

The Christening was a huge success and the day memorable! We were happy we kept it intimate. Bump was two months and fell asleep during the afternoon, so we were free to mingle. The venue was fantastic and allowed us to take as much time as we wanted to celebrate the day's event. Our close family and friends appeared to have a very relaxed afternoon. We chatted, enjoyed brunch since dishes had a unique twist, sipped tea and scones, marveled at the cake, and of course doted on the guest of honour, Bump. 
 
The only detail we forgot? Cutting the cake!