Christening guest list and invitations

Who do you invite to a christening?

A christening is traditionally a family occasion rather than a large social event. The core is the child's nearest relatives: grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings — and the godparents, who have a formal role in the ceremony. Around this, many add a few of the parents' closest friends. The result is often a list of 15–40 people, noticeably smaller than a confirmation or wedding.

The hard part is not the obvious names but the borderline ones: distant relatives, neighbours, colleagues, the wider friend group. A useful test is to ask whether the person would feel close enough to celebrate this day privately with you. A christening is one of the few occasions where a small gathering is fully accepted — you do not need to invite broadly to be polite.

• Automatic: the godparents, grandparents, and the child's aunts, uncles and siblings
• Often included: great-grandparents, the parents' very closest friends, godparents' partners
• Decide deliberately: distant relatives, neighbours and colleagues — a small, intimate christening is entirely normal and needs no apology

Build the guest list

Start by writing down every possible name without filtering — grandparents, godparents, friends, all in one list. Then mark each name as 'core' or 'extended'. Core are the people who are coming no matter what; the extended group is where you decide based on how large a gathering you want and how much your venue holds.

Count heads, not households, and add partners and guests' children early — that is where the list grows fastest. Confirm the number with the reception venue before sending invitations, so you never have to withdraw one later. Settle the godparents' names well in advance, since they often have a role both in the church and at the reception.

• Make one combined list first, then label each name 'core' or 'extended'
• Count actual people including partners and children — not the number of families
• Confirm the maximum with the venue before invitations go out, so you never have to take a place back

When and how to send the invitation

A good rule of thumb is to send the christening invitation roughly 4–6 weeks ahead. That gives close guests time to arrange travel and accommodation, but is not so early that the day slips out of the calendar. If many guests are travelling far, or the christening falls during a holiday period, send a short save-the-date even earlier so people hold the date.

The most common trap is forgetting that a christening usually has two addresses: the church where the ceremony takes place, and a separate venue — home, a restaurant, or a hired room — for the reception afterwards. Both must be stated clearly, with the time the ceremony begins. You can create the invitation itself at Zenframe Invite at zenframe.eu/lag-invitasjon/daap, which is built specifically for christening invitations.

• Send the invitation around 4–6 weeks ahead; add a save-the-date earlier if guests travel far or the date is in a holiday period
• Always give both locations: church/ceremony with a start time AND the reception address afterwards
• Create the invitation itself at zenframe.eu/lag-invitasjon/daap

RSVPs and practical info for guests

Ask for replies by a firm date, ideally 1–2 weeks before the christening, so you have time to give a final headcount to the venue or caterer. A shared link where guests answer yes or no is easier to track than scattered texts and phone calls, and you see the whole status in one place.

Guests need a few practical answers beyond the time and place. Common questions are whether children are welcome at the reception, whether there are any wishes around gifts, and how long the gathering runs. If you are serving a meal, collect allergies and dietary preferences in the same reply — that saves an extra round of messages just before the day.

• Set an RSVP deadline 1–2 weeks ahead so you can give a final count to the venue or caterer
• Gather yes/no in one place via a shared link instead of scattered texts
• Ask for allergies and dietary needs in the same reply, and clarify early whether children are welcome and any gift wishes

Guest list, invitation and RSVP in Zenframe

In Zenframe Events at zenframe.no/event you gather the whole christening in one place: the guest list, RSVPs, tasks, budget and the day's programme. Guests reply via a shared link without creating an account, and you see who is coming as replies arrive — no counting texts by hand. You can also collect addresses, allergies and plus-ones in the same flow.

You create the invitation itself at Zenframe Invite at zenframe.eu/lag-invitasjon/daap, which has dedicated christening templates with room for both the church and the reception. The task and budget tools help you keep the practical side under control, from cake and flowers to who collects the grandparents.

• Guest list, RSVP, address collection, tasks, budget and the day's programme together at zenframe.no/event
• Guests reply via a shared link without an account — you see status as it comes in
• Create the christening invitation itself with ready-made templates at zenframe.eu/lag-invitasjon/daap

Quick tips for the christening invitation

• Keep the guest list small and close — an intimate christening of 15–40 is entirely normal and needs no apology.
• Send the invitation 4–6 weeks ahead; add a save-the-date earlier if guests have to travel far.
• Always state both locations: the church with a start time AND the reception address afterwards.
• Set an RSVP deadline 1–2 weeks ahead so you can give a final count to the venue or caterer.
• Ask for allergies, plus-ones and whether children are coming in the same RSVP — one round, not three.

FAQ