Guide to Planning a Christening After Party on Long Island


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"God grant your little one all the blessing of His gentle love"

A Christening may very well be one of the most important days of a baby's life. It is a day to welcome the new little one to this world, their family, their community and their church. This is the day that the child is publicly introduced to and accepted by God. It is also a special day to celebrate the birth of a child with loved ones. Planning the Christening after party should be joyous, and we will help you stay joyful throughout the planning!

  • Is there a specific geographic area you would like to restrict your search to?
  • Knowing what region you do or don't want your after party to be located in can easily help rule out several hundred catering halls. Of course the more specific your desired geographic area, the fewer options you have to work with. This fact may be very welcome to some overwhelmed party planners, but may seem frustrating to others who look forward to being given a variety of catering hall options. A good compromise is to first limit your geographic area to a very specific area. If you are not pleased with the choices of catering halls in that region, then slowly expand your search to the surrounding areas until you are happy with the number of choices being offered, as well as with the distance. Of course, the geographic area of your after party may very well be decided by where the actual Christening will be taking place. You don't want to plan the after party too far from where the church is.

  • Is there a specific type of catering hall (i.e. hotel, vineyard, restaurant, etc.) you would like to restrict your search to?
  • Limiting your catering hall search to the type of catering hall is another way to quickly narrow down your top choices. Knowing exactly the type of catering hall you would like to use can help organize your event quickly and efficiently. However, being flexible with the type of catering hall you choose can often result in a unique event that impresses all of your guests, including yourself! Would you rather have a more formal after party that takes place at a hotel? Or, would you rather a more laid back hall that allows for adults to relax and for children to roam freely?

  • What is the date of your Christening after party?
  • This may be an obvious "to do", but it is nevertheless an important factor in selecting the perfect catering hall for your after party. Just like selecting airline tickets, the more flexible you are the more likely it is to get better rates, options and availability. Of course, the Christening after party will obviously take place right after the Christening. Before deciding if the Christening should take place during a Sunday service or on a separate date, you may want to think about how many people you plan to invite who do not regularly attend your church. If it's a small number, then it might be a good idea simply to invite them to your regular church service. If you plan to invite a large number of guests that will not be able to fit in the church along with the regular members, then you should plan your event for a separate time. If out of town guests are expected, it might be a nice idea to plan the Christening for a weekend.

  • How formal an affair do you want your after party to be?
  • The level of formality of your after party doesn't necessarily equate to the level of pricing of the catering hall. Instead, it can help you to select an appropriate type of hall if given the choice. If you were hoping for a more laid back affair, then perhaps a formal hotel ballroom isn't the perfect catering hall for you, despite the large number of people it can hold.

  • Is there a specific theme you would like to portray?
  • Selecting a theme for your after party could really enhance the overall experience for the guests of honor as well as for everyone else. Of course, the theme of your Christening after party may very well be simply the child in honor. This means that you may want to choose a location that is of sentimental value to the child's parents.

  • How many people will you be hosting at the after party?
  • The number of anticipated guests will undoubtedly help limit your catering hall choices, especially if it's a large number. This is true in terms amount of space and the pricing per plate of food. Depending on your budget, this could be the determining factor of where your event should be located at. If you are hosting a smaller number of people, then you may have more options in terms of unique catering halls, such as restaurants, outdoor spaces, or mansions.

  • Will you be requiring onsite food catering?
  • Most of the catering halls we showcase on our website include food catering. However, some do not and will require additional cost and planning in order to provide quality food for your guests. Some Christening after parties simply offer a light brunch in a buffet style. These are options you would want to discuss with the potential catering hall staff.

  • How much do you expect to spend per plate?
  • As mentioned earlier, where your after party is located will largely - if not completely - depend upon how much you are able and/or willing to spend per plate. If you are especially interested in a specific catering hall, but the cost per plate is higher than you were expecting, you may need to either rethink that catering hall or the number of people you invite to the event. Keep in mind that buffet service or food stations could drastically help cut your costs.

  • Will you be requiring a Kosher, Vegetarian or Vegan menus?
  • Many catering halls do offer Kosher, Vegetarian or Vegan menus. If this is a must for your event, make sure your catering hall choice has this option.

  • Will you be requiring a full service bar or food stations/carving stations?
  • Most catering halls (especially hotels and large halls) will offer this service in a customized party package. If the catering hall of your choice does not offer this service in a package be sure to inquire about the additional costs and how it may or may not affect the overall scheduling of your event. You may want to think about simply offering wine and beer service in order to keep costs down.

  • Will you be requiring a catering hall that provides party favors?
  • Perhaps not surprisingly, these days many catering halls automatically offer you a selection of party favors to choose from in order to streamline your party planning. Most of these favors, however, are geared for wedding parties, and may not be appropriate for Christenings. If you are not happy with the favor selection, see if the catering hall of your choice can offer different ones, or be prepared to supply your own if necessary.

  • Would you prefer a location with attached or nearby accommodations for out of town guests?
  • If your answer to this question is yes, then you should highly consider hotels as your choice of catering hall. However, pay special attention to non hotel catering halls that are in close proximity to other hotel accommodations. Most halls should have this information ready at hand.

  • Will you be requiring a party planner?
  • If you book your Christening after party at a formal catering hall, chances are you will be provided with an in-house party planner that can help ensure that your event goes smoothly. If you are not provided with one, but you are still interested in having a party planner, keep in mind that Long Island party planners have a wide range of rates, involvement and expertise. The catering hall of your choice could also assist you in finding a party planner who has been involved with past events at that location.

  • Would simultaneous events at your location be acceptable?
  • This is an important, yet often overlooked, factor to keep in mind when booking your Christening after party. Neighboring events could distract from a calm celebration or compete with a high energy celebration. On the other hand, catering halls that offer simultaneous events could help keep your costs low and could even fuel the party spirit. Since most after parties take place during the daytime, the chances that other events would go on simultaneously are low, but you should nevertheless inquire about the possibility if this concerns you.



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