Contemporary Sheffield Venue
Christening Parties & Naming Ceremonies
OEC Sheffield is a fully accessible christening venue for families in South Yorkshire and further afield. We have a variety of packages available to cater to different budgets and preferences, including venue hire and catering.
This contemporary venue welcomes guests with a stunning exterior façade and is finished to a high standard throughout. The wow factor continues into the Rivelin Suite, which adapts to comfortably accommodate up to 500 guests. A dynamic lighting system sets the mood with a variety of colours to reflect chosen event styling.
All of our Christening packages can be customised to suit your individual needs, providing a range of options including traditional and contemporary Christening party services. Talk to us about finding an experienced celebrant to lead your ceremony, decorations, and entertainment.
Up to 500 guests
Accessible venue
Talented chefs
Package or bespoke
Event planners
400 parking spaces
Celebrating new family members
Christening or Naming Ceremony?
A Christening is a religious ceremony including prayers, readings from the bible, and a blessing. The parents make vows and promise to bring the child up in their faith. A Christening usually takes place in a church and often includes family members and friends of the family.
A Naming Ceremony is less formal than a Christening and is not affiliated with any particular religion or belief system. It typically follows an informal structure and can be held in any setting such as at home or outdoors. The focus of the ceremony is on celebrating the arrival of a new baby, introducing him/her to friends, family and community, honouring them with their name, and making promises to nurture them through life’s journey.
After the ceremony, religious or not, guests are invited to gather together with the newest member of their family. Good food and good company are the main focus of a christening party or naming ceremony, as guests welcome a new life into the world.
How to Plan a Christening Party
1. Set a Date
Decide when you want to hold the christening party and make sure it’s convenient for all of your guests. You may also need to check with the church and Christening venue that the date is available before you book it.
2. Create an Invitation List
Make a list of who you would like to invite to the christening party including family, friends and godparents of the child being christened. It’s important to give yourself plenty of time to send out invitations so that everyone has advance notice.
3. Send Out Invitations
Design or purchase specialised invitations tailored specifically towards a christening celebration. Alternatively, create invites online using free services such as Canva or Adobe Spark Post, both are easy-to-use tools with plenty of templates available to choose from.
4. Plan Food & Drinks
Decide what type of food and drinks you will serve at the event. Speak to your chosen christening venue about suitable catering options for your expected number of guests and maximum budget. Serving refreshments usually includes soft drinks and hot drinks, with alcoholic beverages usually purchased by guests, where available.
5. Prepare Favours & Decorations
Decorate your venue with balloons, bunting, and banners. Consider purchasing some small favours for each guest such as a keepsake – these can either be bought in bulk from wholesalers or customised with personal messages, if desired.
6. Organise Entertainment & Activities
If there are children attending, it can be helpful to give them something fun and engaging to keep them occupied during the event. For instance, hiring entertainment such as face painting or a magician, or organising games and activities.
7. Lasting Memories
While most people have a camera phone, hiring a professional photographer will ensure you have plenty of good quality images of the Christening or Naming Ceremony. Digital image files can be shared with your guests, so everyone has a lasting memory of the special day.
Freshly Prepared by Talented Chefs
How OEC Sheffield Can Plan Your Christening
At OEC Sheffield, we can help you to plan all of the steps involved in planning a Christening. This will help to take the stress out of the organisation and make sure your little one’s special day is memorable for all the right reasons.
At OEC Sheffield, we can provide a range of catering options to suit your budget and desired level of formality. All food served at the OEC Christening venue is freshly prepared in-house by our talented chefs:
- Light refreshments
- Finger buffet
- Hot fork buffet
- Bowl food
- Seated 2- or 3-course meal.
Make a Night of It
The Perfect Excuse for a Get-Together
A Christening or Naming Ceremony is the perfect excuse for a get-together with family and friends. If you plan to host a good old knees up, wet the baby’s head at OEC Sheffield. The Christening venue is available to hire until late, with a range of packages and bespoke planning.
Our standard party package includes:
- Red carpet arrival
- White or black table linen
- Menu cards
- Bespoke seating plan
- Dedicated events coordinator
- Disco
- Room hire
- Private bar
Bookings are available in four fantastic packages, starting from just £12 per person (minimum numbers apply upon enquiry). Each package can be tailored to suit the requirements of an individual event.
