What you serve your christening or naming ceremony guests to eat or drink will depend on a number of factors: weather, budget, number of guests, formality or quite simply, your personal taste. Most christening receptions are held during the day so the food served tends to be a lunch or afternoon tea. You can use a venue with catering, hire a caterer or do it yourself at home.

Silver service/ plated service

This is the most formal type of meal. It usually involves at least three courses, all of which are served to seated guests individually. This is usually the most expensive option but does add a touch of luxury and grandeur to the proceedings.

Sit down buffet
Typically, starters, desserts and coffee are served at the table with the main course being a self service buffet. However, it can be less formal with all courses being available from a buffet. The buffet itself can either be hot, great for winter events to warm up after a chilly church service, or cold with light meats and salads, ideal for a summer lunch.

Finger buffet/High tea

This informal option is also one of the most economical. The food is designed to be eaten mostly with fingers and usually includes sandwiches, quiches, cold pies, pastries, cakes and fruit. It’s perfect if space is limited with standing room only or if you have many children as guests. If doing the catering yourself, it’s also easiest to prepare in advance without any last minute heating.
This is a less formal option as the food is designed to be eaten with a fork only. It Is ideal for parties where there is less space as people eat while standing or on their laps. The foods can be hot or cold, but the key is for it to be eaten easily without a knife.