Custom Christening Invitations

Adding a Photo of the Baby

A photo makes the invitation instantly personal, and grandparents especially love it. The best photos for printing are taken in daylight, with the baby's face in focus and a plain background. Phone photos work well as long as you send the original file, not a screenshot or a copy saved from a messaging app, which loses detail.

On a single-sided card, the photo usually sits at the top or fills one half, with the details beside or below it. On a double-sided card, the photo can fill the front and the details sit on the back, which gives both more room. We check every image and let you know on the proof if it looks soft or grainy. A photo that spans the front works best on a folded card with an inside panel for the wording.

Colours, Papers and Finishes for Christening Invitations

Soft palettes are traditional: pale blue, blush pink, sage green, lemon, lilac and warm neutrals such as cream and stone. Many families now choose a neutral palette that suits any baby, or match the invitation to the colours planned for the reception. Gentle illustrations such as olive branches, doves, crosses, clouds or a simple floral border add character without overwhelming the text.

Card weight changes how the invitation feels. A 350 gsm silk card feels solid and smooth and suits photographs. An uncoated textured card feels softer and more traditional, and suits text-only designs. A pearlescent card adds a subtle shimmer that looks lovely under church lighting. For a final touch, gold, silver or rose gold foil can pick out the baby's name or a small cross.

Envelope colour changes the feel of the whole set. A white card in a soft sage or blush envelope looks fresh and modern, while cream card in a cream envelope looks timeless. If you are posting invitations, check the envelope stays within standard letter size so you are not caught out at the post office.

• 350 gsm silk for photos and full-colour designs
• Uncoated textured card for classic, text-led designs
• Pearlescent card for a soft shimmer
• Foil on the name, a cross or a border

Sizes and Formats

The A6 flat card is the most popular because it fits a C6 envelope and is easy to post. A5 gives more room for a large photo or longer wording. Square cards around 148 mm feel a little more special and suit illustrated designs. Folded cards open like a greeting card, with the photo on the front and details inside, and suit families who want a keepsake that stands on a shelf.

If guests need directions, a parking note or a separate reception card, we can print a small insert card in the same design. It keeps the main invitation uncluttered.

Rounded corners soften the look of any size and suit baby stationery well. They also stop corners bending in the post, which keeps the card looking neat for the scrapbook. If you want a square card, the square birthday invitations show what the format looks like and what envelope it needs.

Matching Extras for the Day

Many families like a coordinated set. Order of service booklets in the same design guide guests through readings and hymns. Thank-you cards printed with the baby's photo can be sent after the day. Small favour tags or stickers for sugared almonds or sweet boxes tie the table together, and place cards help at a seated lunch.

Ordering everything at once saves time and keeps the colours consistent, since all pieces are printed together. An order of service on the same card is set up like a small folded brochure, with the hymns inside.

Check the Date and Church Name Twice on the Proof

Christening invitations carry details that cannot be changed after printing: the baby's full name, the church, the date and the time of the service. Before you approve the proof, read each one aloud to another person, and check the godparents' names if they appear. We proof every card, but only the family knows whether a middle name is spelled with one l or two. A minute spent here avoids a reprint in a busy week.

Send your wording, any photo and the style you like, and we email a quote within one working day. The free proof follows, usually the next day, and the cards are printed in 4 to 7 working days after you approve it. Delivery is tracked and included to UK mainland addresses. If a card arrives with a print fault, tell us within 10 days and we reprint or refund it. Families often order thank you cards in the same design at the same time, so the two match without a second setup.