What is a baby naming ceremony?
Baby naming ceremonies are a beautiful alternative to a religious christening, during which parents celebrate the birth of their child while bestowing a name of personal meaning to their baby.
A truly memorable ceremony in which you promise to guide, support, nurture, and every day recognise and celebrate the beautiful human they are.
A truly memorable ceremony in which you promise to guide, support, nurture, and every day recognise and celebrate the beautiful human they are.
Who is The Celebrant By Your Side
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Hello and welcome, I'm Sue Anne O’Donnell, Civil Family Celebrant. I'm based in Fethard Co. Tipperary and it's my privilege to work with you to create your perfect ceremony to celebrate the safe arrival of your baby.
I'm a fully gualified Independent Holistic Family and Funeral Civil Celebrant and Bereavement Life Coach. I'm a family celebrant because I passionately believe in the importance of celebrating life’s events in ways that are fitting for you, regardless, of tradition, cultural, religious, or other beliefs. |
Why choose me for your baby naming ceremony?
As the celebrant by your side I will be with you every step of the way ensuring your baby’s naming ceremony reflects your love for your baby, your joy at their safe arrival while celebrating the beautiful human they are.
During this intimate Civil Ceremony we include your parental commitment to guide and support them and introduce their guide-parents.
As parents you will bestow a name on your baby, declare the depth of your love, and to make a commitment to your child to be there for them, supporting, encouraging, and guiding them to be the best version of themselves.
Parents, grandparents, guide parents, siblings and friends can be actively involved in the ceremony through a variety of ways such as readings, poems, balloon releasing, and candle lighting, to name a few.
While this is typically a non religious ceremony, you can of course include traditional, religious, spiritual aspects should you wish, all of which I am happy to discuss these with you when we have our initial meeting.
During this intimate Civil Ceremony we include your parental commitment to guide and support them and introduce their guide-parents.
As parents you will bestow a name on your baby, declare the depth of your love, and to make a commitment to your child to be there for them, supporting, encouraging, and guiding them to be the best version of themselves.
Parents, grandparents, guide parents, siblings and friends can be actively involved in the ceremony through a variety of ways such as readings, poems, balloon releasing, and candle lighting, to name a few.
While this is typically a non religious ceremony, you can of course include traditional, religious, spiritual aspects should you wish, all of which I am happy to discuss these with you when we have our initial meeting.
What to expect
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It's a ceremony full of celebration, which can be held shortly after birth, or later when your baby is older. Some parents choose to wait and hold a naming ceremony for all their children on the one day and so all will be different ages, it's totally up to you.
Your baby naming ceremony can be as intimate as you and your baby, or can include guide parents, grand parents, aunts, uncles, wider family and friends, one of the really wonderful aspects of choosing a celebrant led ceremony is quite simply, 'your ceremony, your way’. |
Benefits of holding a baby naming ceremony
One of the many benefits of choosing a holistic civil celebrant naming ceremony is the freedom to create the perfect, relaxing, joy filled celebration in the way that works best for you. This includes choosing the venue that best suits your needs; this can be the kitchen, the back garden, the local park, in a restaurant function room, by the beach, basically anywhere of your choosing.
Another freedom with a naming ceremony is that you have the option to include or not include religious content. It is your ceremony for your baby and so together we design it in a way that holds meaning to you.
Because there are no legal requirements and restrictions, your naming ceremony will be fully tailored to your wants and needs. Most often we begin with a welcome, include some readings or poems. There might be a story behind your baby’s name, which you would like to share through the ceremony. Grandparents, siblings, guide parents can of course be fully involved in the ceremony on the day.
There are a variety of enhancements which can be included in your baby's naming ceremony, which we will discuss when we meet for our ceremony planning. We are gathering to celebrate the arrival of a very special person into your lives; therefore, the ceremony is totally dedicated to you and your baby.
Each ceremony is unique in content and duration though to answer the question so often asked, your baby’s naming ceremony will be approximately 25/30 minutes.
Another freedom with a naming ceremony is that you have the option to include or not include religious content. It is your ceremony for your baby and so together we design it in a way that holds meaning to you.
Because there are no legal requirements and restrictions, your naming ceremony will be fully tailored to your wants and needs. Most often we begin with a welcome, include some readings or poems. There might be a story behind your baby’s name, which you would like to share through the ceremony. Grandparents, siblings, guide parents can of course be fully involved in the ceremony on the day.
There are a variety of enhancements which can be included in your baby's naming ceremony, which we will discuss when we meet for our ceremony planning. We are gathering to celebrate the arrival of a very special person into your lives; therefore, the ceremony is totally dedicated to you and your baby.
Each ceremony is unique in content and duration though to answer the question so often asked, your baby’s naming ceremony will be approximately 25/30 minutes.
Ideas to include in your baby's naming ceremony
Readings, Poems, Music
Welcome Enhancements
Bestowing A Name
Planting A Tree
Handprints
Parental Commitment to Love
Welcome Enhancements
Bestowing A Name
Planting A Tree
Handprints
Parental Commitment to Love
Next steps
If you're interested in holding a naming ceremony, here's what to do next:
- Contact me by mobile or email me to check date availability.
- We will meet to plan the ceremony and decide what elements you would like included such as poems, stories, the history of your baby’s name, their arrival (planned, surprise or long awaited), music you may like to add to the service.
- Decide who You would like to invite to your naming ceremony
- Decide who you would like to include in thecCeremony on the day, this may be grandparents, other children, friends.
- If you would like your son/daughter to have Guide Parents, decide who these might be.
- Once you have decided on the number of guests, the choice of venue will be easy to decide
- Choose readings, poems and enhancements for the Ceremony, creating the perfect memorable day for you and your baby.
- Discuss the role of the Guide Parents in the ceremony, if they are present on the day.
- Agree the day, date, time and venue!
- I will arrive 45 -60 minutes before the ceremony to arrange the Set up and to go over any questions you or the Guide Parents or those involved might have in advance of the ceremony.
- If certain extra materials were requested to be included in the enhancement element of the ceremony, I will remind you of same prior to the day.
Ceremony fees
Fee: a 50% deposit is required at our initial meeting, with balance to be paid 48hrs in advance of the ceremony.
The fee for a Naming Ceremony is €140. For travel distances over 100km there is a small additional fee.
Parents sort all materials for the enhancement elements of the ceremony.
Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss your Ceremony
The fee for a Naming Ceremony is €140. For travel distances over 100km there is a small additional fee.
Parents sort all materials for the enhancement elements of the ceremony.
Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss your Ceremony
Location
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Based in County Tipperary, Ireland, I offer my in-person services as a civil celebrant in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Limerick, Waterford, Cork and other parts of Munster and Leinster.
I’m also available to host online ceremonies. |
