A naming ceremony is a special non – religious occasion designed to celebrate the name you have chosen for your child however old they are and to welcome that child into the family.
It marks your responsibility as parents and acknowledges the importance of grand-parents, relatives and friends in your child’s life.
The naming ceremony provides an opportunity to publicly declare your love and support to your child and can be regarded as a rite of passage for your whole family, be it welcoming a new baby, step child or adopted child. You can have a ceremony for more than one child.
A naming ceremony has six elements:
- a welcoming introduction,
- a well chosen reading,
- the actual naming of the child or children,
- parental promises,
- promises by supporting adults,
- closing words.
A unique commemorative certificate of the occasion will be presented. You might want to incorporate the giving of your own gifts to commemorate the occasion too.
Personalising the ceremony
Although there is a set format to the ceremony, you will be able to personalise it with your own choice of readings and music. Choose too, from a selection of wordings for the promises you will make, to create your own ceremony.
In the same way, within the ceremony, you may give formal supporting roles to grand-parents, relatives or friends.
Please note that because there is no legal significance to the ceremony, it can't be used as a way of changing your child's name.
Where you can hold the ceremony
We can arrange for you to have your ceremony at the register office or we could come to an outside venue of your choice. Any location with a public entertainment licence could serve as a potential venue and you could discuss the particulars of the arrangement with your chosen venue. The Elizabeth Room at Slough Register Office can comfortably accommodate 50 people.
Cost
- Monday-Thursday £198
- Saturdays £309.10
- Sundays £556.60
Fees as of April 2023.
An appointment booking fee will apply. Please note the Registration Services cancellation and refund policy applies.
Please contact us and our staff will be happy to discuss your requirements.