How to Prepare for a Naming Ceremony

But, before we jump in and celebrate the births of those cute little munchkins, we need to be prepared.

Pretty daunting, right? You might be asking "how do I gather all the right information from my clients?" or "I'm feeling stressed. How can I prepare myself and deal with these nerves on the day?".

If you're unsure of where to start in this crucial part of conducting a Naming ceremony, look no further as we've crafted a thorough, comprehensive guide to the ins and outs, and everything in between.

Step one in our preparation lies, as with any ceremony, in collecting the information - or data - that we need. For a Naming ceremony, there’s certainly plenty of data required.

Creating a data capture form for your clients

The basic details

We’ll start with the basics. We’ll need to know the baby’s name(s), of course, along with the parents’ name or names. The ceremony date and start time, the venue, whether it’s going to be indoors or outdoors, and what their preference is for music to be played throughout.

We’ll also need to know the day their little loved one was brought into the world, as their age at the time of the ceremony will be important. The younger they are, of course, the brisker the ceremony will probably have to be. We don’t want to keep the baby-boss waiting for their next little nap or meal!

The rest

So, we got the main - and most obvious - details in your file. Next, we’ll have to gather information on the family’s chosen ‘Guide Parents’. These are the friends or family members closest to the baby’s parents, chosen specially to care for and watch over them as they grow up.

Then, we’ll find out what readings/poems/reflections, if any, they’d like to include, along with what enhancements they’re interested in having.

Using Google Forms

All these details and all this data begs the question - what’s the best way to gather it all?

The easiest way to gather data on your clients’ wants and needs is to have them fill out an online form.

Google Forms is what we recommend, as it’s the simplest way to track your clients’ answers and store them safely.

We’ll add a link to Google Forms below. All you need is a Gmail account, which most of you probably already have!

To learn more about getting set up with Google Forms, click here to visit their web page.

Dealing with stress and nerves

While it’s mostly a happy occasion, a Naming ceremony can come with a heap of stress and anxieties.

Whether you find yourself worrying about every little thing that could go wrong, or pulling your hair out trying to get all the preparation work done on time, crafting and conducting a Naming ceremony can often be a difficult and stressful time. The pressure of having the celebration of a child’s life in your hands can leave any Minister feeling stressed and unable to cope with the nerves.

Troubling as it may be, there are so many things you can do to cope with anxiety, both on the day of the ceremony and in life in general.

Some of you may have more chronic, serious feelings of anxiety which require professional help.

If you’re experiencing nerves leading up to a ceremony, consider these tips.

Taking deep breaths

First of all, BREATHE!

Taking big, regular breaths and focusing on your breathing pattern helps in many ways. It stills the mind, allows oxygen to flow into your body, and relieves that ‘fight or flight’ response that some of us have gotten oh-so used to. Taking a few good, steady breaths before speaking will help ease your mind, and will allow your voice to carry in a clear and natural way.

Practice, practice, practice!

As with anything, practice makes perfect when it comes to conducting ceremonies.

Whether you practice speaking alone in front of a mirror, or to your friends and family, doing so can help gradually build your confidence. The more you speak the words aloud, the more comfortable you'll feel as you start to find the right tonality, pitch and pacing.

You can even take it a step further, and set up your table, props, etc. before practicing. This will help you focus and truly get 'in the zone' while you're going through the motions!

Exercising regularly

Next, and perhaps most importantly, is exercise. Your GP will tell you that exercise is good for anything that ails you - and he’s not wrong.

Exercise helps release those stress hormones and allows your body to feel better overall, both in those moments that stress you and in daily life.

Using visualisation

Another useful method of coping with nerves is visualisation. If you haven’t heard of this, it’s simply about picturing something in your mind. Many people use visualisation to achieve a desired outcome.

For example, before a Naming ceremony, you might spend some time ‘seeing’ yourself speaking clearly and with confidence, watched on by happy guests and family.

You can imagine your emotions of happiness, calm and anticipation as you move slowly through the ceremony.

While it’s a simple way of dealing with nerves and stress, visualisation can work extraordinarily well. Visualising a good outcome leading up to a ceremony can help you to manifest that same outcome when the time comes.

Practicing these techniques can help you on your way to becoming confident in your abilities as a Minister. Ultimately, try to avoid catastrophising the situation. Many Ministers get caught up in thinking about what could go wrong or how poorly they’ve prepared. In reality, things are never as bad as you think.

Final thoughts

We know it's difficult to truly prepare yourself for a ceremony. After all, anything can happen and each situation is totally unique, bringing with it new and sometimes awkward challenges.

We've shown you some simple ( and sometimes obvious) tips for preparing a ceremony, and a couple of techniques to manage the stress that comes with preparing.

This is only a small portion of what we teach about Naming ceremonies in our online Ministry course.

Want to know more?

Would you like to understand how to fully prepare a Naming ceremony, to learn the ideal layout and flow, and even find out more about the history and purpose behind these heartwarming ceremonies?

Then why not enrol in our online Ministry course today?

Here, you'll gather the tools to create and manage your own Ministry and brand, and you'll gain the freedom to start your own journey as a Minister.

Click the button below to enrol in our comprehensive online course.