Namegiving Namegiving Ceremonies give families a choice – it is a welcome to the community of family and friends, without necessarily involving a particular faith. The celebration often begins with a little about the history of Namegivings, the role of Parents and Godparents/Guardians/Mentors. I ask everyone present, as your personal community, to join with the Godparents/Mentors for the formal naming. This is followed by the presentation of Certificates to the child who has just been formally names; to the Godparents/Mentors, and also to Grandparents if you wish.

To begin the planning, I offer you a booklet which has suggested wording, and you are free to either choose from that, or simply let it be a guide, similar to planning your Marriage Ceremony. It is important that the words "feel" right for you, so the preparation is totally personal, and very adaptable. It is usually advisable to have a fairly short ceremony (approx 15-20 minutes) as there are often children among the guests, and if we try to keep them standing still for too long it can be a bit difficult! However I am quite happy to work with whatever length of ceremony you choose.

In the booklet there are also a number of poems/readings from which I suggest you select at least two. Often, the Godparents present these to the gathering; you may wish to have someone else from the family present a reading, or I can do it for you.
When the content of the ceremony has been decided, I put it all together in a booklet which I use to conduct the celebration, and which then becomes a keepsake for your child.
To make this celebration more personal, there are various symbols we can incorporate – these could reflect family or cultural traditions, or something that you have decided will become a family tradition from now onwards!

Naming Register Australia leads the way with this type of celebration. As a means of reflecting Australian life in the 21st century, I enter the details of Namegiving ceremonies in a specially designed Register. This is returned to the Australian Centre for Ceremonies, and will eventually find its way into the Australian Archives. Very few Celebrants use this resource, but you have the opportunity to have your child’s Namegiving Celebration recorded as a significant snap shot of our developing history.

Practical Arrangements
To prepare the various certificates, I need to obtain from you the following information:

• your child’s full name
• date and place of birth
• names and birthplace of Parents
• names of Godparents/Mentors
• Grandparents names if certificates are required for them
• venue for ceremony (contact me for suggestions)

Professional Fee

My professional fee is a total, all-inclusive cost. I ask for a deposit to confirm your booking and hold the space in my diary, with the remainder due during the month prior to your ceremony. This fee covers –

• Certificates for your child, Godparents and Grandparents
• a scroll explaining meaning of names, and predictions for those born on that particular date
• a copy of your ceremony as a keepsake for your child. Many of my clients find that there is so much excitement, emotion and fun happening during their Ceremony, that they can’t remember what was said!
• a PA system so your guests can hear the ceremony, which is especially important in the outdoors
• suggestions regarding venues
• ideas for symbolic inclusions

You are welcome to contact me on info@mariesteele.com.au (or phone 0418 577 527) to discuss your plans and to obtain an obligation free quote.