to not provide loads of alcohol at a party?

[Scruffles]

We're having a christening party at home, there's going to be about 35 adults plus children. I have no idea how much alcohol to provide! When I was talking to a couple of friends about it they said that people will bring a bottle of whatever they drink so don't worry about it but I'm not sure. It doesn't feel right to assume people will bring a bottle and not provide much but I'm putting on a big buffet so don't want to spend loads of money on alcohol that won't get drunk.

Do people normally bring a bottle for something like this? Beginning to wish I'd just gone for somewhere with a bar now!

I would bring wine.

Christenings I've been too including my kids' christenings have been piss ups! It's a massive celebration welcoming a new baby into the church. All religious occasions (including funerals) involve lots of alcohol in my family. I'm a catholic if that makes a difference?

We're Catholic too but christenings have never been huge piss ups for us. That's partly because we live in a very scattered community so almost everyone has to drive home. We've always supplied whisky, sherry and vodka plus mixers, but very little of it got drunk. Vast amounts were eaten though!

The christening/baptism is the bit in church. That's the religious bit and should be treated appropriately so no skimpy clothes, no chewing/chatting/texting.

If you are having an entirely optional party afterwards that is a secular event and so presumably will follow the patter of your usual family parties. For us that meant lots of wine/champagne/Guinness and singing and dancing into the night. Just do what you always do for a family celebration.

I've never been to a christening where people didn't drink. That being said, if you just write on the invitations "party after the service at X. Food will be served, bring a bottle" I'm sure no one would object!

If there's food a little wine or fizzy wine for toasts etc might be nice.

I think we had about 30 adults at our LO's recent christening. The service was first thing on a Sunday morning and everyone came back to ours for a celebration afterwards which included lunch. Between about midday and 4pm we got through about 9 bottles of wine (including prosecco, which was served for a toast) and 6 cans of lager. Most couples were driving and/or had kids with them.

I would never bring a bottle to a party unless told to (though I might ask about a birthday party, housewarming, BBQ or dinner party just to be sure).

HTH.

The party isn't in the church so I'm genuinely astounded at people astounded that people wouldn't want a good piss up at a party.

We had our Lgs christening a couple of weeks ago, service at 10 then to a hotel for lunch. I was really surprised how little everyone drank because it really was a celebration as she's had some health issues but is out of the woods now.

I'd say provide some drinks but not all the drink e.g. Couple of glasses of prosecco per person to toast, if people want to drink something else or more they can bring it.

Three glasses? How large are your glasses Ham?

A large glass official measure is 1/3 of a bottle or 250 ml. This is why you get so drunk after 'only 2 glasses of wine' when out. Agree at home it is unusual to pour 250 ml into one glass in one go

Not with me it isn't!

It depends if you're a drinker or not. Even for my wedding I'm only providing soft drinks because my in laws are all African Muslims and I'm not really a drinker. Anyone who wants to drink can bring/buy their own.

I always bring a bottle to any party.
I wouldn't to a christening.
Lots of soft drinks and some wine and prosecco for eg should suffice.

I'd expect a couple of glasses of champagne or similar at a christening, but no more than that.

Atheist from a Catholic family here and ime the first person at the bar is the priest!

Is it really too late to find somewhere with a bar?

idrinkandiknowthings

So many different opinions!

I'm using morissons for the wine glasses and tumblers, free hire and no obligation to buy the drink from there which is good. The christening is at 1.15 so the party would starting at around 2ish, no idea how long it'll go on for but I'm happy for it to be as long as people want. We're not huge drinkers but definitely want to provide enough for everyone.

I'm planning on going to aldi for the wine, I think it's really reasonable and great quality, although I was told that sainsburys has got a good deal on at the moment so I might look there too. Its also quite local so if we run short I can send someone out for more supplies!

bogeyface the problem is that if I find somewhere with a bar, what we save on alcohol we will spend on room hire and having to use their caterers.

If you want to keep costs down you could do pimms as already mentioned(Aldi do their own version as well) or offer a glass of Buck's Fizz made with cava not champagne.
Plus some nice soft drinks ie jugs of posh cordial made with fizzy water, then add fruit
Ie
Elderflower add cucumber and mint
Raspberry add some frozen raspberries
Etc
Hope day goes well

Aldis Cava is lovely, it beat champagne on one of those swap programmes I watched a while back.

I would never bring a bottle to a party unless told to

Really? I would never go to a party without a bottle (or 2 or 3!). Do you bring something else, or do you arrive with one arm as long as the other?

OP you know your own friends. Really though I can't remember going to a christening where there wasn't alcohol. I have been to one christening where we didn't drive, choosing to take a cab to the church and walking to the party. That one we ended up staying late and drinking far too much (family do). Normally though we'd have a few glasses, or stick to smaller, lighter drinks but not have a huge amount.

I did see someone say above that they wouldn't drink at a day event that starts at the church. Are you telling me you wouldn't expect to have a drink at wedding or a wake??

OP as well, it's not that long until Christmas really if you don't have anything happening before then. If you store any unopened wine properly it'll keep. That's what we tend to do for events at home and buy 6 or 12 according to the deal and then put them away to take to other people's events or own future parties. We are not big drinkers at home.

As it's a daytime family thing I doubt you will need loads of booze. Work out roughly how many drivers there will be for a start.

I'd provide teas and coffees, soft drinks, some bottled beer and some wine; either red and white or white and rose, maybe a bottle of sherry or jugs of Pimms and allow for about two drinks for drivers and 3 for non drivers, so a bottle of wine will easily do two people, possibly three. For beer drinkers who aren't driving three bottles per head is about right I think. Hopefully no-one will be wanting/expecting to get drunk - it's not the right occasion for it.

Although that very much depends on your friends and family - some people don't seem to be able to have any social occasion without getting completely slaughtered.

Some people may bring booze but I don't think you can expect it at a Christening.

Every christening I have been to involves alcohol! I am not religious at all and hate church the only bit I look forward to is the booze afterwards!
The last 3 I have been to have been exactly the same, party back at the house lots of prosecco, wine, beer and spirits with mixers and a buffet usually from marks and spencers/waitrose. I would be very surprised if I went to a christening and there was little or no alcohol, but as others have said it depends on what circle of friends you have.