Christening/ 1st birthday

[Bree82]

Hello
planning on getting out baby christened and waiting until 1st birthday as the weather will be nicer (although not actually summer time and in Scotland lol) and looking for some ideas?
it will just be family but we both have big families and are probably the last siblings form each side to have kids so already lots of nephews and neices. I’m guessing around 40 including kids, possibly more…
looked at club hall hires but we would have to pay for their buffet instead of being able to provide our own food and the church doesn’t have a big enough hall…
so we decided to have it at house after christening and that’s why we were waiting for nicer weather (hopefully lol)
was thinking to hire a bouncy castle to keep all the kids entertained? I know the 1 year olds won’t be so bothered, but we have family driving from elsewhere for the day so kind of want to make it fun for the older kids too and give the grown ups some peace :)
all the kids ages range from 0- 10 really , plus some teens …
more about entertainment for little ones though as the teens always sit on their phones anyway lol
Thinking of getting a marquee for garden etc and ask soem family to bring camping chairs etc and hope it’s nice enough that we don’t all have to squish in the house (one bathroom lol)
but just wondering if anyone has ideas how to pull this off? And is a bouncy castle too much? Should I arrange party games for the kids?
thanks 😊

Aw no worries I get it.
mayeb if the house is too squishy we can walk to the local pub lol.
It would be nice if we can make it work at the house…. but I think i will also check out some halls etc this week
I guess i am used to big family gatherings at houses but i do think this will possibly be the biggest…

Good point lol

How many siblings and how many nieces and nephews do you have to hit 40 people?!

Do the church hall

will be lovely

Ok so we each have 5 siblings lol - all Marie’s some of them have 6 children - some of the nephews and neices are older and engaged etc. It is a very big close family. So even with just family - we counted tonight it could be up to 55 including us!!! (That’s minus the few we already know won’t make it..)
so the buffet will cost more that we thought…
but have decided that tomorrow I will enquire around community halls etc or some other church halls (the church we go to doesn’t have a hall).

there is a community hall along the road so I’ll check there which would be great as it means when family travel up they don’t have to drive elsewhere for the celebration after christening.

it also means we can guarantee people who eat plant based gets a good variety of finger food etc as we will do sandwiches and finger food (but some family have already offered to bring food). Have been to functions before and it can be hit or miss what people with vegan diet get.
we have been offered a couple gazebos to borrow from a friend - so if half our invitees can’t make it then we could go ahead with a garden party lol.
Thanks for all the feedback guys, it’s given me a lot to think about!

When you usually all get together… where do you go?

If it’s my side of the family it has been at one of the families houses!
but the only time we have had my side and husbands side together was at our wedding ! Lol
I think I’m future we can host two summer BBQs , one for each side of the family lol

Yes but all your family live in homes that can accommodate 50 plus people?

Well no and it’s usually been just my side of the family. Sometimes a one of my siblings husband/wife family but they all seem to have small families.

DH and I are the only ones who both have large family so I think the biggest gathering prior has been about 30ish… i think the only house that fits that comfortably in the winter is my parents house 😂
i have a sibling with the biggest garden ever who tends to do sumner BBQs so that works lol

Sounds lovely OP