Invitation templates / Christening invitations
Written by Hand: a christening invitation template
A calligrapher's desk: the child's name is written live in pointed-pen copperplate, and the guest changes the nib, blots the ink, tests the colours and tries the pen.
The design
The whole invitation is a calligrapher's guide sheet on a walnut desk: pencil baselines and slant lines, an ink pot, a nib tin and a rocker blotter. An oblique pen dips into the pot and writes the child's name live in pointed-pen copperplate, stroke by stroke in writing order, the nib opening into swelling shades on every downstroke and closing to hairlines on the way up, with ink pooling where it turns; it works for any name a host types, accents included. Every heading on the page is written the same way as it comes into view, and the godparents' names are written on place cards. The guest takes part: chooses another nib from the tin and the pen writes the name again, finer or bolder; rocks the blotter across the wet ink, which dries under it, then turns the blotter over to find the name printed backwards on it; taps the bottles of the day's colours to swatch each ink on a test card; fans the photographs out on their brass rivet; and writes a line of their own on a practice strip where their downstrokes swell like a real nib. As the guest scrolls to the end the scroll itself is the pen, signing the parents' names, and a reply is answered with a written thank you. The baby's details are a register entry, the order of the day a copybook page, and the reception an envelope addressed by hand.
Colours and type
Written by Hand comes in 4 colourways: Iron gall & walnut, Rose madder, Indigo & slate and Sepia & sage, with 2 type pairings: Engrosser's hand and Roundhand. The colours and type change in the editor at any time; the layout stays its own.
Who it suits
Made for christening / baptism, baby dedication and naming day, in the Interactive style.
What is included
An invitation website with the church and the celebration after, the godparents, your photos, a song if you want one, and the RSVP with the number of adults and children coming. You write your own words and add your photos in the live editor, send every guest a personal link by email or any messaging app, and follow the replies as they come in. Free for up to 20 guests, with the full design.
More christening templates
- Airs for the Christening: A white ballerina music box stands open in the morning light. Wind it and the little dancer turns before her mirror; scroll, and the view goes into the mirror, where the invitation is kept, while Brahms' Lullaby plays note by note as your guests read.
- Lantern Hill: A papercut lightbox: watch the light come on behind the hills, tilt the box to part its paper layers, open the chapel doors and light a lantern for each godparent.
- The Star Cards: Your photographs as star cards, pierced where the stars fall: touch one and it is held up to the lamp, and the stars shine through the picture.
- The Christening Bear: An old mohair teddy in a knitted scarf sits on the nursery shelf and hands your guests the invitation one card at a time: swipe a card away and he turns to watch the next one; he tries his scarf on in the colours of the day.
All christening invitation templates