Invitation templates / Christening invitations
The Silver Cup: a christening invitation template
One small silver cup on the velvet of its case, with the child's name cut into it by hand: the graver travels across the cartouche, the bright line opens behind it, and the metal holds the whole room in its surface.
The design
The invitation is a single object: a christening cup, engraved for the child, lying in its velvet-lined case on a silversmith's bench. The medium's one rule carries every section, because silver has no colour of its own — everything bright or dark on the page is the ROOM, the workshop window, the lamp, the bench, the velvet, and a reflection moves when the metal does. The only mark that stays put is a cut: the graver takes a bright line out of the surface and within the hour tarnish has settled into it and turned it black, which is why every engraved word here is dark and every un-engraved face is a mirror. Nothing on the page is a second object: the lid holds the glazed mount and the tarnished plaque, the cup stands on the velvet, the band off its foot is shown unrolled flat the way an engraver works one out, the marks are struck in its base, and the photographs live in the silk pocket behind the lining. It opens the way a commission is finished: the case comes open, the bench lamp is switched on, the cup is stood up, and then the graver cuts the name in one travelling stroke with swarf curling off the tip, the fresh cut white for a moment before the tarnish takes it, and one hard highlight runs round the rim. As the guest reads, the scriber lays the work out, cutting a hair-fine line down the edge of the case exactly as far as they have read. They can turn the cup on its foot and watch the window, the dark side of the workshop and the handle all travel at their own rates, tap the bowl and hear it ring, rub the tarnish off the plaque with the rouge cloth (the mirror stays up where the cloth went), drive the four marks into the foot with a punch, tip a godparent's bright-cut lozenge to the window until the facet catches, lay a velvet lining in the case and watch the cup take that colour up, and draw a photograph out of the pocket. The reply shuts the case: the brass clasp goes over and the line is written in the day book.
Colours and type
The Silver Cup comes in 5 colourways: Silver on powder-blue velvet, Silver on dove-grey satin, Silver on blush velvet, Silver on sage velvet and Silver on ivory silk, with 2 type pairings: Bright-cut roman and Assay office. 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 Elegant & classic 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
- Christening Bells: Two polished brass handbells tied with satin ribbon on white linen: tap one to ring it and the name appears, then polish the tarnish off the brass to reveal the engraving.
- The Christening Cake: A three-tier christening cake in white fondant and sugar roses on a porcelain stand: turn it with a finger, watch the name piped onto a sugar plaque, and cut a slice at the close.
- The Certificate: An engraved baptismal certificate on a leather writing desk: press the brass stamp into the molten wax to seal it, and watch the godparents sign in ink.
- The Favour Table: The bomboniere table on the christening morning, seen from above: one satin ribbon unspools down the table as you read, threading every favour and tag of the day, and ends tied to your own.
- Fresco Under Plaster: An old chapel wall: a fresco of a May sky and olive trees comes out from under the whitewash, patch by patch, with the child's name painted in the band beneath.
- Gilt Keepsake Card: A set of little steel-engraved keepsake cards with gilt edges: turn the card in your hand and watch the gilt catch the light.
- Illuminated Page: A page from a book of hours, made for one child: the gold leaf is laid on the first letter of the name, burnished until it lights up, and a painted vine grows down the margin as you read.
- The Keepsake Box: A real walnut keepsake box on a linen cloth: lift the lid, brush the sawdust off the new brass plate, and everything inside is laid out on the table.
All christening invitation templates