How much does First Holy Communion cost?
First Holy Communion is a celebration in which the most important aspect is a young Christian’s reception of the Holy Sacrament. However, First Holy Communion day is also a very important family celebration, and organizing it involves additional expenses. As we begin preparations for First Communion 2019, we decided to take a closer look at the costs associated with this event.
First Communion Reception
The First Communion party is usually the biggest expense. Although it’s often possible to host the party at home, more and more people are choosing to rent a venue. Hosting the party at home is certainly a bit cheaper, but it’s also definitely more time-consuming. The time commitment can be a critical factor in favor of holding the party at a venue.
A First Communion party at home has many advantages. We feel much more comfortable at home, which can be especially important if there are children among the guests. The home environment also allows you to create an atmosphere that you simply can’t achieve at a venue. The cost of hosting the event at home will certainly be lower as well—since we usually don’t factor in the cost of our own labor or utilities.
Another advantage of hosting at home is that First Communion parties are generally small gatherings—the number of guests usually ranges from 15 to 30 people. This means it’s unlikely you’ll be able to secure a venue exclusively for your party. In large event halls designed for weddings with over 100 guests, it’s not uncommon for as many as six First Communion parties to take place simultaneously. In the event of any organizational issues, this can lead to numerous disagreements and potential conflicts.
An undeniable advantage of renting a venue is the time saved and the convenience of not having to participate in the preparations. We don’t have to worry not only about preparing the food but also about cleaning up after the event. However, this convenience comes at a price—the cost per person ranges from 80 zł to 250 zł, with the price largely determined by the location where the event will take place.
First Holy Communion Keepsake
First Holy Communion is a special occasion—for this reason, it’s worth considering hiring a photographer or videographer. Photos and a video from the ceremony will serve as a special keepsake that you’ll enjoy looking back on for years to come. It also makes a fantastic gift for grandparents. Most First Communion photographers and videographers offer rates ranging from 50 to 100 zł per person.
However, before you decide on a photographer, you should carefully review the details of their offers. Some contractors provide all the photos from the ceremony on a DVD, while others offer a photo book or a small photo album. A rather fundamental question concerns how the photos from the ceremony will be delivered—it sometimes happens that a photographer refuses to hand over all the photos, reserving the exclusive right to print them in their own studio. This means you won’t have a digital version of the photos, which can be inconvenient if, for example, you want to send photos to family abroad or create your own family photo book that includes First Communion photos.
First Communion and Special-Occasion Clothing
Undoubtedly, one of the costs associated with First Holy Communion is the purchase of clothing for the child receiving First Communion—and often for the entire family. A First Communion child’s outfit consists of an alb or a First Communion dress, First Communion shoes, and, for girls, a wreath or gloves.
If the First Holy Communion takes place in April or the first half of May, we suggest purchasing outerwear to keep the child warm in case of inclement weather—for boys, this would be a softshell jacket or fleece, and for girls, a cape or bolero.
The total cost of a boy’s outfit is approximately 240–500 zł; for girls, the price range is much wider—from 300 zł to as much as 700 zł. It’s also worth considering buying a post-Communion dress—after returning from church, the girl changes into a special-occasion dress.
It’s also important to remember that clothing purchases generally don’t end with the First Communion child—you may find that additional costs include outfits for the parents and siblings.
First Communion Devotional Items
A relatively small but still noteworthy purchase is religious paraphernalia—during preparations for First Holy Communion, the child receives a rosary, a prayer and hymn book, and a medal.
The rosary is a symbol of reaching the next stage of spiritual maturity. The Rosary is one of the most popular prayers in the world. A candle may be a good additional purchase, although most children use their baptismal candle.
The total cost of all devotional items should be around 100 zlotys.
Church Decorations for First Communion
It’s also important to remember to organize the church ceremony itself. Flowers for the altar, candles, ribbons, and themed banners—all of these make up the First Communion decorations. You can hire a professional decorator to handle the decorations, but sometimes parents decide to prepare them themselves to save money.
Most often, the altar is decorated with fresh flowers in white or very soft, pastel colors. Various types of decorations made of Styrofoam are also commonly used—they can be cut into any shape—most often a host or a heart.
When it comes to church decorations, costs can vary widely—they depend on the size of the church and its style—whether it requires extensive decoration or if subtle visual accents are sufficient. The final price is also influenced by the number of children receiving First Communion in the parish—since these costs are divided equally among all parents.
The costs associated with decorating the church, as well as a gift for the priest for preparing the children for First Communion, are covered by a collective contribution—previously agreed upon by the parents. This amount varies widely, and it is impossible to estimate it precisely. One general rule, however, is that the larger the group of children receiving First Communion, the lower the per-child cost.
What budget should you set aside?
There are many factors involved in organizing a First Communion reception, and it is difficult to give a definitive answer to this question. According to a survey by “Rzeczpospolita,” the average family spent 3,600 zł on a First Communion celebration last year. These costs can certainly be significantly reduced, and there are undoubtedly families who spend considerably more.
