# Adoption Celebration Day



## Sun Flower

Hi 
our Lo has been with us for 11 weeks now, so forms are in with the court and we are waiting for a date for our celebration day. 
We want to invite family / friends, we were just wondering how many people can attend court? is it acceptable to turn up in huge numbers?! or best to have just a few of us at court and meet somewhere afterwards for a meal or back to ours for a BBQ and cake? (weather pending!) 

We also want to send invites out but struggling with the wording? what did you guys do? did you call it Adoption Day? Celebration Day? Family Day? all ideas welcome, we want it to be really special  

Thanks


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## Wyxie

The Court are fine with quite big groups, or ours were.  You could call the Court and speak to the Family or Adoption Clerk and chat to them about it if you're not sure.  These can take different amounts of time and different formats in different Courts.  Both our local Courts tend to make a bit of an occasion of it, and the ceremony hearings can be well over half an hour and worth bringing guests to.  I'm told some Courts just do in and out very fast and it might be better to just invite people to a party afterwards.  The Adoption Clerk will also schedule the date and you should be able to arrange this for a convenient date once you have the Adoption Order.

I wrote our invites myself, as nothing I could get easily and cheaply fitted.  They said something like: "You are invited to celebrate the adoption of Wyxling and Bladelet at x county court at x time, followed by lunch at x restaurant."

I also put a note on about dress code for Court, or more precisely telling people to wear what they were comfortable with, as most people haven't got a clue what to wear when they go to Court.

Have a lovely day.

Wyxie xx


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## Sun Flower

wow, over 100 views of this thread but only 1 reply - thank you so much Wyxie      

The wording of the invites sounds perfect and just what we are looking for.  Dress code note is also a good idea, I will call the adoption clerk tomorrow regarding numbers. 

can't wait to order the cake and get the champagne on ice (but trying to rein in the excitement as we haven't been given a date yet!)  

Thanks again Wyxie for taking the time to reply, I really do appreciate it xx


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## Emma-is-a-mummy

After sending in paperwork court will then ask Sw for there report they usually have a deadline day. 
Can take a while honey took us 5 months after submitting paper work about 12 weeks in to ao granted and that was with bp Not contesting so could be a while yet before you get date. 

We took our whole family to celebration hearing with us and the judge said it was lovely to see such a big family all coming together for it also invited sw's and foster carer it truly was a wonderful day. 

Hope you hear something soon. Xxx


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## Sun Flower

Thanks Emma, we are preparing ourselves for a wait, we also have lots of family who want to come and celebrate with us, we aim to fill the court room!   xx


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## mummy2blossom

Hi sunflower,
Hope you don't mind me butting in. Our sw & blossoms sw will be submitting our court papers in 4 weeks time so all being well I'll soon be planning our day  

I just wondered if anyone knows/thinks it is common practise to invite FC? (I see Emma did).  We had a lovely bond and felt like old friends. They are amazing people and think they deserve to see the end of blossoms story. 

Sorry for hijacking your thread!  Good luck with it all & look forward to reading about your special day x


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## MummyPea

We're finally able to start planning our celebration day. We've decided that the actual court date is only for our parents and siblings. We don't want a massive thing. However, our court date is in August so we're having a Garden Party to celebrate over the Bank Holiday weekend. We'll invite FC's to that even, but not to court.

We've just put, 'Daddy, Mummy and Little Pea request the pleasure of your company to celebrate Little's adoption' with details of when and where after.


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## Sun Flower

mummy2blossom, of course I dont mind you joining this thread. It would be good to compare notes as we all plan our special day  

We talked about the celebration during intros with FC, and we promised to invite her, so we now feel that we can't go back on it, although in hindsight we feel it is a day for our close family only, it feels like a real dilemma to us at the moment  

Mummypea, a garden party sounds lovely. I suggested to my DH that we have a people back to our house, but we don't have a huge garden but it does seem practical as we can have champagne in the fridge, cake, balloons etc.. but we also like the idea of a hassle free option of booking a local restaurant for a meal. we just can't decide…..

please keep me posted with your plans, will be lovely to hear - I need some inspiration and ideas xx


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## mummy2blossom

Hopefully our court date will be august too, I love the idea of a garden party however we too have a small garden - I might consider arranging to meet at nearby country park (recently saw a birthday picnic going on there). 

I must admit these are just my thoughts (not discussed with hubby yet   )

I'm also conscious of overwhelming blossom with too many people, might think about a days rest in between court & 'party'


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## Sun Flower

ooh a country park sounds good, we have been to a few recently and have seen birthday parties taking place - not sure I trust the great british weather though!  

how old is your LO? are you inviting children to your celebration day? we are maybe thinking of a  local friendly country pub for a meal (one with a nice outdoor seating / play area) as we have a few nieces and nephews who would want / need to run around!


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## mummy2blossom

I have only just started thinking about our plans (am getting bit excited & perhaps carried away-just thought about getting a bouncy castle lol). Blossom is 7months (so probably won't enjoy a bouncy castle any way   How old is your lo?

Pub idea is great & not sure what we'll do about children probably will invite them as a lot of friends have them & after all it's a celebration of our child so seems right to have them. 

I'm also trying to think of a little keepsake to give to guests (kind of like a favour?) but also have very tight budget! 

Do people hire a photographer?  I'm kind of thinking it is on same level (if not higher) than christening/naming ceremony 

I've even considered getting blossoms dress made from my wedding dress but don't think there will be time!

Sooo excited


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## Wyxie

We didn't invite Wyxling's f/c as there were some pretty big problems in her foster placement.

We did invite Bladelet's to his though.  They were a really big and key part of his life, his f/c was in hospital with him from him being a week old when he was still in special baby unit and was a wonderful Mum to him for the first 10 months of his life - she'd looked after and moved on a lot of babies and it was all completely in her stride.  She loved him to bits, both of them did, and really supported him moving on to us.  We have almost nothing for Bladelet from birth parents and I really want him to see going forward how completely and totally loved and cherished he was as a baby.  I think the relationship with the foster carer is so important for this.  I think also because his foster carers were older, and had done this many times before, they've been able to take a step back and readjust the relationship means that it's not something that in any way threatens or destabilises his relationship with us. 

I think having had a truly awful experience of a foster placement with Wyxling, it really made us appreciate them all the more, and I really wanted them to be at the celebration hearing.

We invited children to Bladelet's celebration hearing.  The Court was great and had a huge toy box, and they checked with us before hand how many kids so they had the right amount of packets of sweets hidden in the room!


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## Macgyver

We have our in a couple of weeks and just invited both my and dh parents , my siblings and FC. 
The invites I made myself just said, please come and join us to celebrate with **** a very special day.


On the front was a pic of his feet with his full name.


We are panning just to find a little place to eat as our time is early so we can go and get something to eat and drink.


Good luck


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## Sun Flower

How are the Celebration Day Preparations coming along ladies? 

we've had email to said all paperwork has been filed with court, so we should get a date very soon

excited, ordered cards to make invites but still looking for a suitable venue. Would love to hear your plans and thanks to those on this thread for sharing your experiences, it really helps  

xx


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## mummy2blossom

Not sure if this is still being read but wanted to share ...
SW went to court today & adoption order has been made  

But omg we have only a week until celebration hearing!! To say I'm in a tizz is an understatement!! Started lists & had to txt people to tell them so they can get day off, prob still make invites though  

I'm so excited but stressed because I don't have long to plan (& am car less at the mo- which hinders shopping


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## Sun Flower

yes Im still reading  

many congratulations!! and good luck with your preparations, are you planning a big or small party? xx


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## Macgyver

Congratulations mummy2blossom xxx


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## mummy2blossom

Just thought I'd fill u in on our day today! 

We had our celebration hearing   

Such a lovely day, we had 10 family members (due to short notice many who we wanted there were unable to get time off)

Blossom was given a card by the judge & sat in the judges chair!  Lovely things we're said & judge commented on such a lovely turn out. 

Ended the afternoon with meal in a pub where blossom was amazing. We then came home & after a nap she opened her pressies & cards. 

We are so so happy and proud of our beautiful daughter

We are planning a mass picnic in a couple of weeks where we will invite all friends & family. I'm planning on making some decorations & getting a cake. 

So excited & happy right now


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## Primmer

Mummy2Blossom - it sounds like an amazing day and the picnic sounds like a great idea


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## Martha May

Hi everyone,

I'm attentending a friend's lo's celebration day next week and was wondering if it is customary to take a card & gift.  If so, what kind of gift and where would I find an appropriate card  Do you address the card to the lo's or parents or both? Would greatly appreciate any feedback


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## mummy2blossom

Hi Martha may,
Lovely of you to think about gifts. We received some cards/gifts at the celebration hearing and also some yesterday at the mass picnic we organised for blossom. We've yet to open yesterday's bits as blossom poorly at the mo but we were given gorgeous elephant money box from Nana, engraved frame, lovely little glass plaque with her full name on. We got variety of cards from baby girl ones (with appropriate wording), on your naming day one & many congratulation ones. Most were addressed to us or all 3 of us. Ones from yesterday look like they're addressed to blossom. I think you couldn't go wrong with something with lo full new name. We bought blossom a cute little money box from amazon which we had engraved with her full name & date of celebration hearing. 

Hope this is of some help! Good luck


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## Macgyver

We were also given gifts for our lo and we received some too.


Lo got clothes, china dinner set with nursery rhymes on, a glass gift tag with a message engraved on it about his celebration day, a silver coin, a silver cross necklace, and we got him a silver bangle with a nursery rhyme engraved on the outside (inside I had the date of his adoption order was granted and the words beloved son)
We received chocs, wine, flowers and cards


Hope this gives you some more ideas


Xx


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## Martha May

Thanks for the feedback.  You've given my some great ideas.  I opted for a congatulations card in the eNd and addressed it to the family.  It was a lovely day.  Cant wait till its our turn!


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## Sun Flower

Just wanted to say its our celebration hearing and adoption party this weekend!! 

We have court on Friday am (just us, our parents) and a big party (family, friends and children) on Saturday pm

DH has booked a balloon modeller and we pick up LO special cake tomorrow night - so excited   

x


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## Primmer

MummySunflower - how exciting, hope you all have an amazing time.


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## mummy2blossom

Great news mummy sunflower!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend


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## Sun Flower

Thank you Primmer and mummy2blossom 

We have had a fab day today, LO sat in the judge's chair, we had family photos and presents. LO was an absolute star, behaved really well all day and charmed everyone when we went out for lunch after court, he was blowing kisses, making everyone laugh and just being adorable, love him soooo much. 

Excited for our party tomorrow! It's all go...........

How is everyone else doing with party planning? Love hearing about your special day celebrations, we wait so long to become a family and then the long journey of the adoption process, it's now celebration time!!!   

Xx


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## mummy2blossom

Hi mummy sunflower, 
Sounds like you had a good day! Hope your party went well??

We had our celebration hearing a week after court hearing so was a bit rushed lol! Day went much the same as yours, went for family meal afterwards. Few weeks after we had our picnic where we invited everyone we knew lol (think total reached over 70 lol!!). Weather was perfect, we also had a special cake with blossoms full name on, I made a forever family bunting decoration, we had couple of meaningful poems framed and had a wishing tree. It was terribly tiring though as blossom was unwell & I'd only had 3 hours sleep  
But we loved it! Blossom was great & was so lovely to have so many people come to celebrate our daughter with us!


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