Atlantis Banquets & Events provides everything you need for a beautiful and stress-free communion or confirmation party.
Springtime marks important religious milestones for Catholic children, such as communions and confirmations. About 8.5 million people received their first communion and 7.3 million were confirmed throughout the globe in 2021, according to The Central Office of Church Statistics, a department of the Vatican Secretariat of State.
Most Catholic children have their First Holy Communion at the age of 7, and then are confirmed sometime in middle or high school. Many families choose to celebrate the occasion with a social gathering after the service.
You’ll want to start your party planning soon after the church assigns a sacrament date. At that time, find out if your religious organization hosts a reception after the ceremony — if they do, you’ll want to schedule your event accordingly.
Here are four tips to guarantee a festive and seamless party:
1. Pick a location that meets your needs:
Before selecting a venue, you’ll need to decide a few things about the type of celebration you want:
- Do you want something simple or formal?
- How many people will you invite?
- Will you have a theme? If so, does the site’s location or décor represent the ambience you seek?
- What is your budget?
The facility you choose should meet the criteria you list. Atlantis Banquets & Events, for example, provides all types of spaces for celebrations, such as the formal Sea Star Ballroom that holds 50 to 300 people, and the Long Island Aquarium, a perfect venue for sea-inspired festivities, including several party areas, such as:
- The Coliseum Room, where the walls are alive with colorful fish tanks, including our 120,000 shark habitat.
- The Terrace, a bright and elegant room opposite the Sea Star Ballroom for smaller affairs for up to 80 guests.
- The Shark Room features a giant shark hanging from the ceiling, a tropical motif and plenty of space to dance.
- The Riverfront Room is perfect for a daytime event and located right next door to the fun Penguin Exhibit.
2. Choose activities that all ages will enjoy:
Communions and confirmations are parties for family and friends — so you can expect a variety of age groups attending. Look for entertainment that will appeal to all demographics. This might mean hiring a DJ to provide glow sticks and blow-up instruments for kids and the young at heart. You might also want to consider entertainers such as a clown, magician or caricaturist. At Atlantis Banquets & Events, ask about our Penguin Meet and Greet and Critter Carts.
3. Create a menu that satisfies all palates:
A diverse group of guests demands a menu full of variety. Atlantis Banquets & Events offers kid-friendly menus (like sliders, hot dogs and make-your-own tacos) alongside more sophisticated fare such as stuffed shells, roast salmon, veal marsala and pesto chicken. “A communion or confirmation can offer a sit-down lunch or dinner, or a buffet,” said Joan LaRosa, catering sales manager. “All of our catering possibilities feature a wide selection of choices.” Atlantis Banquets & Events also offers an enhancements menu that provides fun options like a flat bread pizza station or carnival favorites like zeppoles, churros and cotton candy.
4. Find moments to personalize the event:
Once you’ve planned a basic framework for your party, think about adding those little touches that will elevate your celebration. For example:
- Are there relatives or friends you’d like to recognize with a toast (or allow them to make one)?
- Are there mementos like Baptismal keepsakes or family portraits you want to display?
- Do you want to have a sign-in book? Something you can bring out at every important event — starting from the communion to the confirmation to the wedding day? This will allow a continuum to all your family celebrations.
- Would you like to have favors? If so, think about how can you infuse the spirit of the day into such a token. Long Island Aquarium’s unique experiences can help — who wouldn’t like a souvenir photo with a sea lion or penguin to remember the occasion?
Atlantis Banquets & Events offers several communion and confirmation celebration packages. We even can reserve accommodations for out-of-town guests at our two hotel properties. Let us help you build your event.
To schedule an appointment with one of our Sales Professionals, please click HERE.