For my eldest daughter, I went the route of kind of sort of forgetting altogether about baptism, so when I got around to remembering it, she was almost 6 months old already — turns out, those cutesy baptism dresses aren't really meant for babies that old. Luckily for me, there was one in the family that I was able to borrow, so for once in my life, procrastination saved me some serious cash.
The whole "borrowed baptism dress" thing worked out so well the first time, that for my second daughter, I borrowed another dress, this time from one of my husband's cousins. Score! And then I had my son, quickly followed by another daughter and I figured it was time to rethink my cheapskate ways.
I went the route of online shopping for their christening outfits — and couldn't help but laugh my head off at some of the ridiculous ensembles out there.
Made for a king
But I mean, really, is this thing straight out of Prince George's closet? (The Christian Baby, $290)
Elizabeth silk christening gown
Don't even worry about it, guys — this dress has actual crystals on it, so it's totally worth the giant price tag. (The Christian Baby, $425)
The Penelope gown
No joke — this heirloom christening gown actually costs as much as my wedding dress did. And the matching "accessories" run another couple hundred bucks easy. (Christeninggowns.com, $475)
The designer gown
Hey, maybe someday your son will thank you for spending $200 on a dress for him — I'm just not making any promises. (Christeninggowns.com, $198)
Dolce and Gabana
You can "complete the look" of this designer gown with a matching bib for a cool $195. And the booties are free. Just kidding — they're an additional $220. (Saks Fifth Avenue, $826)
Couture cover up
Because you certainly wouldn't want your baby to get chilly in that expensive baptism gown, here is a reasonable option to keep her nice and cozy. Or you could buy her a car. Either way. (Saks Fifth Avenue, $1,875)
More on christenings
A guest's guide to baptisms and christenings
PHOTOS: Will and Kate celebrate Prince George's christening
Justin Bieber spent Saturday night looking to get baptized