Family reunions are special events that bring far-flung members closer together, renew ties, share news and allow individuals to re-connect in a festive, positive way. Some families schedule their reunions on a regular basis, while others hold them intermittently, whenever they feel a need to bring together elders, adults and youngsters for the sharing of old family stories and the creation of new memories. Family reunions require a considerable amount of advance planning and preparation to make them a success. These family reunion planning tips will help you to make your reunion an enjoyable experience for all. To capture these precious moments, consider using event photo sharing tool from Esstart.
Properly arranging guests can be simplified with a wedding seating chart which can be adapted for your reunion.
Setting Objectives and Establishing Communication
Planning the reunion should start a year to 18 months before. You will first need to get some idea of how many people you can expect to attend the reunion. Contact members to tell them a reunion is being planned for the future. Close family members can generally provide contact information for less connected members, so you can cast a wide net for attendance. During this time you can get input and ideas for what the reunion should involve and how to accommodate the needs of family members. This is also the time to determine your objective for the reunion. Do you want to celebrate the oldest members of the group? Focus on introducing new member to the group—spouses, partners and offspring? Do you want to share pictures from the past and old family histories? These details can make your reunion more enriched and focused.
Setting A Date and Place
Family event coordination can be quite complicated, so you should include pre-reunion communication well in advance of the projected date. The goal is to avoid conflict with other important events such as weddings, religious ceremonies or other important activities. You should also determine the appropriate length of the reunion. If many people are coming from out-of-town locations, holding the event over several days, with several mini-events can be a good option. Similarly, you should try to set the location of the reunion that is most convenient for the greatest number of family members. Your family may mostly be clustered around a particular city or area. That area could be the perfect setting for your reunion, allowing for a number of options for side events at family members’ homes. If a location for the reunion isn’t obvious, finding a central location that allows the least amount of travel time for all involved can be a good solution.
Creating A Budget
Determine how much you can spend on organizing the reunion. You should research various venues in the area where you are having the main celebration, determine catering costs, alcohol, service fees and group rates at hotels. With a rough budget outline, you can then provide information to family members about the reunion expenses. You can determine an amount that each person can contribute for the event. If there are some family members that are not able to cover the expenses, it’s good if wealthier members can provide additional help for them. The best reunions are those where everyone contributes something to the endeavor, whether it is in the form of money, time, skills or food items.
Developing A Family Reunion Schedule
Your reunion schedule will depend on how much time you have determined for the event. You may start out with a family brunch to welcome all those from out of town. Outdoor activities can be fun for youngsters and active adults. A break in afternoon activities can allow older family members to take some quiet time. In the evening, you can plan the main dinner event and entertainments. You should always accommodate family members with disabilities, those who are elderly or those who have infants.
Planning Entertainment
Entertainment for your reunion can be as elaborate or as simple as your budget allows. You may have talented members of the family that can provide music, arrange karaoke, provide leadership for dancing or guide other activities. Many families schedule simple talent shows, trivia games or “family history bingo.” If your budget allows, you can hire various types of entertainment for the event. Try to devise entertainment for a variety of age groups. You can also consider using digital guest book to keep everyone engaged.
Sending Invitation
You should send out family reunion invitations as soon as you know the exact date it will occur. Generally, you should give at least 6 months notice to allow family to book flights, hotels and make other arrangements. A dedicated Facebook page or website can help to keep family members apprised of timing, locations and events.
Catering and Meal Planning
The venue where you hold your reunion celebration may provide catering as part of a package. If not, you will have to arrange food for meals for your group. Depending on how many days over which your reunion is held, you may be able to provide breakfasts, brunches or mid-day meals with potluck contributions, barbecues or other methods.
Delegate Responsibilities
Do not attempt to arrange and conduct the family reunion doing all the work yourself. You may end feeling exhausted and resentful by the time the date arrives. Delegate tasks such as decorations, tee shirts, entertainment planning and transportation. You can utilize technology to help record and enliven your reunion event with the Esstart Digital Guestbook with Live Quizzes, to help memorialize the event and add more fun.
Enjoy the Event
With good planning and delegation of tasks to other family members, everything will be ready for the day or days of the reunion, and you can relax and enjoy the event. However, like other things in life, it’s good to be prepared for the unexpected, so make sure you have a first aid kit on hand, some over-the-counter medications for minor discomforts and make sure you know the location of the nearest hospital close to your event.
FAQ
How Long Should A Family Reunion Last?
The length of the reunion can vary, depending on how far people must travel for the event. Activities can occur over one day or several days.
How Big Is the Average Family Reunion?
Some families are small, and some are large. The average family reunion involves about 50 to 150 people, but it can be tailored to accommodate any size group.
How Do You Include Family Members Who Can’t Attend the Reunion?
Technology has made it easier to include family members who cannot travel due to age or poor health. Zoom, Facetime and other apps help individuals feel like a part of the celebration, even when they are quite far away. For those members who may have difficulty with today’s technology, you can still make them a part of the event with phone calls that allow the distant family member to speak with others.
