Planning a family reunion? Getting organized is the first step to being successful and makes family reunion planning a breeze.
First, make a list of all the family members you plan on inviting. Even if you don’t like them, think about the other people who may be attending and whether they would want them to be there. Family reunions are different from personal parties, in that you can’t be completely choosy about who is invited. You have to consider everyone invited, not just yourself.
Once you have your invitation list complete, you can determine what kind of budget you need. A budget is important to ensuring that the family doesn’t go broke trying to get together.
With a budget in place, you can begin to look at food, entertainment and locations. You need a space that will accommodate your reunion with ease, but a place that isn’t too big and pricy for your guest list. Some people use public parks, others use reception halls. Pick a place that is appropriate to the size of the gathering. You can also assign different family members various food dishes to bring with them. This makes food preparation easier for you.
After the invitations have been sent and accommodations have been sent, it is best to draw up a game plan for the day of the reunion. Family reunion planning is all about lists. Having a list will keep you organized and less anxious. An itinerary for set up, event planning and clean up will keep you focused on the day of the gathering.
You may want to scan all photo albums for photographs of late relatives and funny memories. Blowing up photos to poster size and paste them to foam board makes them more sturdy and much more of a keepsake. Small items like this help bring a family closer, as they walk down memory lane.
Drawing groups of family members to help with set up and cleaning afterwards should be done prior to the event, so you don’t get stuck doing everything the day of the event.
Proper family reunion planning can ensure that your gathering goes off without a hitch. This will make the event more enjoyable for the entire family, and have people looking forward to the next family gathering.
