It's a Family Affair - Planning A Family Reunion

It's a Family Affair

advice by Rick Rodgers; Illustrations by David Wenman

Article Reprint from Epicurious

Set the Date

Early planning will guarantee the largest attendance at your family reunion. Talk to family members way in advance to establish the best time for the majority of the group. A year is not too long a lead time. This gives everyone time to save for attending—remember that airfare, hotels, car rental, and other travel expenses add up.

Summer is a popular time for reunions, as kids will be out of school and vacations are in the works anyway. But you may want to center your reunion on a milestone event like a 50th anniversary or Grandma's birthday, keeping in mind that if it falls during cold weather, you'll need an indoor venue.

Chances are that at least some of your guests will be traveling to attend the reunion. Take stock of how many people will need accommodations and reserve a block of rooms at a local hotel or inn. This may require an advance deposit, but will likely get you a better rate. Relatives can always stay as houseguests with family members, if the length of the visit will be reasonably short.

Invitations

E-mail is the cheapest and easiest way to send invitations. However, some of your older family members could be computer-challenged, so you may want to do a combination of paper and e-mail invitations.

Consider two mailings: a "save the date" with hotel reservation information, and a later one with specifics, including a well-drawn map. For rural locations, don't rely on instructions from GPS systems or Web sites—get a trusted family member to confirm the directions.

Create a Budget

Budgeting is a key element at a reunion. Even if you have a casual event, money will have to change hands (for example, you may need to make a deposit to hold a location at a community park). Make a detailed budget, covering every aspect from food and drinks to games and invitations, and then add a little extra for unforeseen costs. Divide the amount between the number of families attending (or by number of persons), and ask that checks be sent in by a certain date. For very large reunions, you may want to start a checking account, so that party funds don't get mixed up with personal money.

Delegate

A reunion, especially a large one, is a lot of work for one person. A committee of relatives may be the best way to handle the many details of the event. Subcommittees can handle invitations (including keeping track of RSVPs); food (determining who is bringing what); decor (including flowers and tableware); activities (taking care of music, photos, and videos); and treasury (collecting various fees, if needed).

Hire Help

The best advice I can give anyone who is having a large family party is to consider hiring help. It may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it's a worthwhile one. Having an extra pair (or more) of hands to wash dishes, keep the buffet filled, and do general cleanup allows more time for enjoying the company of your family—the time at these large events has a tendency to fly, and the day will be over before you know it.