Planning a Family Reunion - Getting the Ball Rolling
Posted by Ellen · January 18th, 2008Two years ago, my mother and I were assigned the task of planning a family reunion for her large extended family. Being the oldest of nine children and the matriarch of the family, it seemed fitting that she would be the one to plan it. As most things roll downhill, the task rested heavily upon my shoulders. After several months of planning, meeting with caterers, writing emails, answering questions, and taking special requests, the family reunion went by in a blur and was a huge success. We thought we were off the hook for a long time until I received a phone call from the folks who volunteered for the next reunion, saying that they could not pull it off.
So here we go again: The place to start when planning a family reunion or gathering is to first, set a few dates as possibilities and take an informal poll. When taking the poll, include a general description of the event and an estimate of the expenses for lodging. It works out best when you give people a deadline to reply with their preference. It is perfectly acceptable to send out an email but remember to send a hard copy in the mail to those who are not tech savvy. If you have some internet skills, I would recommend setting up a blog page with all the pertinent information that people need to know to make up their minds. Here is an example of the blog page that I made for our upcoming reunion:
If the majority of the family is up for the reunion, then it is officially time to get started with the planning process. I would recommend using a company called MyEvent.com. You can create an entire family reunion website through this service and they make it extremely easy. The costs are attractive with their lowest package starting at $9.95 per month and MyEvent.com says on their website that anyone with no internet skills at all can easily use the website. Here is an example of the “Miller Family Reunion” webpage planned through MyEvent.com:
The reunion website becomes the central hub of communication for the family. MyEvent.com has some very cool features such as uploading photo albums and family trees as well as the ability to take polls for different activities that might happen during the reunion. I also think the ability to rsvp and pay for deposits and other costs through the family website is a helpful function.
To get the planning underway, it is best to collect a deposit from each family that is planning to attend the reunion. The deposit serves as a commitment to attend the event as well as a security deposit to cover certain non-refundable expenses should family members change their mind close to the reunion date. I have always found that giving family members as much time as possible to send in the deposit usually works best. I typically say 3 to 6 months.
Once you have set the date set and the people are committed to attend, the fun part begins. Planning a reunion is a lot of work but is truly a rewarding experience. Stay tuned for more tips as my own reunion planning unfolds.
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