Get everyone together this summer for a fun, family celebration!
Summer family reunions are a great way to bring together family members from near and far to reminisce, catch up, and make new memories. Of course, the more people you include, the more logistics are involved!
Whether you’re hosting a reunion of just a few relatives or a larger gathering with dozens of extended family members, there are a lot of important details to consider.
That’s why we’ve collected some tips for taking the stress out of your planning process! Here’s how to plan a family reunion that everyone will remember for years to come:
- Figure out your budget
- Delegate tasks to different family members
- Set up an easy communication/RSVP system
- Create an activity schedule
- Print out a conversation starter game
- Ask guests to bring photo albums
Let’s explore these family reunion planning tips!
Figure out your budget
Family reunions can be as affordable or expensive as the planners agree — from a group vacation to a simple gathering in a park or someone’s backyard. So, before you do anything else, it’s important to figure out a realistic budget for your family reunion. Depending on how many people you’re expecting, the location, and the type of activities you plan to do, the overall cost of the reunion will vary.
Make sure you crunch the numbers to figure out how much you can realistically spend. Ask family members if they’re willing to share costs, whether that means contributing to a planning fund or bringing potluck-style food to keep expenses lower.
Delegate tasks to different family members
Figuring out how to plan a family reunion can quickly become overwhelming if you try to do everything yourself. Consider delegating tasks to different family members in the weeks or months leading up to the reunion. From taking care of transportation or accommodations to coming up with a schedule of activities, to preparing food or ordering catering, having other family members be the “point person” on specific tasks will help make sure everything runs smoothly.
Set up an easy communication/RSVP system
Once you have a location, date, and budget in mind, it’s time to start reaching out to family members and collecting RSVPs. Having a central place to communicate and collect responses will help ensure that everyone is on the same page. Consider creating a dedicated Facebook group or email chain, or setting up an online form to collect RSVPs and additional information. Try to avoid doing all the planning over group text, as information can quickly be lost in the shuffle with many different participants.
Create an activity schedule
This is where the fun happens! Without planned activities, a reunion can turn into hours of sitting around. As enjoyable as it is to catch up and bond with family, it’s even better to do it over a fun shared activity! If you’re hosting it outdoors, plan some creative outdoor games like bocce ball or inflatable bowling. For a longer reunion, plan a day trip to a nearby beach, lake, or quaint town. Spend evenings in the kitchen trading family recipes or creating new ones. Have a stack of board games at the ready for anyone who’s up for some friendly competition.
Print out a conversation starter game
Conversations often flow naturally at family reunions, but you can spice them up and break the ice with a conversation starter jar! All you have to do is print out a list of conversation starters, cut them up, and put the folded paper pieces into a big jar or box. Then, invite family members to choose a random piece from the jar and answer the question! This can be a fun way to learn new things about each other. Questions like “What’s your earliest memory?” will allow older family members to share stories from their childhood. Other questions can include anything from memories to future dreams to pop culture topics like favorite movies.
Ask guests to bring photo albums
There’s really no better time for a trip down memory lane! Ask guests to bring their favorite family photo albums so you can all flip through and reminisce on past stories and memories. Then, take it a step further: get a Polaroid camera or set up a DIY photo booth so you can all continue adding to those photo troves!
Are you ready to start planning? CapTel captioned telephones make it easy to coordinate plans over the phone when you have hearing loss. See our selection here!
