How To Plan A Family Reunion

Family reunions are a great opportunity to reunite with people who you haven’t seen for a while. Organizing a family reunion is a particularly fantastic idea if you have family members who live far apart, as it means that you likely rarely get a chance to catch up.

But the sad news is that planning a family reunion can be hard work. This is because there are just so many things that you need to organize. Not to mention, there can be lots of people involved, especially if you have a large family.

So to ensure that your family reunion runs as smoothly as possible, use this helpful guide!

đź“ŚPin it for laterđź“Ś

How To Plan A Family Reunion

1. Get In Contact With Your Family

First things first, you must contact your family members. Inform them of your intention to arrange a family reunion. Once you’ve made everyone aware, you can begin planning the details, such as the date and time of the gathering.

Phoning every family member might not be the most effective method of communication. Instead, you may want to send a group email or create a group chat on social media.

2. Celebrate An Occasion

Holidays and events are the perfect times to arrange reunions. This is because they give you something to celebrate, which can become the focus of the gathering.

Holidays such as Christmas or Easter are ideal. Alternatively, you can opt for more personalized events, such as milestone birthdays or graduations. 

3. Pick A Date

Choosing a date when everyone is free can be tough, as everyone leads busy lives. Therefore, it’s worth giving yourself plenty of time to plan this reunion.

The summer can be a great time for these gatherings, especially if kids are involved. Remember that vacation prices can be rather steep during the summer months.

If you want to make your reunions an annual affair, it’s a good idea to pick the same date every year.

4. Get Everyone Involved

Organizing a reunion with just a few family members involved is guaranteed to cause drama. Therefore, it’s best to get as many people involved in the planning process as possible.

Not to mention, getting everyone involved will give you more input. This input will make it easier to plan the reunion. Therefore, you can find activities that are suitable for everyone.

A wonderful method of getting everyone involved is to send a questionnaire to your family members. This way, you can see what activities are most popular.

5. Find A Convenient Location

The next thing you need to plan is the destination of this family reunion. If your family lives far apart, this will be hard. 

Yet, you may have to compromise to find somewhere convenient for everyone. For instance, you may want to find a location roughly the same distance apart for everyone. You will also need to find a destination with appropriate accommodation.

In terms of destinations, there are loads of options. You may want to go somewhere fun and family-orientated, such as Disney World. If Disney World is a suitable destination for your family, use our Disney World Planning Guide to help. And why not check out this activity pack?

On the other hand, you may want to meet somewhere that has emotional significance for your family, such as where you grew up.

This article about Multi-Generational Travel Ideas For Families will help provide family reunion options suitable for your entire family.

How To Plan A Family Reunion

6. Delegate Responsibilities

Planning this reunion alone will be hard work, as there are loads of moving parts that will need to align. To make things easier for yourself, you should seek out volunteers in your family willing to take on some responsibilities.

The larger your family, the more volunteers you will need. You can then arrange regular meetings with these volunteers to plan the event.

7. Choose Fun Activities

Now that you’ve set a date and time, you will need to consider what you will get up to during the family reunion. After all, the reunion will be rather dull if you don’t have anything to do.

Ideally, you should plan multiple activities. This is because not everyone will be interested in one activity. Everyone has different interests!

Here are the best activities for a family reunion:

  • Quizzes
  • Nature hike
  • Board games
  • Watersports
  • Scavenger hunt
  • Cooking course
  • Movie night
  • Beach frisbee

If your family reunion takes the form of a family vacation, check out these Multi-Generational Travel Ideas For Families. This article will help guide you through planning a vacation with grandparents and extended family.

8. Set Aside A Budget

Family gatherings can become expensive, especially if people are traveling from afar. Not to mention, you may need to spend money on activities, food, and accommodation.

Discussing financial matters with your family can be uncomfortable. Yet, it’s nonetheless an important conversation. This is because every family member will be in a different financial situation. Therefore, some people will be willing to spend more than others.

Host a meeting with the members of your family to determine how much you’re willing to spend. Factor in the cost of travel.

Once you’ve determined a budget, begin saving up money!

9. Consider The Food Options

In between all of your fun activities, you will need to think about what food you will consume. You’ll need lots of food if you’ve got a massive family. 

Potlucks are perhaps the best option. It ensures that there’s suitable food for everyone. Additionally, it means that one person doesn’t have to do all the cooking. It’s advised that you plan what everyone will bring ahead of time to ensure that you don’t all bring the same food. Other good options include pizza, burgers, soup, and salad.

Will your family reunion last for multiple days, and will you stay in shared accommodation like a beach house or mountain cabin? If so, it’s important to do menu planning ahead of time and consider any food allergies.

Delegate meal prep for certain meals to individual family groups. No one person wants to prepare all the meals for the entire trip. Create a chore chart to share in the responsibility of clean up and dishes after meals.

Once the menu is decided, make a grocery list of all the items required to prepare these meals. Place an online grocery order to be delivered to your accommodation once you arrive. Or create a list of specific food items for each family group to bring.

Don’t forget to include items like napkins, paper plates, condiments, aluminum foil, and hand soap if you’re in self-catering accommodation.

10. Take Plenty Of Photos

Our last tip is to take lots of photos. It’s easy to overlook the importance of photos. But they will allow you to remember the family reunion for years to come. Plus, they’re ideal for sharing on social media.

Consider hiring a professional photographer to take a group photo of your entire family and some candid photos during the reunion. These are the family photos you will treasure forever!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Far Ahead Should You Plan A Family Reunion?

Often, the further ahead, the better. Preferably, you should start planning the event at least 12 months in advance.

How Can You Make A Family Reunion Special?

Every family reunion should be special. Here are some tips to elevate your gatherings:

  • Pay for a photo booth.
  • Make some mementos.
  • Host a talent show.
  • Play some specialized games, such as working out the identities of different baby photos in your family.
  • Relive some family memories.

Final Thoughts

Though there are lots of things that you will need to consider when planning a family reunion, it’s certainly worth it. By following these tips, your family reunion should create memories that you will cherish for years to come!

Video about How to Plan a Family Reunion.

For more about family travel, check out these posts:
How To Start Saving For A Vacation With Kids
7 Keys to Planning A Multi-Generational Vacation with Grandparents
Multi-Generational Travel Ideas For Families
Disney World Itinerary Planning: What You Need to Know

BE Family Products Inc., or (BE Family Travel) participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Using any of the links on this website does NOT cost you anything but does help us continue to create content on this blog. Thank you so much for your support and for partnering with us. Let’s BE Family.

The BE Family Travel Team writes articles to help parents travel with children.