Family reunions offer you and yours the chance to get caught up and to share stories of family history over a great meal or two. However, if you have a big family, coordinating a large number of people can be problematic if you don’t plan correctly. If you have a family reunion coming up soon, you may want to keep the following four tips in mind to keep your planning manageable.
Choose a Location
Decide where to hold the reunion. For large gatherings, a personal residence may not be suitable. In that case, you may want to consider a nearby hotel or a resort. Keep in mind that some family reunions last for several hours while others last for days, so the location you choose should reflect this.
Decide on the Dates
Consider if it is more beneficial to hold the event during weekends, or during weekdays, or even for a whole week. Then, set the dates of the reunion far enough in advance so that a good portion of your family can plan for it and attend it. You must also think about whether the gathering will be held at a resort or a hotel. If so, you’ll have to check with that establishment to see if your possible dates are available.
Food, Beverage, and Entertainment Considerations
While many of the individual families at your reunion may opt to take care of their own meals, it would also be fun to have one or two large gatherings where everyone can eat and drink together. Think wedding-sized buffets, only without the nuptials.
Also think about any activities or sports that you can do during the event. Think about offering a combination of indoor and outdoor activities. If you book a resort for your reunion, both of these options might be available. In both cases – that is for the food as well as the entertainment – the idea is to bring your family together so that everyone can get caught up.
Travel Considerations
If you have a lot of family traveling to the reunion from out of town, you’ll want to make detailed instructions that will help the participants get to and from the reunion. Keep in mind that if a large enough number of you all start from the same place, it might be in your best interest to look into a bus charter. Not only does it keep your group together, but it also opens up touring options. That is if you’re holding a family reunion out-of-town, it’s a good excuse to do some exploring. Having a large charter bus at your disposal makes such arrangements so much more convenient.
Family reunions are an excellent way to get caught up with family members you don’t see very often. While planning them requires a lot of time and work, they’re worth it in the end. The memories that you make on such occasions stay with you long after the event has come to an end.
