Continuing a long-standing family tradition, former Arkansas educator Laura Montgomery (at right) has been planning reunions since the 1990s." Every two years, she plans an event for more than a hundred family members. She shared these tips with NEA Today for NEA-Retired Members to help make the planning process more manageable—and inspire you to begin!
Start early: About a year before you’re aiming to host the event, start reaching out to family members to gauge interest and how many people to invite.
“I always start with who is the oldest or the elderly, … because that’s where you find out who’s in your family,” Montgomery says.
She also assembles a small organizing team to pull the event together.
Save the date: Find a day or weekend that will suit as many people as possible, such as summers when kids are off from school or long weekends.
Decide what kind of event you want to have: “Nothing’s wrong with getting together in granny’s backyard,” Montgomery says. Smaller family reunions can take place in just an afternoon. Kids can have sack races and softball matches, while the adults prepare the food, she suggests.
For larger families, a campground, nearby park, recreation center, restaurant, or resort might fit the bill. If you are hosting the event at a venue, be sure to book it far in advance.
Some families may want the reunion to be a multiday event that requires a full itinerary of activities, such as outings to a zoo, county fair, amusement park, or other local attractions. This year, Montgomery’s family is taking a cruise!
Organize activities: Depending on the size of the event, the reunion can be rigidly structured or loosely planned.
“We start out with a family meet and greet,” suggests Montgomery, noting that it can be a simple gathering at someone’s house with drinks and munchies. This allows relatives to get to know newer family members or people who are attending for the first time, she says.
Keep it inclusive: Make the reunion engaging and feasible for people of all ages. Take note of accessibility needs and other accommodations for family members attending.
Figure out the finances: It’s important not to take on a financial burden when organizing a reunion, Montgomery cautions. The invitation can include a cover fee that pays for food, drinks, location rental, personalized items like T-shirts, and other expenses. Some families have even organized fundraisers to support the event.
Be sure guests are aware of travel and housing costs, especially around holidays when airfares may be higher than normal.
Stay connected: Montgomery says her family keeps booklets with everyone’s contact information, a family reunion website, and family trees. They update the information each time they plan a reunion, so people can stay in touch when the party’s over.
Ready to start planning?
To help you get organized, visit myevent.com or reunacy.com.
