But such an idea of holding a family reunion is never an easy task at hand. Ninety-percent of any successful family reunion is planning. More than anything else, planning for a family reunion requires careful and intelligent choices. And one way to ensure this is by having a family reunion checklist.



So, just what are the things that should be included in this checklist? Here are the ten most important items that you should consider.

1. Create a committee

Yes, planning a family reunion jumpstarts with the creation of a family reunion committee. The key here is to get organized. By having a family reunion committee, you break down this huge task ahead into manageable parts.

- The committee members

Just what is the most important part of the committee? The answer is obviously committee members.

If you are planning for a small reunion, perhaps for a group of thirty people or less, one member may be enough to manage everything.

But for larger reunions, several sub-committees are formed. Each will be tasked to handle individual aspects of the reunion like food, location, activity planning, and others.

For those subcommittees having several members, a committee head must be appointed. It requires a leader to whom all other members must report to.

- Having a committee binder.

As an instrument of keeping track of things, and documenting a committee's progress, a planning booklet must be used. This will include the committee members and their assignments, preparation activities to do, and a list of contacts and other resources at hand. It will also include a list of your projected guests.

2. Selecting a date

Now that you have a committee, or subcommittees, to handle the job, it is time to finalize the details for your family event. You begin this by choosing a date.

This may evolve around a special family event like a granddaughter's birthday or a silver wedding anniversary for the dear old folks. The important thing here is that there is enough leeway towards the proposed date of the reunion. At least several months of preparation must be observed, especially for those big gatherings.

3. Contacting your guests

Now it is time to reach out to those long-lost family members. Send family reunion invitations to your guests through the phone, electronic mail, through ads placed in newspapers and local television programs, or even through family reunion websites.

Of course, for those missing family members, you start by tracking them through your network of contacts, linking to them through other family members or acquaintances.

4. Determining the budget

As early as now, you must determine your budget. A lot of the succeeding steps in this list will be constrained by your financial capacities. So plan your expenses firsthand. Of course you can seek help from family members in soliciting funds for your reunion.

5. Selecting a location and transportation

You already have your budget in mind, now it is time to decide where to hold your family reunion. It may depend on the number of your guests or their type.

For example, if you will have a lot of kids invited, you can perhaps opt for a theme park or a camping trip. You can search family reunion websites for a wide array of leisure locations ranging from beaches to pavilions, even to private islands for rent!

Reservations for venues must be made early especially if you are planning to hold your family reunion during peak seasons.

- Transportation

Of course you will have to consider how to get there. So coming up with locations that are accessible to you, and again, booking early with your mode of transport (airplanes, buses, or ships) is important.

6. What to do

With a location in mind, it is time to plan for the perfect family reunion fun. Start planning your activities so that your family reunion will go on, hassle-free and entertaining.

There is a variety of activities to do depending on your chosen location, from kayaking on the outdoors to surfing on the beach.

It is also a great addition to come up with those classic family reunion games. There are a lot of game suggestions posted on a lot of family reunion websites.

7. Food feast

Another aspect of family reunions to be given importance is the food. Committees can be assigned to handle this but it is important that the guests and their preferences will be considered, in choosing the meals to be served. Half of the family reunion fun is satisfying the appetite for delicious feasts.

8. The details

You now must work on the other details of the family reunion plan. If you want, you can choose a theme for your family reunion, and contact specialists to handle tasks such as decorating the venue or coming up with brighter ideas to make the family reunion a great experience.

You can also hire video services to cover your family reunion. It is best to prepare for the most intricate details of the reunion, because preparedness is the essence of the family reunion plan.

9. Confirmation

About two or three weeks prior to the day itself, you must confirm with all the elements of the family reunion plan. Start by confirming or updating with the location, food, transportation, and other arrangements. You must also update with your guests and make sure that you and them, are ready for the big day.

10. Plan your wrap-up

Finally, it is also important to plan on how you will wrap up your family reunion. You can cap it off by preparing souvenirs or other memorabilia that the guests can cherish for a long time. You can also add a few brilliant ceremonies as a final touch.

So there you have it - a ten-point checklist in planning for that perfect family reunion. It is very important that all throughout the planning process, you intend to create a fun experience and to strengthen the bond with your family. For it is with your complete family that you can achieve a complete lifestyle.