Tip #1
Plan Far in Advance Give yourself plenty of time to plan ahead
Depending on the size of the reunion, be sure to plan months or even a year in advance. Get a date set up early on so you are able to start planning, and that should include setting up a reunion website. Even small family reunions can benefi t if you have a website that gives attendees a place to learn more, sign up, and o er suggestions. The website should fuel a contagious spirit for the upcoming event. It also gives people a place to share memories that will add to the fl avor of the reunion to cherish for a long time.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #2
Involve Your Guests Get your attendees engaged in the planning
Use social networking to announce the activities coming up and to fi nd people you may not have heard from in years. Get attendees to participate in the planning of the reunion. Make a list of what you need help with such as fi nding people you’ve lost touch with, or help in looking for a venue for the event, planning the menu, and more. It may have been your idea to get the reunion rolling, but make sure you get others involved so the event is collaborative and fun.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #3
Be a Trouble Shooter Draw attendees in with exciting ideas
What if all the good ideas you have for putting together the reunion aren’t drawing people? Don’t forget some people who have not been in touch for a long time may be worried about coming because they look di erent -- have gained or lost a lot of weight, or have had signifi cant setbacks in life. Your initial “Save the Date” announcement should be warm and friendly. Use verbiage such as “You’re Invited to a Reunion Picnic to Enjoy Each Other’s Company.”
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #4
Create a Theme Pick the perfect theme for the celebration
Create theme around they type of reunion you’re having. Use swag bags, party favors, music, and food to set the mood. If it is a family reunion, you could make bookmarks, magnets or take-home goodies coor- dinated to the theme of the “Johnson Family Tree.” Have someone research your family’s roots and give everyone a snapshot of the family’s heritage in the form of a map of where your ancestors came from, old family photos, where they settled in the country, or a genealogical map that shows the names of ancestors.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #5
Locate the Destination Find the perfect spot for your family’s reunion
Planning a family reunion could lead to a mini vacation. Instead of going to someone’s home or park, you might consider renting a special place for a large family reunion. Consider renting a vacation home, condo, ski lodge, or beach house to host a small or medium size family reunion. Summer homes and lodges that sleep up to 25 are not uncommon in popular summer vacation spots. This option is often less expensive than separate lodging. If attendees are parents, grandparents and adult children, consider asking everyone to share some or all of the costs of the reunion.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #6
Choose a Special Time of Year Frame the reunion around your school graduation
Plan a high school or college reunion around that time period when you were students together. Have a trivia contest that highlights questions pertaining to the arts, sports, politics, and entertainment of the time. Put up posters of news events of the time period, famous headlines during the year/s when they were in school, popular TV shows, movies and books of the time frame.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #7
Pick a Shared-Interest Venue Find a venue that allows for group activities
For a reunion of friends, plot your event around “doing something” together. It could be something involving meeting at a fi lm festival, kayaking around a favorite lake, or even stopping for a celebratory lunch or dinner -- any type of activity. You could even go skiing, camping, or plan a road trip. Remember, the planning is part of the sharing memories together.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #8 Have an Unforgettable ‘Prop’ Rent or make at least one memorable ‘prop’ at your event
The prop could be a photo booth where guests can take home souvenirs as a fun way to create memories. Here’s an idea for a prop if your event calls for celebrating a reunion when Polaroid cameras were the rage. Some camera stories may allow renting Polaroid cameras or other vintage cameras. Take “selfi es” and send the photos, or give them to reunion guests, as the case may be, for take-home memories unlike any other.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #9
Give Unique Prizes Give personalized prizes for your attendees
No matter what size your reunion, get your planning ‘committee’ together and think of some fun awards to give attendees. Prizes could be for having traveled the greatest distance to the reunion site, having the most children, having the ‘oddest’ job, meeting the most celebrities in their life, having won an o beat award in the past… like having made the most gutter balls in their bowling league, etc. The point is no mat- ter what your prize is for, it helps everyone get to know that person a little bit better.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
Tip #10
Play Great Tunes Play music that best highlights the theme
Find the perfect music to match the time frame you are celebrating. Besides using your iPad, tablets and other electronic devices to set the mood with recorded music, why not hire a live band to add some spunk? Get creative, ask your area high schools or musical performance groups for referrals. Whether it be classical or rock, you’ll undoubtedly fi nd at least one small group that would like the opportunity to play at your reunion.
Make Memories • Memorable Reunion Make Memories • Memorable Reunion
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