Proven Family Reunion Planning Ideas for a Dazzling Event

Did you know that almost half of all Americans say they don’t live within an hour of their extended family?

Even with modern travel luxuries like flights and high-speed trains, life often gets in the way of us seeing our loved ones. This is why taking the time to host a family reunion is so important. This is the perfect way to see people after a long time and catch up with everything that’s happened since.

Are you wondering how you can do it? Whether your extended family is in another city, state, country, or all over the place, you can use these family reunion planning ideas to make the event truly special.

How Do I Start Planning for a Family Reunion?

Planning your family reunion doesn’t have to be stressful. Instead, you can break things into manageable chunks and to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as butter.

Make a Roster and Send Out Invites

Like with any important event, planning things well ahead of time is the key to success. That way, you can have the best turnout possible. For starters, it’s worth gathering your extended family’s addresses and other contact information.

Having a list will prevent you from scrambling at the last minute and forgetting someone during the hustle and bustle. It’ll also make sending out family reunion invitations an absolute breeze. If some of your family members live outside the country, you should send them a digital invitation so that you don’t have to worry about delays or the possibility of it getting lost in the mail.

For national family members, it’s worth using physical invitations because they’ll appreciate the thought and work you’ve put into them. Don’t forget to ask them for an RSVP. Knowing how many people will show up will make it easier to get enough food and other supplies on the big day.

Consider the Venue

The last thing you’d want is for you and your loved ones to feel like sardines in a can. Instead, your venue choice should be based on the number of people you plan on inviting. Depending on the size of your home, you could host an intimate reunion in your living room, for instance, or even your backyard.

However, if you want to pull out all the stops or need extra space, then it’s worth renting out a venue for the afternoon or evening. The great thing about renting a venue is that they often have catering and entertainment options that you can add to the package deal. This can save you a ton of time, assuming the prices are reasonable.

To save on expenses, it’s worth comparing and contrasting prices between possible venues. Don’t forget, the phrase “you get what you pay for” certainly applies to your choice of venue. This is why you should also do a bit of in-depth research by looking up testimonials and even checking out the venue in person.

Think About Transportation Solutions

If some of your family members are driving to the reunion venue, then they probably won’t need too much help getting from place to place. The real logistical issues crop up when your loved ones are flying in. From picking them up at the airport to getting them to the family reunion venue, there are plenty of things to plan out.

If you have enough spare rooms and beds, you only need to worry about people getting to your home. However, a separate venue often requires a bit of additional traveling. This is one reason to rent out a venue at a hotel.

All of your family members will be in one place and won’t have to travel farther than they already have. Sometimes this isn’t possible, and it’s worth keeping solutions in mind if that’s the case. In the event that different family members have different hotels, you could collect them in a rented car and bring them to the official venue.

From luxury buses to stretch limos, there are many ways you can make sure everyone gets there in style and the utmost comfort. Like with choosing the venue, be sure to compare prices and check out reviews before deciding on the perfect transportation vendor. It’s also worth thinking about the features that come with the vehicle, such as snacks, party lights, and anything else that can make the reunion even more special.

Once you check this off your family reunion planning checklist, it’ll definitely feel like a big weight has been lifted.

Choose Between Family Reunion Themes

If you want to elevate your event, you could go all out by choosing a fun and unique theme. Not only will this help you plan out small details, but it’ll also make your family members even more excited for the big day. While the sky’s the limit, here are some special themes that are worth considering.

Culture Adventure

America is known as the melting pot for a reason. Chances are your family has several or more cultural roots depending on how far back in time you go. One way you can have everyone learn about each other is by planning your family reunion around a cultural adventure theme.

Whether Italian, Nigerian, Polish, or all of the above, you can decorate the venue with items related to your family’s main roots. You shouldn’t limit yourselves to the past, either, because some of your extended family members could have made a home away from home in another country. If they’ve lived in Panama for the past five years, for example, then it could be great to use that as a source of inspiration as well.

Do you need family reunion food ideas? Be sure to ask your family members to bring either a dish or a cultural item that they can share with others and talk about. Seeing actual heirlooms and hearing stories can bring your family’s legacy to life.

Are you not too sure what your roots are or how they diverge in the distant past? One way you and your family members could prepare for this themed reunion is by taking a DNA test. This could end up giving your surprising results that no one else was aware of before.

To make things even more exciting and suspenseful, you could ask people to keep their results secret until the reunion. Once the time comes, you can compare and contrast them.

A Talent Show

While a culture adventure is a great way to highlight and celebrate the things that tie your family together, a talent show can make individuality the star of the show.

To turn this into a whole theme, you’ll need a dedicated host. You can either take a name out of a hat, ask the family to decide among themselves, or hold nominations before the reunion. Either way, make sure you equip your host with a microphone so that they can entertain the family between talent showings and introduce each person as they come up on the stage.

Speaking of the stage, you could cordon an area off using a velvet rope or even invest in a tiny stage, assuming you’re pressed for space. If you’re renting a venue, they may have actual stage options so that the talent show feels like a true spectacle.

Aside from a host, you should consider putting together a few judges who can rate the performances and decide on first-place, second-place, and third-place winners. Be sure to plan on giving your family members trophies for these achievements. So that no one feels left out, you can offer participation awards that can also double as reunion party favours they can take home and cherish.

Don’t forget to invest in flashy decorations that can take your celebration to the next level. Everything from sparkly garlands to star-shaped cut-outs will go a long way toward making this theme feel as authentic as possible.
Do you need culinary inspiration? If so, think of the types of food they serve at other award shows, like the Oscars. This year’s Oscars celebration included pasta with truffles, Asian-style fried chicken, miniature fish and chips, and much more.

Who’s Who Mystery

Who doesn’t love a good whodunit? You can take the mystery and intrigue of the noir genre and use it as the theme for this year’s one-of-a-kind family reunion. Think of fantastic movies like Chinatown, Murder on the Orient Express, or even the modern classic Knives Out, and use this as your drawing board.

The main attraction of this game is that everyone should come to the family reunion wearing some kind of disguise. The goal is to talk with people and try to guess who is who. Let your family members know that they can use distracting accents and even stretch the truth, but they can’t outright lie.

For instance, if someone is studying at university, they can change their major or the school they’re going to, but can’t fib and say they don’t go to school at all. That way, people will need to piece together the truth bit by bit. The person whose identity is found out the least will end up being the winner.

Don’t forget to reward the family member who guessed the most amount of true identities as well. To set the mood, feel free to make a playlist of classic mystery music. You could even use the soundtracks from everyone’s favorite whodunit films.

To draw out the mystery, a tasty game you can play involves guessing which things are cake and which aren’t. Be sure to use dim lighting that will make guessing more challenging. Aside from eating the actual cake items, you could lay out a charcuterie board with a spread of cheeses, jams, meats, nuts, breads, and more.

Family Reunion Party Ideas

Are you asking yourself, “What are some ideas for a family reunion?” No matter what theme you end up choosing, there are some family reunion planning staples you won’t want to be without. You can make more memories with your loved ones and have even more fun in the process.

Family Reunion Tree

As families grow and spread out, it can be almost impossible to keep track of all the different branches and members. This is where a family reunion tree can come in handy.

A family reunion tree is basically a visual representation of a family’s genealogy. It can be a physical tree made out of paper or a digital version created using software or online tools.

The tree often includes the names of family members, their birth and death dates, and their relationship to one another. It can also include photos, stories, and other information about each family member.

One reason it’s worth having this at your reunion is that it can help family members identify each other. This is especially true if they haven’t met before or have met but haven’t seen each other in a long time. This will make it easier to connect and learn about their shared history.

The tree works wonders for breaking the ice and it generates plenty of interesting conversations. You could even use it as the basis of a party game.

As if that wasn’t enough, a family reunion tree can even be a valuable resource for future generations. By creating a record of the family’s history and genealogy, younger family members can learn about their roots and feel a sense of connection to their heritage. With this in mind, it’ll help preserve family traditions and keep memories alive for years to come.

To create a family reunion tree, you can start by gathering information about your family’s genealogy. This can include birth and death certificates, family bibles, old letters or documents, and information from online genealogy websites. Once you have this information, you can start creating your tree using a digital tool.

If you want it to double as a decorative party piece, you can create a physical tree by drawing it by hand or using a template.

A Family Photo Booth

One way to make your reunion memories even more special is by having a photo booth at the upcoming get-together. Photo booths are an amazing way to bring family members together and capture fun and candid moments that you can cherish forever.

Are you wondering why it’s worth having a photo booth at your next family reunion and how to make it happen?

There’s no denying that photo booths are a wonderful icebreaker for family members who may not have seen each other in a long time. They provide a fun and interactive way for everyone to get to know each other and bond over silly poses and props. Photo booths can also be customized with family reunion themes and personalized props, adding a unique touch to the event.

Don’t forget that photo booths provide a fun and memorable experience for family members of all ages. From young children to grandparents, everyone can participate in the photo booth excitement. It’s also a perfect way to capture moments at the family reunion party that you might have otherwise missed.

To have a photo booth at your family reunion, you can rent one from a professional photo booth company or make your own DIY photo booth. There are plenty of online tutorials and resources available to help you create a simple photo booth with a camera, tripod, and backdrop. Instead of having something generic, you can even customize your photo booth with personalized props and decorations that align with whatever theme you’ve chosen.

As a cherry on top, consider having a guestbook or photo album where family members can leave their photo booth pictures and special messages. This will serve as a cool keepsake for everyone to remember the absolute delight they experienced at the family reunion.

Family Reunion Shirt Ideas

Few things will make the occasion more special than handing out family reunion shirts to all of your loved ones. You can customize these shirts with logos for family reunions, a family reunion tree picture, or anything else that’s relevant.

Family reunion shirts serve more than one purpose. First of all, they can act as a way to identify members of the family, especially if the reunion is a large event with extended family members attending. Aside from that, attendees can use them as a keepsake or memento of the event, allowing family members to remember the special occasion for years to come.

As if that wasn’t incredible enough on its own, these shirts can create a sense of unity and belonging among family members, reminding them of the importance of togetherness.

When creating family reunion shirts, you may feel overwhelmed by the possibilities and ideas you can choose from, but don’t worry. Logos for family reunions can include family crests, family names, or family mottos. Feel free to customize these designs so that they reflect the unique history and heritage of the family.

If you’ve already come up with a family reunion tree design, you can showcase the different branches and generations of the family on the back or front of the shirt.

For a more lighthearted approach, you could even design a funny family reunion shirt that will have everyone laughing. From humorous family quotes and jokes to tailor-made puns and more, the possibilities are almost endless. These shirts can be a great conversation starter and go a long way toward contributing to a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere at the reunion.

You’ll be glad to know that you can order custom shirts in bulk from a variety of online vendors and have them shipped to the reunion venue. This option is both convenient and affordable. You can also order them in a range of sizes to accommodate all family members.

Are You Ready to Use These Family Reunion Planning Ideas?

Now that you’ve learned all about how to plan your family reunion with these unique ideas, you can make sure that this reunion is one for the books. Your loved ones will certainly appreciate all your hard work and dedication to the true meaning of family.

Greetings Island is here to provide you with a wide range of custom and artistic cards for your family reunion and other important events in life. We make it easy to add unique touches, print them out, and more. You can always count on our attention to detail and dedication to quality.

^{Photo by: Shane Rounce, miodrag ignjatovic, thapanee srisawat, Bradley Pisney, Dmytro Botvinovskyy on UnSplash}