Being assigned as the planned of the next family reunion is a big job! Here is a checklist to help you get it right!
18 Months - 1 Year Before Your Family Reunion
Establish a Venue/Lodging Budget: Find out what each family can afford and calculate a total budget.
We find it is often best to split the venue rental evenly between all members to make room assignments easier and to keep everything fair!
Make sure everyone factors in extra costs for food and activities
Delegate tasks - Make things easier on yourself, and let other family members feel involved in planning your family reunion. Some ideas:
Activity planner: someone to research and plan activities for the group
Meal coordinator: someone to research and plan meals for the group
Treasurer: someone to coordinate fund collections
Lodging coordinator: someone to assign rooms and coordinate check in information with the group
Research - Start researching venues, lodging, activities, destinations and meals
12 Months Before Family Reunion
Finalize date
Book venue & Lodging - Many venues book up 6-12 months in advance. Make sure to secure your venue as your first step.
Catering - Start reaching out to caterers if you plan to do catered meals. Like venues caterer can book out 6-12 months in advance.
Communication - Decide how you will communicate information about your family reunion - do you want to create a facebook group? Group email? Mini website?
6 Months Before Family Reunion
Confirm RSVPs
Order custom T-shirts
Plan decorations
Make room assignments
1 Month Before Family Reunion
Assign meals for potlucks or group dinners
Supplies: Assign who will bring which supplies.
Standard supplies might include: snacks, breakfast supplies, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), lunch meats and sandwich bread, desserts and other staple items to have on hand.
1 Week before Family Reunion
Confirm arrival times - For all group members
Confirm check in information: make sure everyone knows how to access lodging units
Shop: shop for supplies and pack
Confirm details with vendors: including photographers, caterers, etc
Communication: Create a group text message or WhatsApp so everyone can communicate during the trip
This should help you get started planning your family reunion! Blue Coyote Ranch is a great place to host your family reunion - we have Lodging for up to 39 people, activities on-site (like yard games, walking trails and board games), and a jumbo fire pit to share stories at the end of each night. We love hosting family reunions and have created a number of areas for relaxing and catching up. We are only 5 minutes from downtown Salida, yet feel like a secluded mountain property.
If you are interested in booking a family reunion with us, please email Sara: sara@bluecoyoteranch.com.