What Should I Do 12 Months Before a Family Reunion?

12 Months Out

• □Form your planning committee (3–5 people with defined roles)
• □Survey family to gauge interest and get 2–3 date options
• □Agree on a general location region (same city? Same state? Destination?)
• □Start researching venues — especially popular parks and retreat centers that book out
• □Set a rough budget target and per-person contribution estimate

9–10 Months Out

• □Book your venue and pay any deposit — this is the most time-sensitive task
• □Confirm your date and announce it to the family
• □Send save-the-dates (especially important if guests need to travel)
• □Start building your guest list — names and contact info
• □Set up your Reunly account to track planning progress

6 Months Out

• □Send formal invitations with RSVP deadline
• □Get initial headcount estimate and update budget accordingly
• □Begin food planning — catering quotes or potluck sign-up coordination
• □Plan the day-of schedule and activity list
• □Collect initial payments if you're charging per person

3 Months Out

• □Follow up on non-responses — send RSVP reminder
• □Finalize headcount for venue and catering purposes
• □Order custom T-shirts or any keepsakes (lead time required)
• □Assign volunteer roles for day-of setup and cleanup
• □Book any entertainment, photographers, or specialty rentals

1 Month Out

• □Send a pre-event email with parking, directions, schedule, and rain plan
• □Confirm all vendor bookings and payments
• □Create name tags, programs, or printed materials
• □Finalize food quantities based on confirmed headcount
• □Brief your committee on day-of responsibilities

1 Week Out

• □Final headcount check — last RSVP follow-ups
• □Confirm venue setup time and any access restrictions
• □Shop for or confirm delivery of all supplies and food
• □Send a final reminder to all attendees with day-of details
• □Prepare the day-of checklist for the committee

Day of the Reunion

• □Arrive 60–90 minutes early for setup
• □Set up registration table, name tags, and welcome area
• □Confirm all committee members are in place and briefed
• □Take lots of photos — including the group photo before people leave
• □Announce next year's date before anyone leaves

What is the most important thing to do 12 months before a family reunion?

Book your venue. Popular parks, retreat centers, and event halls fill up 6–12 months out — especially for summer Saturdays. Everything else (food, activities, invitations) can be planned later. But if you don't have a venue, you don't have a reunion. Lock the date and space first.

Is 12 months enough time to plan a family reunion?

Yes — 12 months is actually ideal for a medium to large family reunion. It gives you time to book a popular venue, build the guest list without rushing, give family members enough notice to arrange travel and time off, and plan activities without scrambling. For a small local reunion, 3–6 months is usually sufficient.

When should I send save-the-dates for a family reunion?

Send save-the-dates 9–12 months before a destination reunion where guests need to travel or book flights. For regional reunions where most guests are within 2–3 hours, 6 months is typically sufficient. The sooner the better — family calendars fill up, especially for popular holiday weekends.