Planning Checklist

Class Reunion Checklist: Every Task, by Phase

Reunly Class Reunion Team·May 2026·12 min read

Most reunion checklists are bullet-point dumps with no dates and no owners. This one is sequenced by phase, every task is concrete, and the deadlines are realistic. Print it, paste it into a shared doc, or run it inside Reunly with auto-assigned reminders.

How to use this checklist

At your first committee meeting, walk through every phase and assign a single owner to every task. Tasks without owners don't get done. Re-review the upcoming phase at each committee meeting. The committee that follows a checklist finishes the reunion. The one that improvises burns out by month 5.

12 Months Out

Foundation: who, when, where

Recruit 5-7 committee members. Confirm roles in writing.
Open a separate bank account or sub-account for reunion funds.
Set the reunion date. Lock the Saturday in late summer or early fall.
Confirm the city. Reunion should be in your hometown unless the class is fully scattered.
Get the full graduating class roster from the alumni office or registrar.
Pull the yearbook out of the box in your attic. Scan or photograph every senior portrait page.
Start the missing-classmate spreadsheet. Add a row per graduate.
Open the social media accounts: a Facebook group is mandatory; Instagram is optional.
Send the first email: 'Save the date for your X-year reunion — confirm your email is current.'

9 Months Out

Venue and vendors

Shortlist 5-7 venues. Tour the top 3 in person.
Request quotes with itemized line items: room, F&B minimum, bar, AV, cleanup fees.
Sign the venue contract. Pay the deposit. Get the cancellation terms in writing.
Reserve hotel room block at a discounted rate (most hotels don't charge if rooms go unbooked).
Decide on the format: one-night dinner, Friday-Saturday weekend, or full Fri-Sat-Sun.
Draft the budget. Use real quoted numbers, not estimates.
Set the ticket price. Build in a 15% buffer above break-even.
Start the social media campaign: post 1 photo per week from the yearbook (with permission).
Second email: missing classmates list, ask for leads.

6 Months Out

Open the floodgates

Finalize the menu with caterer. Lock dietary options: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher.
Hire the DJ. Get the contract signed. Share the must-play and do-not-play lists.
Hire the photographer for 3 hours. Confirm the shot list.
Design the save-the-date and formal invitation (or use Reunly templates).
Set up online RSVP and ticket payment. Test it with two committee members first.
Launch the reunion website or landing page. Single URL on every email and post.
Send save-the-date to the full contact list.
Open the missing-classmate alert: post the list publicly, ask the world for help.

4 Months Out

Formal launch

Send the formal invitation. Include venue, time, ticket price, hotel block code, RSVP link.
Open ticket sales. Offer an early-bird discount that expires at month 3.
Start collecting then-and-now photos for the slideshow and badges.
Design and order name badges. Yearbook photo + current name + QR code to bio.
Plan the program: welcome, memorial, slideshow, superlatives, dance floor. Write it down.
Get the memorial list: classmates who have passed. Verify carefully — getting this wrong is the worst possible mistake.
Build the awards / superlatives list. Send the survey to confirmed attendees.

2 Months Out

Drive RSVPs

Send 'who's coming so far' email with photos. Social proof drives more RSVPs than any other email.
Confirm AV needs with the venue: projector, mic, sound system. Test it during your site visit.
Finalize the playlist with the DJ.
Confirm photographer is locked, with shot list and timing.
Order signage, table tents, decor. Keep it tasteful — this isn't a wedding.
Decide who is giving the welcome speech and the memorial moment. Both should be brief.
Confirm the dress code in writing on every channel (cocktail, business casual, etc.).

1 Month Out

Lock everything down

Send the final memorabilia request: 'Send in old photos for the slideshow by next Friday.'
Build the slideshow. Keep it under 10 minutes. Test it on the venue's screen if possible.
Finalize and print name badges with QR codes.
Order any printed materials: programs, table tents, signage.
Confirm the run sheet with every committee member.
Send a logistics email to attendees: parking, dress code, arrival window, what to expect.
Final RSVP close date sent. After this date, walk-ups only (extra fee).

1 Week Out

No surprises

Final headcount to caterer (most contracts require 7 days notice).
Confirm vendor arrival times with phone calls, not email.
Print 10 extra blank name badges in case of walk-ups or no-shows.
Print the day-of run sheet. One copy per committee member, plus 3 spares at the check-in table.
Pack the supply bin: extra Sharpies, scissors, tape, batteries, charging cables, name tag stock, the printed seating chart.
Confirm any guest speakers know their time slot and have remarks under 5 minutes.
Send the final 'see you Saturday' email Friday morning, not Saturday — Friday morning gets read.

Day Of

Run the show

Setup crew arrives 3 hours before doors.
Decor up, slideshow tested, badges sorted alphabetically by last name (with maiden names in parentheses), table tents placed.
Vendors arrive 90 minutes before doors. Brief each one.
Committee dinner 30 minutes before doors. Yes — eat now, because you won't get to during.
Doors open. Two check-in stations to avoid bottlenecks.
Run the program. Get structured moments done by 9pm.
Take the group photo at the planned time, not 'when there's a lull' (there won't be).
Soft close at last call. Announce the after-party bar before the DJ stops.
Settle the venue final bill. Get a copy in writing.
Sweep decor and badges into bins. Take leftover food home or donate.

After the Event

Don't forget the post-event work

Day after: thank-you email with photo gallery link.
Week 1: pay every outstanding vendor invoice. Treasurer reconciles bank account.
Week 2: post-event survey, 5 questions max.
Week 3: hand off the updated roster and playbook to the next committee.
Month 1: committee dinner to celebrate. Archive everything.

With Reunly for Class Reunions

This entire checklist, with reminders built in

Reunly turns this checklist into a working timeline where each task auto-assigns to your committee and emails them the week it's due. $39 per reunion, no subscription.

Start your reunion →

Common questions about reunion checklists

When should we start using this checklist?

Start the day your committee forms — ideally 12 months before the reunion. If you have less time, start at whichever phase corresponds to how many months you have left and compress earlier-phase tasks into the first 30 days. Six months is the absolute minimum for a class of 100+ graduates if you want classmate-search work to be thorough.

Who owns each task on the checklist?

Assign every task to one named committee member at your first meeting. Tasks without owners don't get done. The chair owns final decisions, the treasurer owns money tasks, the communications lead owns every email and post, the search lead owns the missing-classmate hunt, and the event coordinator owns vendors and the run sheet.

What is the most commonly skipped task?

The post-event handoff. Committees finish the reunion, send the thank-you email, and disband — leaving the next committee to rebuild the contact roster from scratch. Always archive the updated roster, the financial summary, and a one-page lessons-learned doc, and hand it off.

Can I get this checklist as a Google Sheet?

Yes — Reunly includes this checklist as a working timeline inside the app, with each task assignable to a committee member, due dates that auto-set from your reunion date, and Slack/email reminders. Or copy the phases here into a Google Sheet with columns for Owner, Due, Status, Notes.

How strict are these deadlines?

The hard deadlines are: venue locked 9 months out (or you lose your weekend), formal invitation sent 4 months out (or RSVPs collapse), final headcount to caterer 7 days out (or you pay for empty plates). Most other deadlines have a 2-3 week tolerance.

Related class reunion guides

Complete Planning Guide Budget Guide Venue Guide Finding Classmates Class Reunion Hub →