Pricing Strategy
How Much Should Class Reunion Tickets Cost?
The treasurer's pricing strategy: start with cost-plus math, then layer six tiers (early-bird, standard, at-the-door, couples, honored guest, hardship). Add an optional scholarship line at checkout. This is the structure that gets your class to RSVP, pay, and show up — without forcing anyone out for price.
Step 1
Start With Cost-Plus, Not Gut Feel
Pricing "what feels right" is how committees lose $2,000 on a sold-out event. Cost-plus pricing protects you from your own optimism. The math:
Standard Ticket Price =
( Total Expenses − Sponsorships − Treasury Contribution ) ÷ Expected Paying Attendance × 1.15
Total Expenses
Venue + food + bev + décor + entertainment + admin + contingency (8–10%). Use real quotes, with tax and gratuity. See our cost calculator.
Sponsorships
Local banks, realtors, alumni-owned businesses. Typical 100-person reunion lands $500–$2,500. See our sponsorship guide.
Treasury Contribution
Decide upfront. Most committees burn down 30–60% of the treasury and keep the rest as next reunion's seed. Don't deplete it entirely.
Expected Paying Attendance
25–40% of the graduating class (higher for milestone years). Don't use the invite list. Don't use the optimistic RSVP count.
The 1.15 Multiplier
Covers the 10–15% no-show rate (people who buy then can't make it) and gives a small surplus. Without this, sold-out events lose money.
Worked example
Total expenses $18,551 · Sponsorships $2,000 · Treasury $1,000 · Net to recoup $15,551 · Expected paying attendance 95.
$15,551 ÷ 95 × 1.15 = $188.24 → round to $189 standard ticket
💰 With Reunly
Reunly does the cost-plus math automatically
Plug in your venue + catering quotes. Reunly calculates your standard ticket, applies tiered pricing, and accepts Stripe payments.
Step 2
Layer Six Ticket Tiers Over the Cost-Plus Number
The standard ticket is your reference point. Build the rest around it. Each tier has a purpose — front-loading revenue, rewarding early commitment, capturing late buyers, encouraging spouses, honoring teachers, removing financial barriers.
Early-Bird
$10–$20 off standardDiscounted price available for 6–10 weeks after invitations go out, then closes hard.
Example
Standard $189 → Early-bird $169 (closes 8 weeks before event)
Front-loads ticket revenue so you can pay deposits without dipping into the treasury. Also drives commitment psychology — once paid, attendance rate jumps to 92%+.
Standard
Reference priceThe default price after early-bird closes, available until 1 week before the event.
Example
$189 per ticket — what the cost-plus formula yields
Your real per-head cost, marked up 10–15% for safety. This is your headline number on every invitation.
At-the-Door / Last Week
$15–$25 above standardPremium price for tickets purchased within 7 days of the event.
Example
$189 standard → $209 in the last 7 days, $219 at the door
Disincentivizes last-minute decisions that screw up your headcount with the caterer. Charge for the inconvenience, generously.
Couples
$20–$40 off the pairModest discount for buying two tickets together. One alum + one spouse/plus-one.
Example
$189 × 2 = $378 → couples price $349 or $359
Encourages spouses to come and makes the math feel friendlier. Don't go bigger than 10% off — the per-head cost is identical regardless of who's eating.
Teacher / Staff Honored Guest
Free or $25–$50 nominalHonored-guest pricing for retired faculty, principals, and staff your class wants to invite back.
Example
Free for honored teachers; $30 for staff who'd attend regardless
Costs almost nothing (3–5 honored guests) and creates the most emotional moments of the night. Bake this into the budget upfront.
Hardship / Scholarship
Pay-what-you-can, $40–$80 floorQuietly available for classmates who want to come but can't afford standard ticket.
Example
Email-only option, not listed publicly. "Pay what you can starting at $50."
Some classmates miss every reunion for one reason. Removes that reason without making anyone uncomfortable. 2–4 takers per reunion is typical.
🎉 With Reunly
Six tiers, one page, automatic. That's Reunly.
Set early-bird, standard, at-the-door, couples, and scholarship pricing. Reunly enforces deadlines automatically.
Step 3
The Scholarship Fund Add-On at Checkout
One optional line item at checkout — "Add $20 to help a classmate attend" — generates $500–$800 of extra revenue on a 100-person reunion. 25–40% of buyers opt in. Spent on hardship tickets, memorial flowers, the class treasury, or sometimes a donation to a school scholarship in the class's name.
$20
Suggested add-on amount
25–40%
Typical opt-in rate
$500–$800
Revenue on a 100-person reunion
Checkout line example
"Want to help a classmate attend who can't afford the ticket? Add $20 (or more) to your purchase. 100% goes to the Class of [Year] reunion scholarship fund — no committee fees, no overhead."
Three Worked Examples by Anniversary
The same pricing structure, applied to a 10th, 30th, and 50th. Notice how the absolute numbers scale but the strategy stays identical.
10th — Casual Brewery Format
Attendance
50 expected paying attendees
Expenses
$5,400 total cost (brewery rental + heavy apps + 2 drink tickets/guest)
Sponsorships
$300
Treasury
$0 (class has no treasury yet)
Formula
$5,100 ÷ 50 × 1.15 = $117.30
Tier prices
- Early-bird: $99 (closes 8 weeks out)
- Standard: $119
- At-the-door: $139
- Couples: $219
- Scholarship: pay-what-you-can from $50
30th — Hotel Ballroom Buffet
Attendance
95 expected paying attendees
Expenses
$18,551 total cost (full sample budget)
Sponsorships
$2,000
Treasury
$1,000
Formula
$15,551 ÷ 95 × 1.15 = $188.24
Tier prices
- Early-bird: $169 (closes 8 weeks out)
- Standard: $189
- At-the-door: $209
- Couples: $349
- Scholarship: pay-what-you-can from $80
50th — Weekend Package (Fri + Sat + Sun)
Attendance
140 expected paying attendees
Expenses
$42,000 total cost (3 events, plated dinner, open bar, breakfast)
Sponsorships
$5,500
Treasury
$3,000
Formula
$33,500 ÷ 140 × 1.15 = $275.18
Tier prices
- Early-bird: $249 (closes 10 weeks out)
- Standard: $279
- At-the-door: $309
- Couples (full weekend): $519
- Saturday only: $185
- Scholarship: pay-what-you-can from $125
“
Cost-plus protects you. Tiered pricing protects your committee. The scholarship add-on protects the classmates who'd otherwise miss it.
- Recurring advice from class treasurers
💰 With Reunly
Stop chasing Venmos. Reunly collects every payment.
Stripe-powered ticket sales with tiered pricing, automatic deadline enforcement, and a built-in scholarship add-on at checkout.
Six Pricing Mistakes That Lose Money on Sold-Out Events
⚠ Pricing based on what "feels right"
Feels-right pricing under-charges by 15–25% almost every time. Use the formula. Adjust format if the number is too high — don't adjust the price.
⚠ Skipping the 1.15 no-show multiplier
10–15% of buyers will buy and then not show up. The food is already ordered. The venue is already paid. Without the 1.15 multiplier, those no-shows come out of your surplus.
⚠ Extending early-bird beyond the deadline
If you extend, no one believes the next deadline. Set the early-bird deadline 6–8 weeks before the event and close it on time, every time. Communicate it loudly the week before it expires.
⚠ Charging spouses cheaper than alumni
Spouses eat the same dinner. The cost equation is per-head, not per-diploma. A small couples discount (10%) is fine. A 30%+ spouse discount breaks the math.
⚠ Passing processing fees to the buyer at checkout
Buyer sees $189 → checks out → sees $194.80 with fees → abandons. Bake the fee into the headline price ($195) and absorb it. Stripe charges ~3% — that's $5.80 on a $189 ticket.
⚠ Not offering a hardship option
Every reunion has 2–4 classmates who'd come if cost weren't a barrier. A quiet scholarship option (not listed publicly) brings them in. The cost to the budget is negligible; the goodwill is enormous.
🎉 With Reunly
The pricing strategy automated
Set your formula in Reunly once. Add tiers, set deadlines, and watch every classmate pay in two clicks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the right way to price class reunion tickets?
Use cost-plus pricing: (Total Expenses − Sponsorships − Treasury) ÷ Expected Paying Attendance × 1.15. The 1.15 multiplier covers the 10–15% no-show rate and a small surplus. Then layer tiered pricing on top — early-bird ($10–$20 off), at-the-door ($15–$25 premium), couples discount ($20–$40 off the pair). Resist the urge to price 'what feels right' — the math protects you from losing money on a sold-out event.
How much of a discount should early-bird tickets get?
$10–$20 off the standard price. Less than $10 and people don't feel motivated; more than $20 and it eats into your margin too aggressively. The point of early-bird isn't to be 'cheap' — it's to front-load revenue so you can pay venue and catering deposits without depleting the class treasury. Set a hard deadline 6–8 weeks before the event and don't extend it.
Should I charge spouses and plus-ones the same as alumni?
Yes, with a small couples discount (10% or so) as goodwill. The reunion's per-head cost doesn't change based on whether the person is an alum — they eat the same dinner, drink the same wine, occupy the same chair. Pricing spouses cheaper than alumni breaks the cost equation. A $20–$40 discount on the couples pair signals you appreciate them coming without giving away revenue.
What if classmates can't afford the ticket price?
Offer a quiet hardship or scholarship option, not listed publicly on the invitation. Mention it in a separate line: 'If finances are a concern, contact the committee directly — we don't want price to keep anyone away.' 2–4 classmates per reunion will take it, paying $40–$80 instead of full price. The cost to the budget is minimal; the goodwill is significant. Many committees fund this via a 'scholarship add-on' — an optional $20 line item at checkout that lets generous classmates contribute.
Is a scholarship fund add-on at checkout a good idea?
Yes — it's one of the easiest fundraising lines you can add. At checkout, include an optional line item: 'Add $20 to help a classmate attend.' 25–40% of buyers add it. For a 100-person reunion, that's an extra $500–$800 toward scholarship tickets, memorial flowers, or the class treasury. Frame it as 'help a classmate attend' or 'memorial fund contribution' — both have strong opt-in rates.
When should I open ticket sales?
12–16 weeks before the event. Send the invitation with the early-bird price live the day it lands in inboxes. The early-bird deadline is 6–8 weeks before the event. Standard price runs until 7 days before. Last-week pricing is the final 7 days. This rhythm captures both the planners (who buy early) and the procrastinators (who wait until they're sure they can come) without giving anyone an excuse to delay.
Should ticket prices include processing fees or pass them to the buyer?
Include them in the headline price. Stripe and other processors charge 2.9% + $0.30 per ticket — about $5.80 on a $189 ticket. Passing this to the buyer at checkout feels nickel-and-diming and increases cart abandonment. Bake the fee into the cost-plus formula instead: if you need $189 to cover costs, charge $195 and absorb the $6 fee. The buyer never sees a surprise number.
What's the right balance between low ticket price and high event quality?
Match the format to the anniversary expectation. A 10th reunion at $200/head with a plated dinner will under-sell — your class isn't expecting that. A 50th reunion at $85/head with a cash bar will feel cheap — your class is expecting a milestone event. Anchor on the typical price for your anniversary and region (see our average-cost guide), then adjust format to fit. Don't overspend to deliver a $250 event for a $125 ticket — and don't underspend to save $20 per head on the biggest reunion of your life.
Price It Right. Collect It Online. Reunly Does Both.
Six-tier ticket pricing, Stripe payments, scholarship add-on at checkout, automatic deadline enforcement.