Week-by-Week Planning Timeline
12-Month Class Reunion Planning Timeline (Week by Week)
Most reunion timelines are five vague phases pasted from a Pinterest post. This one is sequenced by week, every milestone has a real number, and the dates assume an October Saturday reunion. Adjust the week numbers to your own date and the structure still holds.
Why a Week-by-Week Timeline, Not a Monthly One
Monthly checklists let things slide. "We'll get to it by end of month" turns into "we'll get to it next month" turns into "we ran out of runway." A week-by-week timeline forces the small decisions that compound. The chair's job becomes mostly checking that this week's tasks shipped, not guessing what should happen next.
The week numbers below assume a Saturday reunion 52 weeks from kickoff. If your reunion is, say, 42 weeks out, drop the first 10 weeks of Phase 1 and start at the venue shortlist work. If you have less than 24 weeks, see our solo planning guide for a compressed version.
📅 With Reunly
Run this timeline inside Reunly — auto-assigned deadlines
Every task here lands in your committee's task list with the due date pre-filled from your reunion date.
Phase 1 — Foundation (Weeks 52–40)
Form the committee
Goal: Get 5–7 names on a roster, with one chair confirmed in writing.
- Identify 5–7 willing classmates. Two of them must live within 30 minutes of the reunion city.
- Confirm chair, treasurer, communications lead, classmate-search lead, and event coordinator.
- Schedule the kickoff meeting for Week 51. 90 minutes, video call.
- Spin up a shared Google Drive (or workspace in Reunly) for all reunion docs.
Watch out: If you cannot find a treasurer who is willing to handle money, stop and recruit harder. The role is non-negotiable.
Kickoff meeting
Goal: Lock the date, city, and rough budget. Walk out with owners.
- Decide the reunion date. Default: the Saturday of homecoming weekend or late August.
- Confirm the city. Usually your hometown unless the class is fully scattered.
- Agree on a rough budget per head ($85–$150 is typical for a one-night dinner format).
- Each role owner agrees to a 90-minute weekly time commitment for the next 52 weeks.
Open the books
Goal: Treasurer opens a separate bank account. Comms lead drafts the first email.
- Treasurer opens a checking account at a local credit union with two signers (chair + treasurer).
- Order a debit card. Order a separate stack of paper checks for vendor deposits.
- Comms lead drafts the 'Save the Date — confirm your email' note.
- Set up the official reunion email address (use Gmail; reunion-name-year-grad@gmail.com).
Watch out: Never run reunion money through one person's personal Venmo. Audit trails matter.
Pull the roster
Goal: Get the full class list from the alumni office or registrar.
- Email the alumni office: request graduating class roster with last-known contact info.
- Scan or photograph every senior portrait page of the yearbook. Save as one PDF.
- Build the master classmate spreadsheet: name, maiden name, status, contact, last update.
- Open a private Facebook group with the class year in the name.
First wave outreach
Goal: Send the first confirmation email and start filling in the classmate spreadsheet.
- Send the 'confirm your email is current' email to every address you have.
- Track bounces in a separate column. These are your first missing-classmate priorities.
- Recruit volunteer 'class detectives' from the Facebook group to help find missing classmates.
- Decide whether to charge a per-person ticket or per-couple ticket (default: per person).
Watch out: Expect a 30–40% bounce rate on the first email. That's normal. Don't panic.
Format and venue shortlist
Goal: Decide the reunion format and shortlist 5–7 venues.
- Format vote: one-night dinner, Friday-Saturday weekend, or full Friday–Sunday weekend.
- Shortlist venues that match the format. Get itemized quote requests out to all 5–7.
- Send the second email: 'Save the Date — Saturday, October 12, 2027. Details coming.'
- Confirm the hotel block target city and 2–3 candidate hotels.
Tour and shortlist to three
Goal: Walk the top three venues in person.
- Three in-person walkthroughs. Take photos. Ask about F&B minimums and cleanup fees.
- Ask each venue for two recent client references. Call both for each finalist.
- Treasurer reconciles the bank account. Nothing in, nothing out yet — but the habit starts now.
Phase 2 — Lock the Venue and Vendors (Weeks 39–28)
Pick the venue
Goal: Committee chooses the venue by majority vote.
- Compare itemized quotes side by side: room rental, F&B per head, bar, AV, cleanup.
- Read the cancellation clauses carefully. Anything inside 90 days that forfeits the full deposit is a red flag.
- Confirm the venue allows your preferred caterer (if not in-house) or accept the in-house menu.
Book the venue deposit
Goal: Sign the contract, pay the deposit, mark the calendar.
- Sign the venue contract. Chair and treasurer both review before signing.
- Pay the deposit (typically 25–50% of estimated total). Wire transfer or check, not credit card.
- Get the cancellation terms in writing. Save the signed PDF in three places.
- Update the comms list: 'Venue confirmed — [Venue Name], [Date].'
Watch out: Never sign without a written cancellation clause. Verbal terms vanish when the manager you talked to leaves the venue.
Hotel block
Goal: Reserve a courtesy block of 15–30 rooms at a discounted rate.
- Negotiate the block. Most hotels don't charge for unbooked rooms — confirm this in writing.
- Get a unique booking code or URL for classmates to use.
- Set the cutoff date for the block release (typically 30 days before the reunion).
Build the budget v2
Goal: Replace estimates with quoted numbers. Set the ticket price.
- Plug in real venue, catering, AV, DJ, and photographer numbers from quotes.
- Add 15% contingency above break-even.
- Decide the ticket price. Round to a clean number ($95, $125, $150).
- Treasurer reconciles the bank account. Note: deposits paid out should match the budget.
Hire DJ and photographer
Goal: Two vendors locked with signed contracts.
- Hire the DJ. Request the contract within 48 hours of verbal agreement. Pay 50% deposit.
- Hire the photographer for 3 hours (6:30–9:30 typical). Confirm shot list and group-photo time.
- Read DJ contract for overtime rates and equipment-failure clauses.
Set up online RSVP
Goal: Build the RSVP and payment page. Test internally.
- Set up the RSVP and ticket page (Reunly has this built in; or use Eventbrite / Tito).
- Connect Stripe for credit card payment. Test the full flow yourself with a $1 ticket.
- Two committee members test the flow on mobile. Fix anything that looks broken.
- Treasurer confirms ticket revenue routes to the reunion bank account directly.
💰 With Reunly
Vendor contracts and deposits — all tracked in one place
Upload every signed contract, log every deposit, and let Reunly remind you 30 days before final payments are due.
Phase 3 — Open the Floodgates (Weeks 27–17)
Launch the reunion website
Goal: Single URL with date, venue, ticket price, and RSVP button.
- Publish the reunion site. Use the same URL on every email, social post, and printed piece.
- Pin the link to the top of the Facebook group.
- Send the save-the-date email to the full contact list with the URL.
Open the missing-classmate hunt publicly
Goal: Post the list of missing classmates. Recruit the wider class network.
- Post the missing-classmate list in the Facebook group with a clear ask: 'Know any of these people? DM us.'
- Add the list to the website behind a password (so casual viewers don't see it).
- Each committee member contacts 10 classmates they know personally for leads.
Finalize menu and dietary options
Goal: Menu locked with caterer. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and kosher options confirmed.
- Lock the menu. Three entree options is the sweet spot.
- Confirm dietary alternates: ask the venue what the upcharge is per modified plate.
- Decide bar format: open bar (priciest), drink tickets (mid), cash bar (cheapest).
- Treasurer reconciles — note ticket revenue starting to flow in.
Design the formal invitation
Goal: Final invitation design ready to send at Week 16.
- Design the formal invite. Email format (not paper) for 90% of attendees; paper only for elders.
- Include venue, time, ticket price, hotel block code, RSVP link, dress code.
- Get sign-off from chair and comms lead before sending.
Phase 4 — Formal Launch (Weeks 16–9)
Send the formal invitation
Goal: Formal invite hits inboxes. Ticket sales open.
- Send the formal invite to the full contact list.
- Open ticket sales. Set the early-bird discount expiry date (typically 4 weeks after launch).
- Post the same invite content on Facebook, Instagram, and any class email list.
- Watch RSVPs for the first 48 hours. Expect 20% of the year's RSVPs in those two days.
Collect then-and-now photos
Goal: Get the slideshow material flowing in.
- Open the photo submission folder. Ask classmates to send senior portrait + recent photo.
- Build the slideshow shell. Target 8–10 minutes total runtime, no longer.
- Order name badges with senior portrait + current name + QR code linking to bio.
Memorial list and awards
Goal: Verify the memorial list. Build the awards/superlatives list from surveyed attendees.
- Verify the memorial list with two independent sources per name. This is the most important task of the entire year — getting it wrong is unforgivable.
- Survey confirmed attendees for awards/superlatives (most changed, most-traveled, longest-married).
- Treasurer reconciles every 2 weeks now — money is moving in both directions.
Watch out: Memorial errors are the one mistake a reunion committee never lives down. Triple-check every name.
Run the program writing session
Goal: Full event program drafted: welcome, memorial, slideshow, awards, dance floor.
- Write the run-of-show document with timing for every segment.
- Pick the welcome speaker (chair or designated classmate). Remarks under 4 minutes.
- Pick the memorial reader. Practice the names out loud.
👥 With Reunly
Online RSVPs that actually convert
Reunly's RSVP page is mobile-first, accepts credit cards, and pushes results to your committee dashboard live.
Phase 5 — Drive RSVPs and Lock Logistics (Weeks 8–1)
Social proof emails
Goal: Push RSVP totals from 40% of class to 60%+.
- Send the 'Here's who's coming so far' email with thumbnail photos.
- Confirm AV: projector, mic, sound system. Test on a site visit if possible.
- Finalize the playlist with the DJ. Submit must-play and do-not-play lists.
Lock decor and signage
Goal: Decor, signage, table tents, and printed program ordered.
- Order signage (welcome sign, directional, photo backdrop). Keep tasteful — this isn't a wedding.
- Order printed programs and table tents.
- Confirm dress code in writing on every channel one more time.
Lock everything down
Goal: Slideshow finalized, name badges printed, run sheet circulated.
- Final memorabilia request: 'Send in old photos for the slideshow by next Friday.'
- Build the slideshow. Test it on the venue's screen if access permits.
- Print name badges. Sort alphabetically by last name, with maiden names in parentheses.
- Circulate the run sheet to every committee member.
- Send the logistics email to attendees: parking, dress code, arrival window.
RSVP close
Goal: Close online RSVP. After this date, walk-ups only with $25 surcharge.
- Send RSVP-close warning 48 hours before the cutoff.
- Close the RSVP form at the announced time.
- Treasurer reconciles — final revenue number locked.
Final headcount and supplies
Goal: Final headcount to caterer. Supply bin packed.
- Submit final headcount to caterer (most contracts require 7 days notice).
- Confirm vendor arrival times — phone calls, not email.
- Print 10 extra blank badges. Print 5 spare run sheets.
- Pack the supply bin: Sharpies, scissors, tape, batteries, charging cables, badge stock, seating chart.
- Send the 'see you Saturday' email Friday morning, not Saturday.
Run the show
Goal: Setup at T-3 hours. Doors at planned time. Program tight.
- Setup crew arrives 3 hours before doors.
- Decor up, slideshow tested, badges sorted, table tents placed.
- Vendors arrive 90 minutes before doors. Brief each one for 5 minutes.
- Committee dinner 30 minutes before doors. Eat now — you won't get to during.
- Doors open. Two check-in stations to avoid bottlenecks.
- Take the group photo at the scheduled 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.
Don't disappear
Goal: Thank-you, payment reconciliation, and post-event survey.
- 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.
The Weekly Cadence That Keeps the Committee Moving
Pick one 30-minute window per week — Sunday evening works well — and run the same agenda every time:
5 min
Review last week's tasks. Mark done or carry over with reason.
10 min
Walk through this week's tasks. Confirm owner and due date per task.
5 min
Treasurer reads the bank balance and any flagged variance over 10%.
5 min
Comms lead reads the next two scheduled outbound messages.
5 min
Blockers and decisions needing chair sign-off.
📅 With Reunly
Your week-by-week timeline lives in Reunly
Tasks auto-assign by role, due dates set from your reunion date, and reminders fire the week before each milestone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 12 months really enough time to plan a class reunion?
Yes — 12 months is the standard, and it's enough for almost any class size up to about 400 graduates. Smaller classes (under 100) can compress to 9 months without much pain. Classes over 500 graduates should start at 14 months to give the missing-classmate search enough runway. The dangerous number is 6 months — that's where committees burn out trying to compress venue selection, classmate search, and RSVP collection into too short a window.
What if we start with less than 12 months?
Start at the phase that matches your time left. If you have 9 months, you skip the Foundation phase and jump straight into venue and vendor lock-down. If you have 6 months, skip to Phase 3 and compress classmate outreach into the first 30 days. Below 4 months, change the format: drop the formal sit-down dinner and host a casual bar gathering instead. Less ambitious formats can be pulled off on 90 days notice if you have the energy.
Which week is the most important?
Week 38 (venue deposit) and Week 16 (formal invitation) are the two non-negotiable milestones. Miss the Week 38 deadline and you lose your preferred venue and probably your preferred weekend. Miss the Week 16 invite deadline and RSVPs collapse — people need at least 16 weeks of lead time to book travel, request time off, and arrange childcare.
How much time per week does this actually take?
Average 90 minutes per committee member per week across the year, with two spikes: Weeks 38–34 (venue and budget lock) and Weeks 4–1 (final logistics). During spike weeks, expect 3–4 hours per member. The chair averages closer to 2 hours per week year-round and 6+ hours during spikes.
What if a committee member quits mid-year?
Plan for it. About 1 in 5 committee members will drop out for legitimate reasons (new job, illness, family event). The chair should know who the backup is for every role before Week 40. Document every decision in shared docs so a replacement can ramp up in two days, not two weeks.
How do we handle classmates we can't find?
Run the search through Week 24 hard. After that, accept that the missing list is what it is and don't let it slow other work. Post the list publicly on the Facebook group and the reunion website (behind a password if you're cautious about privacy). Most leads come from siblings, parents, or one specific classmate who 'kept in touch with everyone.' Find that person early.
When should we open ticket sales?
Week 16, with the formal invitation. Don't open earlier — you'll get a handful of early RSVPs and then a long silence, and the silence makes the committee anxious. Don't open later — you compress the RSVP window and lose people who needed 12+ weeks to plan travel.
What does the treasurer do every week?
Reconcile the bank account every 2 weeks once money starts flowing (Week 30 onward). Every other week is fine until then. Track every deposit and every disbursement against the budget. Flag any line item that's 10%+ over plan. Hand the chair a one-page summary at every committee meeting.
Run the 52-week timeline without spreadsheet chaos
Reunly turns this entire timeline into a working committee dashboard — tasks, owners, deadlines, RSVPs, money, and the run sheet, all in one place.