Planning A Reunion? These Five Tips Will Save Your Sanity
With all of the social media that we have today, being able to keep up with old friends from school is easier than ever. However, even though we can see how life is going with the old gang these days, there really is nothing like a good, old-fashioned reunion to make your lasting friendships really feel special.
Depending on the types of friends you had, it could mean a number of things. Maybe you & the guys were all about riffing on each other and having a little fun at each other’s expense. Why not get together & have a few laughs at expanding waistlines & receding hairlines? Perhaps you and your girlfriends bonded over bad relationships, movie nights, and sharing your dreams. Why not get together and see how marriages, babies, or even extended single living have shaped you in adulthood?
Reunions are a blast, but what no one will tell you is that they can be one of the biggest nightmares in the world to plan. Depending on what type of get-together you are planning and the number of people you’re trying to wrangle in one place, you’re talking about plans that have to start months in advance.
Before you get too far into the whole reunion process, you need to keep these five tips in mind so that you don’t lose your marbles:
Set Dates As Early As Possible – This is where you & your planning committee have to really get the word out about the event and find out what dates could work for everyone. It’s important to realize that you won’t be able to please everyone because everyone’s schedules won’t line up. Moreover, your group may have to give specific date because the venues you’re looking at may have limited availability.
Finalize the Number of Attendees – Set deadlines for responses from prospective attendees. You need to know how many people will be part of the event so that you can plan for a venue, as well as any food or accommodations that may be part of the event. This, along with setting dates will probably be your hardest tasks.
Delegate Tasks – Notice how we’ve mentioned the word ‘committee’? It takes more than one person to really plan a reunion. Sure, a little one with a small group of friends might be OK, but if you’re going for a graduating class or family event, delegating duties will be paramount to keeping your sanity.
Don’t Get Crazy with Activities– Though you may want to provide a number of activities for your group, it’s also nice to just sit back and hang with each other, especially if a lot of time has gone by since last touching base. Trying to reconnect over laser-tag isn’t easy.
Find the Right Venue – Though maybe a little low on the priority list for some, finding the right place to host your reunion is important because you know it can handle everything. If you’re working with a venue that is also a hotel, you may find that they can handle A/V matters, catering, and hotel bookings without a problem. This may be a nice thing for guests traveling a longer distance.
A reunion is all about reconnecting with the people in your past that made life memorable. You want to spend more time making those connections again rather than being completely frazzled by the reunion-planning process. By being organized, planning ahead, divvying out the workload, and finding the perfect place to host, you’re sure to have a great reunion.
