July 23rd, 2010
In the prior installment, we looked at considerations for crafting the guest list, as well as choosing a committee to assist you in planning this event. In this next installment, we’ll cover two key factors: choosing a location and setting a budget.
Step 3: The Location, Date and Time
This is where it really pays to poll some of your family members before selecting a location. Consider where most of your family members live, how easy it is for them to travel, and be sure to consider the size of your event before selecting a location.
The venue chosen may dictate available times for your event, but when choosing a date, be sure to pick a weekend when the children are off of school (if travel is required). If all of your family members live within fairly close proximity of each other (less than a day’s drive, for example), any weekend should be fine. Keep in mind that major holiday weekends like Labor Day typically mean higher travel expenses for folks (with increased lodging costs and fuel prices), as well as a likelihood of a venue booking up early.
One easy way to poll your family members is by using a free tool called SurveyMonkey.com. Alternatively, your committee co-members can call or email family members directly to gauge interest in the venue as well as the date / time.
Once a firm date is selected and the venue is booked, you can send out a “save the date” announcement, to help your out-of-town family members begin planning their trip and making necessary arrangements for traveling to the reunion. This also helps to build interest, and you may discover that new committee members volunteer themselves once the “save the date” card is received.
Step 4: The Budget
Consider the majority of your family here (not just your own financial situation). Can folks afford to pay for admission to the reunion, and if so, how much? Again, this is a step where it would be important to poll family members rather than making assumptions. Once you have a general idea how much folks are willing and able to pay for their participation, you can begin to form a budget, to ensure that you plan an appropriate event. If it’s going to be a high-ticket event (for example, a family cruise), be sure to give people plenty of time to plan for the added expense, and to begin saving.
Remember that unless you use an email invitation service like evite.com and a free internet calling service like Skype, you will likely have administrative expenses for postage, invitation, save-the-date postcards, nametags, decorations, and long distance fees. Some families hold fundraising events for such expenses, while others simply build it into the cost of participation.
In our next and final installment, we’ll look at two things everyone remembers from any major gathering: the food, and the memories made there.
In the meantime, as soon as you’ve set the time and date for your reunion, be sure to visit Projector123.com to reserve your rental projector for your event. There’s no need to lug it around during travel, because Projector123 can ship your projector rental directly to the location of your event (or even to the home of the closest relative). Click here to get started now.
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