Planning a family reunion on a budget - Root To Branches (2024)

Family reunions are a lot of work and can cost a lot ofmoney, but it is worth it to be able to spend quality time with family membersyou don’t see very often. Creating a budget and sticking to it can make this occasionnot only fun but affordable.

Family reunion interest letter

Before planning your family reunion, it’s a good idea tomake sure your family would be interested in attending. By sending a simpleletter, you can find out who would like a family reunion to be held andapproximately how large the gathering will be.

It is important to know the approximate size of your reunionsince this will affect everything from your venue to how much food you willneed.

Feel free to use this sample letter below:

Family reunion organizer / binder

Keeping an organizer or binder for your reunion planning isa must.

A simple 3 ring binder divided into sections of budget, communication,venue, food, games, and decorations is a great way to keep your planningorganized and in one place.

Another way to organize your reunion planning paperwork isan accordion file organizer. These aren’t very expensive and can be picked upin the office supply section of most big box stores. Just add the tabs on topof the dividers the same way you would in the binder.

Once your binder or organizer is ready, you can find a great free family reunion budget worksheet to print here.

Inexpensive family reunion locations

The location of your family reunion can make or break yourbudget. Large venues can get pricy.

If you are looking for a space large enough for your familyreunion but don’t want to break the bank, check with your local townadministration. Some towns have parks or buildings that they rent out foractivates at reasonable prices or even free. The town I live in offers coveredpicnic areas at our local park that you only have to reserve in advance. Thishas saved me a ton of money on birthday party venues.

Family reunion games to play

Make sure to add games to your budget but be careful, theycan get expensive if you are purchasing them pre-made.

If you are holding your family reunion outside, providinggames like giant checkers or twister gives young and old a great way to spendtime together.

If you don’t have time to make games, try to purchase themwhen they are on sale. In the spring most big box stores usually run big saleson things like lawn furniture and outdoor activates, so keep and eye out forthose circulars to come in the mail. Ifyou can save money on this part of the budget, you will have more money whenyou need it elsewhere.

If you do have time to make the games yourself, it’s a great way to save a few bucks. Check out my post DIY Family Reunion Games for some great indoor and outdoor game ideas.

Decorating for a family reunion

If you have ever planned a wedding or any other largegathering, you know just how fast the cost of decorating can add up. My adviceis don’t go overboard. It is very easy when shopping for a family reunion tosay “Oh! Wouldn’t that be cute on the tables.”, and then you end up with $75worth of extra items in your cart that you really do not need.

Before you go shopping, have a plan. Plan in advance the look you are going for and ask yourself what you will need to achieve that look.

For table settings, think of what will need to go on the table and make a list of the items, then multiply those items by the number of tables you will need.

Once you have that list, you can shop smart, notspontaneously. Planning everything out in advance will also give you a chance tosnap those items up while they are on sale.

Family reunion food ideas -recipes

Food is a big part of a family reunion and large familygatherings. It is also one of the biggest expenses. Some of the best reunions Ihave been to have been pot luck. Everyone brought at covered dish, we loaded itup on sheet covered picnic tables, and there was a little something foreveryone. The perk of holding a pot luck style meal was that no one had toworry about a food budget and that money could be spent elsewhere such as onthe venue.

If you are not having a pot luck though, having a menu plannedis a great way to know what you will need and how much you will be spending tomake it.

By having a menu, you can make a master list of ingredients in each dish and breakdown the of cost of the dish. If one dish seems like it is going to break the budget, try to replace it with one equally as tasty and filling but that costs less to make. Think of it kind of like you do home meal planning. What will taste good and be filling, but won’t cost an arm and a leg to cook? For some great food ideas and recipes for your family reunion, check out our post Family reunion food ideas -with recipes.