When it comes to planning family reunions for event planners in New York, you want everything to go smoothly. But with so many people involved and so much planning involved, it can be easy for things to get out of hand.
If you plan ahead, though, you can make sure that your reunion is the best one yet!
The following are some tips on how to plan your next family reunion:
Gather contact information of all family members.
First, gather contact information for all of your family members. Keep track of where each person lives and their phone numbers, email addresses, social media profiles and other ways to reach them.
If you don't have all this information in one place (or if some of it is outdated), create a spreadsheet with the following fields:
- Name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Social media handles/profiles (if applicable)
If you don't know where a family member lives, try contacting them through social media. You may be able to locate them that way. If not, ask other family members who may have more up-to-date information about your loved ones.
Pick a location that's centrally located.
Picking a location that's centrally located is key to planning a successful family reunion. That way, if you need help with anything at any time, your guests can easily get to you or vice versa.
The location should also be easily accessible by public transit, if possible. If not, try to pick a spot that's close enough to major highways so that people can drive there.
Event planners in New York should look for a venue that's easy to get to.
To make your family reunion go as smoothly as possible, pick a venue that is easily accessible by car, train, or plane. You want to make it easy for everyone to get there and back home again.
If you're flying in from out of town, try to find a hotel near the airport where you can meet up with other family members before heading out together in one car.
If taking the train is more convenient for some people than flying, then look at hotels near train stations and major highways.
Other things for event planners in New York to keep in mind when selecting a venue for a family reunion:
- Find a venue that doesn't require you to bring many supplies.
- Make sure you have enough tables and chairs.
- Make sure you have enough food and drink.
- Make sure you have enough bathrooms.
- Make sure you have enough parking.
- Make sure you have enough space for activities, like basketball or yoga classes, as well as vendors who sell items at booths on site (this is where things can get expensive).
These things all matter because they affect not only how many people come but also how much fun they have while they're there!
Consider your reunion's theme before picking out a venue.
The theme of your reunion is an important part for event planners in New York, because it will determine the type of venue they choose for you. The most important thing to consider is that the theme should be relevant to your family. For example, if everyone in your family likes Harry Potter or Eighties music or Disney movies (or whatever), then go for it! But don't have a "Disney" themed party if no one in your family actually cares about Disney.
Secondly, make sure the theme doesn't conflict with itself: If you want to do something cool like camping but also have a formal dinner and some dancing afterward, those two themes might not work together very well.
Lastly, think about how hard it will be to pull off the event's logistics based on its various elements; if there are too many complicated components involved (like serving up large amounts of food), then maybe this isn't going forward isn't the best idea.
At the end of the day, you want to make sure that any party or event you throw is something people will enjoy and remember for years (and not just because it was super stressful for everyone involved)!
The site should provide adequate parking for all attendees.
Parking is an important consideration for a reunion. It should be easy to find and close to the venue, as well as free and safe. If you’re planning a large-scale event, there are likely going to be a lot of people attending it. The last thing you want is for people who have traveled long distances to have no place to park.
So, when choosing where your reunion will take place, make sure there's ample room available in nearby lots or streets with no restrictions placed on them so that everyone can safely get in and out without any issues while also avoiding potential accidents due to spillover from other events happening at nearby locations.
The site should accommodate family members with disabilities.
The venue should be accessible to people with disabilities. If you have a wheelchair-user in your family and they need it, then make sure that the venue has sufficient access points for wheelchairs and other mobility devices (e.g., walkers).
The venue should have an accessible restroom with a stall or other space large enough for someone living with quadriplegia or paraplegia who uses a wheelchair or scooter to use their facilities independently. There should also be an accessible sink so that those who cannot move their arms or legs can wash their hands without assistance from others nearby (or at least within earshot).
Book the vendors you need as early as possible.
Booking vendors is the first step to planning a successful reunion. That's because you'll want to lock in services early, when they're still available and affordable.
But not just any service will do—you need high-quality vendors who can help make your family reunion everything it should be. They might include:
- A wedding planner or a party planner for coordinating all the details
- A caterer for providing food and drinks
- A photographer or videographer for capturing memories from important moments (like when Aunt Gladys spills red wine on her white pants).
Create a menu that doesn't require much preparation by the hosts.
The most important thing to remember when creating a menu is to make sure you have enough food that requires little-to-no preparation by the hosts. You’ll want a variety of options, too—don’t just offer beef or chicken!
A few ideas:
- Have some kind of hearty soup (and maybe even a vegetarian option) in case anyone shows up late and misses out on dinner.
- Have plenty of snacks ready for hungry kids (you know how they get after a long car ride)!
- Don’t forget about vegans and those with nut allergies; there are plenty of options available online if you need help finding something that fits everyone’s needs!
Avoid choosing food that will clash with the weather conditions.
It’s a good idea to avoid choosing food that will clash with the weather conditions. This is especially true on a day like Thanksgiving when the temperature and humidity can fluctuate wildly during your reunion. If you’re having an outdoor party, for example, you may want to choose recipes that don’t require heating up indoors (such as soup or stew) so you don't end up with too much heat in your home while everyone else is outside enjoying themselves.
If it's cold outside and you're planning on eating dinner or lunch outdoors, consider hearty dishes like beef stew or chili to keep everyone warm while they eat their meal!
Make sure there are plenty of activities planned for children at the reunion.
The kids are the lifeblood of your family reunion, so you'll want to make sure there's plenty for them to do. You'll want activities for children of all ages and abilities, as well as those who don't like to play games or dance.
Then, if you're hosting the reunion at a park or other engaging event facility in New York that has a pool or other water feature, you should consider adding water toys (like inner tubes) so that younger attendees can take advantage of those facilities.
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you plan a successful family reunion. Remember that it's important to take your time, make sure everyone is on board with the plan and have fun!
For more event inspo and tips from the top event planners in New York, click here to learn more about our Event Planner Expo!
