If you’ve been tasked with getting all of
your old school mates together and organising a reunion, you’ll already be
aware about just how big a task it is. After all, so many people move away,
change their names, and end up all over the world. It can be hard to track them
down, much less organise the event on top of it. We have a few steps that you should
follow to ensure that your reunion goes smoothly.
Form a Committee
It’s impossible to do all of the organising
by yourself, so now is the time to form your committee so that you can delegate
out tasks. Who will focus on contacting everyone? Who will arrange the venue
and any catering? Does the event have a strict budget and are you asking for
donations from those that attend? All of these things need to be decided upon,
and you need more than one person running the show.
Track Everyone Down
Before you’ve even set a date, you need to
get a list of everyone that you want to invite to try and get some estimated
numbers together. Now comes the task of trying to find out where everyone
lives, and if they would be interested in attending a reunion. Luckily, social
media can help hugely with getting in contact with people, but don’t be afraid
to ask around to see who still knows who. Word of mouth is still a great tool
when it comes to organising something like a reunion.
Choose the Right Venue
Having the perfect venue will decide on the
atmosphere of the whole event. As people are likely travelling from far away,
and maybe even overseas, having a venue that is more upmarket will be very well
received. There are so many beautiful city mansions to hire in London. These
grand houses can host any sort of party, and really add an air of sophistication
to proceedings. After all, you’re not at school anymore! Think about location
when you are choosing your venue, as you want somewhere that is going to be
easy for everyone to get to. Parking is also always going to be an issue, so
ensure there is somewhere for your guests to go.
Send Out Invites
While you might have gotten in contact with
everyone initially to gauge interest, once you have the time and date finalised
it’s time to get the formal invitations sent out. These will most likely be
done over email, due to the amount of people that are going to be spread out, If
you have everyone’s addresses however, then there is no harm in coming up with
a paper invite as well. Make it clear how people are to RSVP and how important it
is to do so. They also need to be reminded to keep in contact with the
committee if plans happen to change.
Catering
Having some form of catering is a must. Even
if it’s just a buffet, your guests are sure to want something to nibble on.
There should also be some wine and beer available, as well as soft drinks, so
that people can be as comfortable as possible when they mingle. Your venue is
likely to have a list of caterers that the recommend, so pay attendion to the
information that they give you. They are likely to know best.
Have Name Badges
It might seem corny, but no one wants to be
in the situation where they can’t remember their neighbours name. Having name badges
and highlighting name changes means that everyone can find each other without
any embarrassing faux pas. Get everyone to sign in when the arrive and write
their own name badge out so that everyone can read it clearly and that it’s
100% correct.
Icebreakers
Reunions can be awkward for some people,
and so having a few icebreakers can really relax the mood a lot. It also gives
people the chance to summarise what’s been going on in their lives since they
saw you all last! Let’s be honest, everyone is going to be curious, and it can
be difficult to get around everyone in one night to have a catch up! Think
about appropriate games that you can play that will set the tone for the
evening.
Have a Presentation
Times like these are when your guests want
to reminisce about old times, so having a presentation with lots of photos of
everyone from their schooldays might be just the ticket. Not only will it get
everyone talking, it’s good fun as well! There are likely some things that a
lot of people will have forgotten, and so getting those memories onto a
projector screen will leave everyone smiling.
Give out mementos
Is there one particular photograph from the
past that the whole group it in? A great idea for any reunion to have something
that people can take away with them. A copy of a photograph is perfect. Many times,
however, it’s impossible to get one with everyone visible. Even a small gift
with the school logo and the date of the reunion will be nice to give people
for them to hold onto. Don’t forget to give everyone ample opportunities to
take new photographs together and try and get a group shot of the reunion.
A reunion is a great chance to reminisce
and get together with old friends. It can be quite a challenge to plan an event
such as this however so you will need a well organised team around you to help
get everything just right. When the event finally does happen, it will all be
worth it to see everyone gathered together and having fun just like old times.
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