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Step 1
The first and most challenging step in planning the reunion is to create a committee of dedicated volunteers. Planning will take at least 6 months, so you need dedicated volunteers who will follow through on their commitments. Find volunteers who are good networkers and are in contact with other high school classmates. You want to look for the worker bees.
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Step 2
Once you have formed your committee, you will need to set a date. Choose a date at least 6 months in advance. You will need this time to search for classmates,spread the word, and to accomplish all of the other steps.
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Step 3
Once you have set a date, find a venue such as a hotel, country club, reception hall, banquet room, or other location. Put the word out among your contacts, and their contacts, that you need a venue and see if anyone has any connections that can offer a discount price. Many times, someone will step up and offer a venue either for free, or at a low price. Maybe someone is president of their HOA (Home Owners Association), an event planner, or a hotel manager. Ask around and see what you can find.
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Step 4
Once the venue is set, start searching for classmates. Use the power of the internet to find old classmates and teachers. Using the internet eliminates the cost of printing paper invitations and the cost of postage. It is a good idea to set up a website with all of the information. Classmates can forward the site address around the internet and spread the word for free. (See the resources section for some class reunion websites you can build yourself for free.) A website can pull everything together including details of events, lost classmate lists, the guest list, RSVPs, payment, and even photo albums.
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Step 5
Use social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn to spread the word about your reunion and find classmates. Odds are that when you find one person, he or she will be in touch with other classmates and the word will spread with little or no effort on the committee's part.
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Step 6
While you are in the process of finding classmates, continue to hold committee meetings to finalize details. Some nice touches to a reunion include food, a DJ, a photographer, a videographer, door prizes, and name tags made with photos from your old high school year book. All of these extras cost money, so use your network of high school friends to help find discounts where ever you can. Maybe a classmate is a caterer and can offer a nice discount on food. Maybe another classmate is a professional photographer. Someone else may be in the printing business and can print name tags at a discount. Post information on the class reunion website asking for what you need, and see if anyone can help.
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Step 7
Don’t forget travelers who are coming from out of state. Again, use your network to see if someone can get hotel or travel discounts. Check your high school list to see if anyone is a travel agent or in the hospitality industry. Or, just call local hotels and ask about discounts on blocks of rooms for the weekend. Classmates also may want to open their homes to guests so that their friends can stay for free.
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Step 8
Check the resources section below for other resources to use when planning your high school reunion on a budget.
Comments
kohuether said
on 6/27/2009 My high school reunion was in the function room at a restaurant/brewery! It was a fun environment and no doubt less expensive than a function room in a hotel or banquet hall.