MemorraA family reunion is a gathering of extended family, often across several generations and households, and they commonly run 30 to 150 people over a day or a weekend. The defining challenge is the spread: you are inviting great-aunts who reply by phone and cousins who only check text, often across different states. That makes an accurate guest list and a flexible way to send invitations more important than at any single-household event. Plan two to four months ahead, especially if people travel. This guide covers building a multi-household list, inviting every generation the way they will answer, and tracking RSVPs so the food and space fit, all from one guest list.
How far ahead should you plan a family reunion?
Two to four months for a reunion that draws out-of-town family. People need to book travel and time off, and the larger the family, the more lead time the coordination takes.
Pick a point person per branch of the family. They know their own household's contact details and can chase their own relatives, which beats one organizer trying to reach 150 people.
How do you build a guest list across households?
Organize by family branch, then by household. Capture a contact for each household rather than each individual, since one reply often covers several people.
- •List each household with a head-of-household contact.
- •Note the number of people that household covers.
- •Keep email and phone where you have them, since generations differ.
A guest list that lets you count households and headcount separately keeps the food math honest.
How do you invite and track across generations?
Older relatives often prefer a call or a mailed note; younger ones reply to text instantly. Use both and collect every reply in one count.
- •Send by text and email with a one-tap reply.
- •Add phone-in replies by hand to the same list.
- •Send a reminder to non-repliers a few weeks out.
Memorra sends by text and email and keeps every reply in one guest list, so even a reunion where half the replies come in by phone stays countable.
How do you lock the headcount for a big group?
Confirm the number two to three weeks out for a catered reunion, since bulk food and venue bookings need lead time. Ask each branch point person to confirm their household's final count.
A rough timeline:
- •2 to 4 months: date, venue, branch point people, guest list.
- •1 month: invitations out.
- •2 to 3 weeks: reminders and final headcount.
A family reunion lives or dies on coordination. Split the list by branch, invite every generation the way they answer, and keep the whole count in one place, and a hundred relatives will feel organized instead of chaotic.