Planning the Perfect Family Reunion: Tips and Tricks for a Memorable Event

June 5, 2023

By: Lillian Miller

Planning a family reunion takes a lot of effort, and everyone could use some tips and tricks to plan a memorable one! Family reunions are great for meeting new family members, making memories, sharing stories, and seeing family you have not seen in a long time. Numerous family reunion venues suffolk offer lots of different opportunities and neat things for you to do! Here are some tips and tricks to help you plan your perfect family reunion.

Family Reunion Ideas

1. Start a group chat

Starting a group chat is a great way to connect with everyone. This will make sending invitations much easier and ensure everyone gets invited. Group chats are great because some family members might not have other family members’ contact information. Networking this way will be great because you never know you could have cousins you never even knew about! Luckily social media has given us a way to connect with people in a way we could not before. This is also a convenient way to share family reunion ideas with the group. Here are some ideas for getting a big group of people connected.

IMessage group chat (people with iPhone only)
WhatsApp Messenger
Facebook Group
Microsoft Teams

2. Setting a Budget

Setting a budget is ideal, especially if you divide the cost between family members attending. Once you have a budget for what every family wants to chip in, you can figure out venue and food options. This is also a good time to commit to any other family reunion ideas that the group would like to move forward with, for example, matching family t-shirts. Delegating a family member to be the treasurer to collect and ensure you are within budget can help maintain it much easier! Some people might split it between families, or some might have a cost per person, but that is something to consider!

3. Find a venue

Choosing the right family reunion venue in VA is important. When brainstorming family reunion ideas consider key qualities about the surrounding area that are important to your family. If you know exactly what you want, you can eliminate reunion venues in Suffolk that don’t work. There are a lot of variables that go into finding the perfect family reunion venue in VA and making sure it fits all your needs.

Do you want Indoor and/or Outdoor space?
How much room will you need for activities?
Do you need catering, or will you have a potluck?
How many days did you want to have activities and venue space for?

While firming up your family reunion ideas with your reunion committee, check out the Suffolk Conference Center. The Suffolk Conference Center is an ideal family reunion venue for various reasons. Its spacious and comfortable indoor and outdoor areas can accommodate groups of all sizes. The central location in the heart of Suffolk makes it easily accessible for family members coming from different parts of Hampton Roads. The venue offers a range of amenities, including catering services, audiovisual equipment, and plenty of parking space. Finally, the venue’s friendly and professional staff is dedicated to ensuring a memorable experience for all guests. The Suffolk Conference Center is perfect for a successful and enjoyable family reunion.

4. Delegate tasks to members

It can be a lot of stress to try to plan this big event all by yourself, so delegating tasks to volunteers can help make the reunion go smoothly. Having a committee would be great; you could meet once a month or however many times are needed. You can have someone who handles payments, someone who handles food, someone who handles decorations and etc. This way, everyone feels involved in the family reunion idea stages and planning. Also, not one person is delegating to handling the whole reunion.

5. Reserve Guest Accommodations

Some family members may be traveling and will need hotel accommodations. The Suffolk Conference Center is attached to the Hilton Garden Inn Suffolk Riverfront. Allowing your family to gather in one location for accommodations and the reunion venue in Suffolk. Contacting the sales department to request information about a group room block is best because they may offer discounted rooms. This was it is also easier for family members to be nearby, especially in an unfamiliar city.

6. Plan to have entertainment

Having some entertainment is important because it will keep family members engaged with each other. Sometimes people can be anxious when meeting new people and need some icebreaker activities. Games and events will keep the family active and having fun the whole time. Here are some great ways to keep family reunion ideas to keep members engaged!

Outside Games like cornhole
Life-size Jenga, Bocce Ball, Ring toss
Relay Races
Having a talent show
Live entertainment or a comedy show
Kick Ball
Food Eating Contest
Laser Tag

7. Always have a backup plan

If you plan on having any activities or a venue outside, it is good to have a plan in place if the weather does not go how you want. Finding a venue with indoor and outdoor accommodation is always a good thing to consider. Plan B family reunion ideas in case of inclement weather.

Getting permission from local family members to host events at their house if the space is applicable.
The Suffolk Conference Center has indoor and outdoor space, to ensure your reunion continues no matter what.
Having a tent wherever your venue is if they do not have indoor space

The Suffolk Conference Center is the ideal family reunion venue in VA. Connected to a full-service Hilton Garden Inn hotel and offer accommodations to keep you and your family engaged and happy! We are located on the Constant’s Wharf Park and Marina, where you can socialize and play outdoors. In addition to the hotel and conference center, there are plenty of nearby activities to keep your family entertained.

Family reunion ideas for groups or individuals in Suffolk:

Take a stroll along the riverfront
Visit local museums and historic sites
Go shopping at nearby boutiques and antique stores or the Norfolk Outlets
Visit the Virginia Beach Oceanfront or Historic Williamsburg

If you’re worried about keeping costs down, the conference center offers a variety of packages. The conference center has a variety of rooms and event spaces to suit your needs, whether you’re hosting a large gathering or a more intimate affair. The experienced staff can help you plan every detail, from catering to audiovisual equipment. Now, let your cousins know you have a family reunion idea and contact our sales team today for availability.