Once you have the basics in place as far as date and location, you now move into a more intensive planning phase.

Budget for the Reunion. You will need to develop a realistic budget for the reunion. For expenses, identify first what types of things will be included. Are you trying to equalize travel costs among the participants? Will you be eating in large groups? Will food be purchased by the reunion committee, or will different families take responsibility for paying for and preparing individual meals?

Are you planning any tours, visits to places of interest, or day trips at amusement parks, etc.? Are there facility costs that need to be included? What about souvenirs, t-shirts, name tags, etc? The following might represent a good budget checklist for reunion expenses:

• Bank Account and Checks
• Phone calls
• Printing and Mailing Costs
• Deposits for various services and facilities
• Registration supplies
• Prizes
• Entertainment
• Picnic or meal expenses
• Rentals of tables, chairs, decorations
• Photographers or film
• Taxes
• Any post reunion communications

Once you have clearly identified the expenses, then look at ways to share them. You can assess each attendee, or you can divide the costs by families. You can assess costs based on the age of the attendees (more for teens and adults than little kids). Or you can take financial ability into account and charge more to the better-off parts of the family. Decide early about your criteria for sharing costs and stick to it.

Set Up a Bank Account. A good practice, especially for a large reunion, is to set up a separate bank account to handle the revenues and expenses for the reunion.

That way, any expenses you incur can be easily accounted for and reimbursed.

Consider a Reunion Web Site. Particularly if the reunion is larger, you might want to explore a free or low cost web site with information about the reunion. You could post all kinds of information and link to the web sites connected with the reunion (hotels, campgrounds, activity locations, nearby restaurants, parks, etc.).

Planning the Activities. Decide what sorts of things you will want to do at the reunion, and make sure there is something for all ages and abilities. Some ideas that have worked at other reunions include a karaoke night, square dancing or country line dancing, a best-dessert contest, creating a family mural, organize softball or volleyball tournaments, etc. Some of the reunion's best memories will involve these activities.

Recruit Volunteers. Just because you are the organizer doesn't mean you have to do everything. Consider asking family members to volunteer for such tasks as being treasurer, maintaining the web site, ordering items like souvenirs, shirts, etc., organizing menus and meals, handling registrations, running events, setting up and cleaning up.Most of these tasks should be delegated so you can be free to keep the bigger picture and focus on making the plans become reality.

And don't forget to involve singles, widows and widowers and relatives without kids as volunteers. Sometimes these groups find themselves "outside the circle" at reunions and could be made more a part of things in the planning stage.

Check out more family reunion planning ideas.