Family reunion planner: from first email to last photo
Getting 40 relatives from four cities in one place takes months of messages, deposits and spreadsheets. Your todo.is agent acts as the family reunion planner: it researches venues near where most people live, builds a timeline and budget, writes the save-the-date, tracks RSVPs in a spreadsheet and sends you reminders as deadlines come up.
The prompt
- Help me plan a family reunion for about [NUMBER OF PEOPLE] people, ages [AGE RANGE], around [DATE OR SEASON]. Most people live in [WHERE FAMILY LIVES]. We want [TYPE OF EVENT] with a budget of about [BUDGET PER PERSON] per person. Find 5 venue or location options with links and why they fit, then make a 6-month timeline, a budget with how costs could be split, a save-the-date email, an RSVP tracker in Excel (name, household, adults, kids, dietary needs, arriving, paid) and activity ideas for kids, adults and older relatives. Remind me on WhatsApp of each deadline.
What to change
- [NUMBER OF PEOPLE]: A rough guess is fine, e.g. "40 to 50".
- [AGE RANGE]: E.g. "babies to 90". Mention anyone who needs step-free access.
- [DATE OR SEASON]: E.g. "a weekend in July 2027", "over Thanksgiving".
- [WHERE FAMILY LIVES]: E.g. "Ohio, Texas and two families in Toronto".
- [TYPE OF EVENT]: E.g. "a one-day picnic", "a weekend in cabins", "a dinner plus Sunday brunch".
- [BUDGET PER PERSON]: E.g. "$150 per adult, kids free", or write "as cheap as possible".
Example result
- Hartley family reunion
- About 45 people · ages 1 to 88 · a weekend in July · family in Ohio, Texas and Toronto · about $150 per adult
- Venue ideas (examples of what the agent finds)
- • State park group cabins in central Ohio: sleeps 40+, big shared kitchen, lake. Shortest drive for most. Book early: group sites go fast.
- • Lake house rental: private, but check the guest limit and parking.
- • Community hall plus nearby hotel block: easiest for older relatives (step-free, AC).
- Timeline
- • 6 months before: pick date and venue, send save-the-date, collect a deposit
- • 4 months: book the venue and a hotel block, create a family group chat
- • 3 months: send the full invitation with RSVP link, plan meals
- • 2 months: book catering or plan potluck sign-ups, order T-shirts
- • 1 month: final headcount, collect the rest of the money, buy supplies
- • 1 week: confirm everything, print name tags and the schedule
- • After: share photos, thank-you message, start next reunion fund
- Budget (illustrative)
- • Cabins, 2 nights: $3,200
- • Food (two catered dinners, rest potluck): $1,800
- • T-shirts, name tags, games, decor: $600
- • Total about $5,600 ÷ 33 adults = about $170 per adult; kids under 12 free
- Weekend schedule
- • Friday: arrivals, pizza, name tags with family branch colours
- • Saturday: lake morning, family history display, family photo at 16:00, BBQ dinner, talent show
- • Sunday: memorial brunch for relatives we've lost, cleanup, goodbyes
- Activities for all ages
- • Kids: scavenger hunt, crafts table, water games
- • Adults: cornhole tournament, family trivia from submitted stories
- • Older relatives: "ask grandma" story circle recorded on a phone, shaded seating
- Save-the-date email
- "Save the date: the Hartley family reunion is July 16 to 18 at Lakeview cabins. Please reply by March 1 with how many are coming. More details soon!"
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in the headcount, ages, rough dates, where family lives and the budget.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp.
- Review the venue links, pick one and book it yourself. Share the RSVP spreadsheet with your co-planners.
- Your agent sends reminders before each deadline. Forward it new RSVPs and it updates the tracker.
Tips for a better result
- Pick the date first with a quick poll, then the venue. Dates that suit the oldest relatives matter most.
- Collect a small deposit with the RSVP. People who pay show up, and you won't front all the costs.
- Ask a few relatives to own one area each (food, games, photos) so it isn't all on you.
- Plan one quiet, shaded space for older relatives and one for naps for little ones.
family reunion planner: FAQ
- How far ahead should you plan a family reunion? 6 to 12 months for a weekend event with travel, and 3 to 4 months for a local one-day picnic. Popular venues and summer dates book up early.
- How do families split the cost of a reunion? Common ways are a flat fee per adult with kids free, each household paying its own lodging plus a shared fund for food and venue, or a potluck to cut food costs.
- What activities work for all ages at a family reunion? Family trivia, a group photo, a talent show, a memory table with old photos, lawn games and a shared meal. Mix active games with sitting-down activities.
- Can todo.is book the venue or collect payments? No. Your agent finds options with links, drafts messages and keeps the tracker, but you book and handle payments yourself.
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