Hosting and events
Plan a reunion with room for people to opt out
A good reunion schedule has a few fixed points and plenty of open time. Say who is coming, when each group arrives and leaves, any accessibility needs and which events are fixed, so the schedule does not overload the weekend.
A text to start with
I'm planning a two-day family reunion for about 25 people, Saturday and Sunday. Everyone arrives Friday evening at a shared lodge, where we stay until Sunday afternoon. Saturday's anchor events are a morning hike and a group dinner. Sunday is brunch, then people leave at different times. A few relatives use mobility aids, so the hike should not be the only Saturday option. Build a schedule with free blocks that doesn't require everyone at everything.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.What to check in the schedule
Look for back-to-back activities with no travel or transition time. Meals and the hike departure are the usual pinch points, especially when some people are cooking while others are still arriving or packing. Make sure the Saturday alternative to the hike is something people would pick and not a placeholder. On Sunday, brunch should end well before the earliest departure.
Sharing the schedule with the group
Send the draft to a few attendees first, especially those with the most complicated travel or the strongest preferences, and fold in their feedback. Mark which events are expected and which are optional, so skipping one does not feel awkward.