To figure out how much to charge for a family reunion, add up your shared costs, divide by the number of adults you expect to pay, add per-person costs like food and T-shirts, then add about 10% for surprises and payment fees. Round up to an even number. That is your adult registration price. Kids usually pay less, and little ones are often free.
There is no single right price. A backyard cookout and a hotel banquet weekend cost very different amounts. The formula below works for any size reunion.
Step 1: List your shared costs
Shared costs, also called fixed costs, stay about the same no matter how many people come. Examples:
- Venue or park pavilion rental
- DJ, band, or sound system
- Decorations
- Photographer
- Printing, like banners, programs, and booklets
- Your reunion website or planning platform
- Insurance or permits, if required
Step 2: List your per-person costs
These go up with every person who attends:
- Food and drinks
- T-shirts
- Name tags and welcome bags
- Activity tickets, like a boat ride or museum
Step 3: Estimate how many people will pay
Be careful here. Plan on the low side. If 100 relatives say they “might” come, plan for fewer to actually register and pay. It is much easier to have extra money than to come up short.
Step 4: Use the formula
Adult price = (shared costs ÷ paying adults) + per-person costs + 10% cushion
A worked example
This is a made-up example to show the math. Use your own numbers.
Shared costs:
- Venue: $800
- DJ: $400
- Decorations: $200
- Printing: $150
- Reunion platform (one year): $99
- Total shared costs: $1,649
Per-person costs for each adult: food $25 and T-shirt $12, for a total of $37.
Expected paying adults: 60
- Shared cost per adult: $1,649 ÷ 60 = $27.48
- Add per-person costs: $27.48 + $37 = $64.48
- Add a 10% cushion: $64.48 + $6.45 = $70.93
- Round up: $75 per adult
How to price kids and seniors
- Young children (under 5): often free
- Kids (5 to 12): charge only their food and T-shirt, like $15 to $25
- Teens: many families charge the adult price starting at 13
- Seniors: some families offer a discount to honor elders
If you discount kids or seniors, the adults cover the difference. Run the numbers again to make sure your total still works.
Do not forget payment fees
When people pay by card, fees come out of each payment. With Gettagether, Stripe charges its standard processing fee (2.9% plus $0.30 in the U.S.), and Gettagether adds a platform fee of 1% plus $0.25 per transaction.
On a single $75 registration, that is about $3.48 in total fees. The flat part of the fee is charged once per payment, so when one family registers four people in a single checkout, the fee per person goes down. Your 10% cushion should cover fees in most cases.
Family reunion budget template
Copy this table into a spreadsheet and fill in your numbers.
| Item | Type | Estimated cost | Actual cost | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue | Shared | |||
| Music or DJ | Shared | |||
| Decorations | Shared | |||
| Photographer | Shared | |||
| Printing | Shared | |||
| Reunion platform | Shared | |||
| Food per adult | Per person | |||
| Food per child | Per person | |||
| T-shirts | Per person | |||
| Activities | Per person | |||
| Cushion (10%) | Extra |
Tips to keep the price down
- Raise money early with a fundraiser or a reunion shop
- Choose a park or church hall instead of a hotel ballroom
- Mix catering with a potluck
- Offer an early-bird price so money comes in before deposits are due
- Ask relatives with skills, like photography or DJing, to help
For more ideas, read How to Collect Money for Your Reunion Without the Awkwardness and Sell Products to Raise Money for Your Reunion.
Frequently asked questions
What is a typical price for a family reunion?
It varies a lot by location and plans. A simple park cookout might cost far less than a weekend with a banquet. Use the formula above instead of guessing.
Should kids pay for a family reunion?
Many families charge kids only for their food and shirt, and let young children attend free.
What if we do not collect enough money?
Plan on fewer paying adults than you hope for, add a cushion, and hold a fundraiser early. If you end up with extra, it can go toward the next reunion.
Collect registration fees the easy way
Start your 7-day free trial of Gettagether to set up registration types for adults, kids, and seniors and collect payments by card.