How much to charge for class reunion?

Question

It's our 25th class reunion This is my first year planning ours. I've costed everything out, and think that it'll run about $35.00 per person. It's at a nice restaurant with a large banquet room. This includes appetizer, buffet dinner, non-alcoholic drinks, DJ, postage for invites & paper, a little left over for incidentals and a small profit to be put away for next time. (They're on their own for a cash bar.) I'd like to think that 40 -somethings can afford this. But, our home state is MI, which is quite depressed and there's a lot of people without great jobs. Our small town has very little industry, although most classmates have left. I don't want to offend anyone with the cost. Is this affordable? What have you paid?

Answer 1

My reunions (in California) have always been at least $100, so that seems really reasonable to me:)

Answer 2

Just had my 25th reunion last November & it was $50 a person. This included the location ( Read House hotel - Chattanooga, TN), entertainment, buffet dinner which gave your choice of prime rib, salmon or grilled chicken and non-alcoholic bevs. Cash bar was $5 a beer, $7 for wine & $10 for mixed drinks, but the Read House furnished all booze & set their own prices. We had mailed invitations, e-mail updates & phone calls from the planning committee letting us know they spend everything down to the penny.......

Good luck & have fun - Mine was a blast!!

Answer 3

$35 sounds good. Our class has its reunion in the San Francisco Bay area. We had to charge $35 each for a picnic in a park; catered, but no DJ. Banquet rooms would have run $50 to $75.

Here is some advice you didn't ask for:

The single most important thing you can do to insure a good time is talk to the DJ before hand. The people who never left town and see each other every week at PTA, soccer practice, poker night etc. are going to want to dance. The ones who did leave town and flew 1,500 miles to attend are going to want to talk, and they are not going to want to shout over the music.

The ideal solution, if you can afford it, is to hire two rooms. Unless you are from Beverly Hills High, you won't be able to do that. Having the music "on" for 30 minutes, then off for 30 would be a reasonable compromise. Promise the DJ the same amount of money as if he played all night. Impress upon him the desire of half the audience to talk. Reunions are not the same as dances or concerts. People (some people) want quiet time, to talk. Keep hammering that home to the DJ. If necessary, tattoo it on his forehead backwards and give him a mirror. Appoint a "Quiet time" monitor.

I hear "It was a nice reunion, but the DJ ruined it" a dozen times a year from friends and family.

Answer 4

Our last reunion-10 yr-was $85 per person.  I think yours is very fair!

Answer 5

Thirty five is a fair price to me. After all it only happens every five or ten years. Only I wouldn't put any money back for next time. Spend it all. Maybe buy some nice prizes and give them out in a drawing. That will make things fun. Say draw a name every 30 minutes or something.

Answer 6

I think that's acceptable.  I paid $50 for my 10th reunion, although it was open bar.