The easiest way to handle family reunion T-shirts is to collect every attendee's size on the registration form, include the shirt in the ticket price, and place the order 6–8 weeks before the reunion with 5–10% extra shirts in the most common adult sizes. Most shirt problems (wrong counts, missing sizes, unpaid shirts) come from collecting sizes separately from registration. Do it once, in one place, and the order mostly writes itself.
This is part of our guide on how to plan a family reunion. When should you order family reunion T-shirts?
Order 6–8 weeks before the reunion. Custom printing commonly takes 2–3 weeks once the design is approved, and you want time to fix a wrong color, a misspelled name, or a short count.
Work backward from the reunion date:
Pick the design, colors, and printer
Open registration with sizes on the form
Get a final quote and a design proof
Close sizes (same as the registration deadline) and place the order
Shirts arrive; count and sort by household
If your registration deadline is 6–8 weeks out, make it the size deadline too. One deadline is easier to remember than two.
How do you collect T-shirt sizes for a family reunion?
On the registration form, one size per person, next to their name. Don't send a separate "what size are you?" message later. Every extra step loses people, and you'll end up guessing for the ones who never answer.
Offer both youth and adult sizes:
Youth size labels vary by brand, so share the printer's size chart with the form if you can. For babies and toddlers, many printers offer infant and toddler sizes or onesies, usually at a higher per-item cost. Decide up front whether you'll offer them.
Tell people whether the shirts are unisex or fitted. Unisex sizes run larger for many women, and people who expect a fitted cut often order a size too small.
Should T-shirts be included in the reunion price?
For most families, yes. Including shirts in the ticket price means:
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Everyone gets one, so the group photo matches
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You collect money once instead of twice
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No one is left without a shirt because they forgot to order one
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You don't have to track a separate shirt payment list
If you sell shirts separately, expect a lower order rate and a second round of collecting and reconciling. Selling separately makes sense mainly when the reunion is free or very low-cost and shirts are a true extra.
How much do family reunion T-shirts cost?
As a rough guide, custom printed shirts often run about $8–$20 each, depending on quantity, shirt quality, number of colors, and print locations. Larger sizes (2XL and up) frequently cost $1–$3 more per shirt. Prices vary a lot by printer and region, so get two or three quotes.
What changes the price most:
Print colors (screen printing)
Soft blends, performance fabric
Many 2XL+ and infant sizes
Which printing method is best for reunion shirts?
Larger orders (usually 24+) with a simple design
Setup costs per color; harder for photos or many colors
Smaller orders, full-color designs, photos
Higher per-shirt cost at volume
Very small runs, individual names
Can crack or peel over time
Relatives ordering and paying individually
Higher prices and no single combined delivery
For most reunions of 50 or more, screen printing with one or two colors is the most affordable option. If your design includes a photo of the family's founding couple, ask about DTG.
How many extra shirts should you order?
Order 5–10% extra, spread across the most common adult sizes (usually Medium through XL, with a few 2XL). Extras cover:
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People who chose the wrong size
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Shirts damaged or misprinted
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Relatives who show up unexpectedly
Sell leftover extras at the reunion or offer them to relatives who couldn't attend.
How do you design a family reunion T-shirt?
Keep the design readable from across a park. The essentials:
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The family name in large type
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The year and, often, the reunion number ("15th Annual")
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The location (city or venue)
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Optional: a tagline, a family crest, the founding couple's names, or a family tree graphic on the back
A few practical tips:
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Proofread names and dates three times. A typo on 150 shirts is permanent.
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Use colors that photograph well. Very light shirts can look washed out in group photos, while bright solid colors stand out.
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Assign colors by branch for large families. Each branch wears its own color with the same design. It makes branches easy to find and creates a striking group photo. Collect branch on the registration form so the order splits correctly.
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Get a physical or digital proof before approving the order.
How do you hand out shirts at the reunion?
Sort before you arrive. When the shirts come in, bag them by household, label each bag with the household name, and line the bags up alphabetically for check-in.
At check-in, hand the household its bag along with name tags and the schedule. Keep the extras in a separate labeled box for size swaps and late arrivals.
If you're mailing shirts to relatives who can't attend, collect shipping costs during registration and ship after the reunion.
Keeping sizes, registrations, and payments together
The shirt order should come straight from your registration list. That's only reliable when sizes, attendees, and payments live in the same place. A spreadsheet works if someone keeps it current. Cruina collects each attendee's size as part of registration, so when it's time to order, the size counts are already totaled from the people who've actually registered and paid.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should we order reunion T-shirts?
6–8 weeks before the reunion. Printing commonly takes 2–3 weeks, and the extra time covers corrections.
How do we know how many of each size to order?
Order directly from the sizes on registrations, then add 5–10% extras in the most common adult sizes.
Should family reunion shirts be unisex?
Unisex is simplest and cheapest. If you offer fitted shirts too, make it a clear choice on the form and share a size chart.
What color should family reunion shirts be?
Choose bright, solid colors that photograph well. Large families often give each branch its own color with a shared design.
Should we charge extra for 2XL and larger shirts?
Most families absorb the small difference into the overall price rather than charging individuals more.