The size problem is the whole job
A reunion spans toddlers to grandparents, which means you need both the youth scale and the adult scale, and those two do not line up the way people assume. A youth large is not an adult small. Collect actual sizes from actual people rather than guessing from a headcount, and be specific in the message that youth and adult are different scales. The relatives who never answer are the ones who show up wanting a shirt, so add a few spares in the middle adult sizes rather than an even spread.
Collect the money when you collect the size
One person fronting the cost for forty relatives is how reunion shirts turn into a grudge. Ask for the size and the payment in the same message, with a closing date, and treat the closing date as real. When it closes, that count is the order. Whoever did not answer can be told honestly that the window closed, which is easier than chasing twelve people for eight dollars in September.
Designs that hold up across four generations
The design has to work on a toddler shirt and on a 3XL, which rules out anything with fine detail. Bold shapes and a family name read well at every size. A year on the design makes it a keepsake but makes leftovers worthless afterward. Some families put the year on the back and keep the front plain, so extras can still be handed out at the next gathering.
Ordering from out of town
Reunions pull people in from everywhere, and the relative organising it is often not the one living closest. Shipping anywhere in Texas is available, and it is normal for part of an order to be picked up locally while the rest goes out to family who moved away. Sort out who is picking up and who needs shipping before the order window closes, not after, because it affects the timeline.
When to order
Work backward from the reunion date, not forward from today. Printing takes about one to two weeks once artwork is approved and sizes are final, and a family reliably takes longer to agree on a design than the shop takes to print it. Two to three weeks of margin ahead of the date is not being early. Summer reunions land in the quiet stretch of the print calendar, which is a genuine advantage if you order then.
Sizes larger than 2XL
Bigger sizes carry a small upcharge, because the blank garment itself costs more, not because of the printing. It is worth knowing up front so the price you quote the family is the price they actually pay. Ask for the breakdown by size when you get your quote, so nobody is surprised at collection time.
What actually goes on a reunion shirt
The family name and a year is the safe version and it never looks wrong. Beyond that, the ones people keep tend to carry something only the family would understand: the name of the town everybody came from, the name of the ranch or the street, or a line somebody's grandmother always said. A list of every family surname on the back is popular and works well, because it gives everyone something to look for. What does not work is a design so detailed that it disappears on a toddler shirt. Whatever you choose, it has to read at arm's length on the smallest size you are ordering.
- Toddler through 4XL in one run
- One design, one price per shirt
- Order window with a hard close
- Shipping to family out of town
- Artwork kept for the next reunion
- Local pickup in Falfurrias
Questions people ask about family reunion shirts
Can we order toddler and adult sizes in the same run?
Yes. One run can carry the whole family, from toddler through the large adult sizes. The total count is what sets the price.
How do we handle relatives who live out of state?
Shipping in Texas is available, and it is common to split an order between local pickup and shipping. Decide who needs shipping before the order window closes so it can be planned.
Should we put the year on the shirt?
It makes it a keepsake, but it also makes any leftovers hard to hand out later. Some families put the year on the back and keep the front plain so extras still get used.
How far ahead should we order reunion shirts?
Two to three weeks of margin before the date, on top of however long your family takes to settle on a design. Printing is one to two weeks after artwork and sizes are final.
What if the family cannot agree on a design?
Pick two options, not five, and put them to a vote with a closing date. Endless choice is what stalls reunion shirts. Two clear options and a deadline settles it in a day, and either one will look fine on the shirt.