Matching shirts turn a gathering into an event. They also make the group photo, which is the thing everyone will still be looking at in twenty years. Whether you are organizing a family reunion at a county park, a memorial walk for someone you love, or the block party your street has done every summer for decades, a little planning keeps it easy.
Start with the date and work backwards
Our standard turnaround on printed shirts is 7 to 10 business days after the deposit, or 5 business days with rush. For family events, the slow part is never the printing. It is getting sizes from forty relatives. A comfortable timeline looks like this:
- 6 weeks out: pick the design and shirt colors, and send out a size form.
- 4 weeks out: close the form. Chase the stragglers once.
- 3 weeks out: place the order and approve the mockup.
- 1 week out: pick up the shirts contactless in Paramus, or have them shipped, and sort them by family.
If you are already inside three weeks, it is still doable. Our rush guide explains how.
Design ideas that people keep wearing
- The classic: family name, the word "Reunion," the year, and the town or park where it is held.
- Established: "The Rossi Family, Est. 1962, Bergen County, NJ." Clean and wearable long after the event.
- Tree or roots: a simple family tree graphic on the front and the branches' names on the back.
- Inside jokes: a family saying, a grandparent's catchphrase, or a nickname. These are often the shirts people love most.
- Memorial shirts: a photo with a name, dates and a short phrase. Use the best original photo you can find. Our artwork guide covers how to get a good print from an old photo.
One tip: put the year and event details on the back or a sleeve, and keep the front simple. People are more likely to wear the shirt again if the front does not scream "July 2026 reunion."
Color-code the branches
A popular move is the same design on a different shirt color for each branch of the family: Grandma's kids in navy, the cousins from Pennsylvania in red, and so on. It makes the group photo great and helps everyone figure out who is who. On our price list, all colored shirts in the same style are the same price, so color-coding does not cost extra. Just keep in mind that quantity breaks are per style, not per color, so mixing colors does not hurt your price break either.
Collecting sizes from a big family
- Use a simple online form with name, family branch, size and youth or adult. Group chats lose answers.
- Include a size chart link. Youth XL and adult small are not the same.
- Ask about toddlers and babies separately. We have toddler tees and infant bodysuits, and they are a different style with their own sizing.
- Decide up front who is paying. Some families collect $20 to $25 per shirt, some have one person cover it as a gift.
- Order two or three extras in common adult sizes. Someone always shows up unexpectedly.
What it costs
Here is a realistic family reunion order using our current prices, colored Gildan 5000 tees with a front print:
| Item | Quantity | Per shirt | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult tees | 30 | $21.00 | $630.00 |
| Youth tees | 10 | $22.50 | $225.00 |
| Toddler tees | 4 | $24.00 | $96.00 |
That is $951.00 for 44 shirts, or about $21.61 a person. Add a back print with the year and branches and it goes up roughly $6.00 to $7.00 a shirt. Adult 2XL and 3XL add $2.00 and $3.00. There is no sales tax on clothing in New Jersey, and pickup in Paramus is free. If you ship, it is $14.99 for up to 48 pieces.
Pricing tip: at 48 adult tees, the price drops to $18.50 each. If you are at 40 or so, ask around. A few extra shirts can cost very little more in total.
Other events we see a lot
Block parties
Street name and year on a simple shirt, plus a banner across the road barricade. A 3 by 6 foot banner is $50.50 in our sign designer.
Charity walks and 5Ks
Sponsor logos on the back, the cause on the front. Performance tees are better for actual running. If the event has a team for a loved one, a photo shirt with the team name works well.
Church, temple and community events
Volunteer shirts in a bright color so guests can find help, and a matching sign for the entrance.
Picnics at county parks
Many Bergen County reunions happen at county parks, like the picnic areas and pavilions along Saddle River County Park. According to the Bergen County Parks permit page, groups of 15 or more need a picnic permit, which you can apply for online. A few directional yard signs at the parking lot ("Rossi Reunion this way") help relatives find you.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Too much text. A family tree with 60 names on the back looks great on a laptop and becomes unreadable on a shirt. Keep the font large enough to read from a few feet away, or group names by branch.
- Not enough big sizes. Adult 2XL and 3XL are the sizes people forget to ask for and then need the most. They cost a little more, so ask for them on the form.
- Waiting on one cousin. Order on your deadline. Late additions can be a small second order with the same design, since there is no minimum.
- Light ink on light shirts. If the shirts are yellow or light gray, use a dark design. Contrast is what makes the group photo pop.
Picking the shirt
For most family events, a classic heavy cotton tee like the Gildan 5000 is the best value and fits a wide range of body types. If you want something softer that people will wear more often, the Bella+Canvas 3001 or Comfort Colors 1717 cost more but feel nicer. Our hoodie and sweatshirt guide compares blanks if your event is in the fall.
Get started
Upload your design or type your family name in the designer, try a few shirt colors, and you will see the total right away. Questions about a big order or a memorial shirt? Text us at 201-948-4433. We will take care of it.