Planning a Family or Class Reunion at The Lodge at Seven Oaks
Getting everyone in one place is the hard part of any reunion. Cousins drive in from three states, classmates have not seen each other in twenty years, and someone always asks, “So where are we doing this?” The Lodge at Seven Oaks is a good answer. It sits on 150 acres of timber in the Des Moines River Valley, right on Highway 30 and minutes from Boone, Ogden and Ames, so it is easy to find whether your group is coming from down the road or across the country.
Here is what a reunion at The Lodge looks like, and how to plan one without spending the whole day working instead of visiting.
Room for the Whole Family, or the Whole Class
The Main Lodge has 16-foot vaulted ceilings, natural knotty pine walls and large windows that look out over the ski slopes. For a bigger group, the Conference Center connects to the Main Lodge and adds a second room with the same look. Together they hold up to 250 guests. If your guest count is close to that, please reach out and the events team will talk through the layout with you.
Two connected rooms work well for reunions. One room can be for dinner and the program, and the other can be for the kids, the photo tables, or the people who want to catch up somewhere a little quieter. Outside, there is an outdoor courtyard and open lawn space, which is handy for lawn games and for the group photo everyone will want.
Staff and Setup Are Part of the Rental
A lot of reunion planning falls on one or two people, and they usually spend the event refilling coolers and stacking chairs. At The Lodge, the rental includes staff on the day of your event, table and chair setup, a customized floor plan and two planning consultations with the events team before the big day. Wi-Fi is included too, which helps when someone needs to video call the relatives who could not make the trip.
If you want to be completely off the hook at the end of the night, event breakdown and cleanup can be added, along with a dance floor, a speaker system with a microphone for the welcome and the toasts, and a projector and screen. The projector is worth considering for a reunion: a slideshow of old family photos or yearbook pages tends to be the part of the night people talk about afterward.
Food and Drinks
The Lodge has a full kitchen, and your group gets exclusive use of it. For food, you can bring in full-service catering of your choice, so you are not limited to one menu or one vendor. A caterer who handles the cooking, serving and timing means the family cooks get to sit down and enjoy the day like everyone else.
For drinks, the Coal Creek Lounge bar can run your event as a hosted bar, an open bar, a cash bar, with drink tickets, or with a package built for your group. Unlimited soda, lemonade and coffee can be added as well. Outside alcohol is not allowed, so plan your bar around one of those options.
Make a Weekend of It at Seven Oaks
The Lodge is part of Seven Oaks Recreation, so your reunion is right next to some of the most fun things to do in the area. During the summer season, relatives who come in early or stay an extra day can canoe, kayak or tube the Des Moines River, or split into teams for paintball. It gives the out-of-town crowd a reason to turn a one-day reunion into a weekend, and it gives the teenagers something to do besides wait for dessert.
River trips and paintball are booked through Seven Oaks Recreation, so check their pages for current schedules and group details before you build them into your plans.
Planning Tips for a Smoother Reunion
- Pick your date early. Reunion weekends compete with graduations, weddings and summer travel, so lock in the venue before you send the save-the-date.
- Get a real headcount. Use an RSVP deadline, and plan your room layout and catering order from that number rather than a guess.
- Give people jobs. One person on photos, one on the slideshow, one on name tags. The events team handles the room, so your volunteers can handle the memories.
- Plan one shared moment. A group photo on the lawn, a welcome from the oldest relative, or a class roll call keeps the day from feeling like a crowded waiting room.
- Think about the drive home. An afternoon or early evening schedule is easier on families with young kids and on guests driving back to Des Moines or beyond.
Come See It Before You Book
Reunions are about the people, but the room still matters. The best way to picture your group at The Lodge is to walk through it. You can request a tour online (choose “Reunion” as your event type) and the team will get back to you within 24 hours, or call the events team at 515-432-9457 ext. 305. Rates vary by day of the week, so the Parties & Reunions price sheet is the best place to start.
We would love to help you bring everyone back together.