Welcome to wine week! Every post this week ties to alcohol. Here's the post explaining it. Last month I headed to Texas to work with the Amarillo Symphony Guild at Vintage Amarillo, the organization's fundraising wine auction which supports symphony programs. And how cool is this -- I made the paper! From our outfits, you can likely gather that it was a 1920's theme. You know why I like working as a wine auctioneer? Wine is one area I have to study in depth, and I love learning. The wine ... Read On >
venue
Video: School auction theme? Mumbai
Earlier this month one of my school auction clients returned to a non-traditional space that fits their event well. The venue is an atrium at the nearby botanical gardens. Their school auction themes have run the gamut, and this year, the committee opted for colorful Mumbai. In the video you'll see the elements the Auction Chair incorporated into the evening. Even without decorations, the atrium is beautiful (and the snow outside made it even more so, I think), but this is a school that ... Read On >
VIDEO: 1930s club sets backdrop for the benefit auction theme
When I started working with this group in 2010, the organization was moving away from a sit-down dinner. Goodbye traditional gala. Hello something new. The "something new" has changed at each event. For instance, each venue is different. Quality entertainment is hired (I'm part of this). Unique staging and props are used. The event is well-run, from registration to flow to checkout. Generally speaking, this is what I'd call a high production value event. It's classy. There is an ... Read On >
Auction venue problems: What to do when not all guests fit in the space
First, watch this video showing a challenging school auction venue. This elegant country club has hosted many PGA tournaments and serves as an attractive venue. But as you can see in the video, the set-up could present some problems for an auction, depending on the size of the crowd. In this case, the school auction had an enormous -- and unexpected -- rise in attendance this year. Nearly 60 additional tickets were sold! Figuring out how to manage the overflow was one of those "good ... Read On >
The right charity venues make selecting the school auction theme easy
A couple of years ago I spoke at an event in St. Louis and talked with the Silver Rails Event Center in La Plata, MO. It's a railroad-themed inn and railroad museum (based on an 1800s railroad depot), located on the historic Wabash line. I've written before about unusual venues for benefit auctions. As the event coordinator told me about her railroad-inspired space, it brought to mind another story. Here's a penny-pinching, common-sense suggestion ... If you want guests to walk into a themed ... Read On >