Benefit silent Auction Ideas Item Idea – How to Secure Behind-the-Scenes TV Activities

Many years ago, I attended a wedding in which both the bride and groom were in their 40s. It was a first marriage for both. Given their age, they had already lived long enough to acquire the standard wedding gifts such as blenders and Calphalon. They asked that anyone wishing to bring a gift, “Please just bring a nice bottle of wine.” It was a “stock the cellar” gift.

Similarly, I have read about co-ed bridal online silent auction ideas showers called “stock the bar” parties. The idea is for guests to bring the betrothed couple all of the wine, spirits and related accoutrements needed to stock the bar for future entertaining.

Benefit auctions have their own style of “stock the bar” parties. A few of my clients conduct these.

About a month prior to the benefit auction, the organization hosts a party. Usually the soiree is held at someone’s home. It is often catered with heavy hors d’oeuvres and includes a wine tasting. The entry fee for the event is a bottle of wine of, say, $30 or more.

The bottles of wine collected are then sold at the benefit auction, sometimes in one lot and other times via different games involving wine.

If your crowd leans towards spirits instead of wine, consider an adaptation of this activity. Alter the wine donations with your own version of “stock the bar.”

One way to conduct the party is to ask guests to bring whatever they would like: wine, spirits, glasses, wine openers, olives, etc. It is their choice. If you end up with five bottles of Bailey’s Irish Cream, so be it.

To ensure a wider selection in your bar, segment the guests. Either assign types of liquor, or suggest that each guest bring something to stock the bar that begins with the initial of his or her last name. For instance, my last name is Truhlar. I might bring tequila, Tennessee whiskey, Tanqueray gin, or triple sec …with toothpicks thrown in for good measure.