I speak for many women when I say that the pairing of wine and shoes is a true art form, which was showcased beautifully this past Saturday, September 21st at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver.
When I first heard of the Wine, Women and Shoes event I thought that it was specifically made for me; turns out it was made for an even better cause: Child Advocates – Denver CASA. CASA hand selects the most qualified volunteers to represent the best interests of abused and neglected children in the Denver Juvenile Courts. Donations are made to the vision that one day all children will have a safe and nurturing environment where they can thrive. To find out more information about Child Advocates – Denver CASA and how you too can make a difference, click here. or call 303.832.4593
The founder of Fashion Denver, Brandi Shigley, and I arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel Denver to a greeter who jokingly sang us into the event as if we were in the movie Cinderella (how fitting!). We followed the staircase up to the lavish event where we were asked to put our best foot forward, literally, for a picture of our shoes so that we could be candidates for the “Best Shoe Award.” We entered the event and were welcomed into a bustling crowd of fashionable attendees with great shoes and charitable hearts. With a wine glass in hand, we sampled an array of wines from illustrious vintners and snacked on gourmet bites prepared by the chefs at the Four Seasons.
Marketplace stations were set up around the event space, featuring designer shoes, artesian jewelry, local designers, accessories and more. Brandi had yet another Cinderella moment while trying on a pair of John Fluevog shoes before we made our rounds to the various other designs being promoted at the event.
Attendees demonstrated their commitment to the charitable cause in various ways, creating a supportive and empowering atmosphere that I felt truly blessed to be a part of. A silent auction was hosted during the pre-runway party, with the highest bid for each item being donated to CASA. There were also raffle tickets being sold at $50 each for a chance to win a $2,200 silver cuff bracelet made by the Hyde Park Jewelers in Cherry Creek or an Instant Cellar of 16 bottles of the featured wines and 8 special pairing bottles from the event’s wine partners, a $1,500 value!
After the pre-party came the main event that included a live auction and an upbeat runway show featuring the latest shoes and fashions.
Jeremy Jojola from 9 News hosted the event and tugged on everyone’s heartstrings when he shared his stories of why Denver CASA is so dear to his heart. With the charities mission in mind, the mic was handed over to Paul Behr to start the live auction that included the following packages:
1. Evening on the Town
2. Firehouse Party for 6
3. Napa Valley Wine Trip
4. Vail Weekend Getaway
5. Marriot Caribbean Getaway
6. Ladies Weekend in NYC
Let me tell you, I have never attended a live auction before and I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had! Paul Behr had the excited crowd at the end of their seats, laughing hysterically, and vocally interacting with one another, which made for an incredibly enjoyable first experience! Generous bids were made for the live auction packages that ultimately generated thousands of dollars for CASA. An exhilarating finale to the live auction came when the guests started donating cash, looking for nothing in return, raising their bidding cards with pride that they are helping make a difference for those less fortunate. Just about every single person in the room raised their hand to donate, raising an astounding amount of money to go towards the charitable cause.
A captivating runway show would conclude the thrilling event, hosting the latest shoes and fashion from:
Hailee Grace Boutique
Alicia the Boutique
Rebel Contemporary Casual Clothing
Blush
A. Line Boutique
After the runway show we snapped a few photos, awed over our awesome gift bag, and gushed about how much fun we had!