Brahaha Annual Gala & Auction

This is a signature event for Chesapeake. The bra ha ha awards committe has found what works and stuck with it. Any changes they have made, from the men in suits, to the bidpal auction system, and live auction have just enhanced your appreciation of the event. If you are not into bidding on items and dont come hungry, you may find that the first 2 hours of the event prior to the actual awards show goes by slowly. But spending your time walking around looking at all the bras on display doesnt hurt. This is a wonderful event for a great cause!

Every little girl has «dreams», I think. Whether it be dressing up their stuffed teddy bear as a groom to play pretty, pretty Princess Bride or pretending to grocery shop like an adult. When I was a kid, I didn’t have anything like that going on. Actually, when I told my mom I had my first crush on a boy, she actually gasped and said, «I thought you were a lesbian!» So, basically, I watched a lot of TMNT and was an interesting child.
I came here from Arizona when I was twelve or so –what a hard move that was. To this day, when I say, «I want to go home» … I mean to Tucson, not my tiny 2BR. I remember moving here and totally hating it. It was so green, bleh (I was really used to dirty dishwater brown).
My mom enjoyed malls, something that I really didn’t. So, to get me out of the house (and, I suppose, adjusted): she would take me to the mall every weekend. She would shop at Talbots and I’d aimlessly walk around. Until one day. One day I saw something that left my jaw completely ajar:
Bras. A bunch of bras. Sitting behind these glass windows, decorated in all of these different ways. They all had names and set designs. Some were funny, some were serious, some were just really pretty. All in all, the bras had an interesting effect on me, as a child. They were some of the first things that I saw in Virginia that reminded me of the artistic, mountainous valley that I once occupied in Arizona.
Naturally, once I started working for Unilocal,I knew that this was an event that I was destined to pursue a sponsorship with. I reached out and was able to discuss booking with sponsorship with Amanda so easily, what a joy she was to work with. We were to trade in exchange for a ten-​person table and tickets to the gala –oh, AND I GOT TO MAKE A Unilocal BRA.
I fervently planned and designed the bra without much experience in the fabrication of bras, it didn’t matter to me because I was just so excited to make one. Why? Because I knew that a little girl much like myself would hold her mommy’s hand while walking past all of these bras and say something like: «Mommy, they’re all so beautiful, someday I’ll make one». And it would all be worth it.
Side note: I can’t wait for the #yelpbra to go on display so I can watch people walk by it in the mall! (OMG)
The event, itself, was wonderful. There was a silent auction (I bid on the Louis purse but did not win), hot and cold appetizers, a chocolate fountain, dessert, and lots of other stuff. There was only one, little problem: we never got the table that we were promised. A few days before the event, Amanda had called to let me know that they were short on space and would have to split us up and we were to share a table with a few other sponsors. The biggest reason for this not being five out of five stars is because of this particular thing. We all went in expecting to see a table under « Unilocal Hampton Roads» and there wasn’t one.
A little bit of a buzz kill, but whatevz. All I really cared about was seeing the #yelpbra in it’s glory and taking a beautiful picture of it on the bust … Just like I remembered them when I was a kid.

What a wonderful event. The venue was completely transformed. Everyone was looked exceptionally sharp. The love band sounded good, the lighting was gorgeous and there was a ton of decorated bras.
We received 2 free beverage tickets, however the lines to the beverage bars were long and only 1 lady was working behind the table. As I made my way around venue I noticed ALL the beverage tables had long lines.
The food was delicious. Little snacks and finger foods. There was also a chocolate fondue fountain that was beautiful. The wait staff seemed to be on their own plan. I noticed a lot of them just standing around rather than removing cluttered dishes and glasses on the tables. After we had some food we just brought them our plates because they definitely were not coming to us.
The silent auction was very convenient!!! It hooked right up to your phone as either an app or on web browser.
The Men in Pink was a show in itself! Presidents and CEO strutted their stuff across the catwalk with their shades and pink ties. LOVED that part!!!
All in all a great night! I’ll be back next year!!!