Wedding Auction Raises $500 for Couple's Honeymoon

When 140 guests gathered for Brittani and Trevor Smith's wedding reception in California, they didn't expect their dinner service to turn into the night's most memorable moment.

Brianna Miller-LeForbes, the bride's twin sister and maid of honor, grabbed the microphone and announced a surprise auction. The prize? Being the first table served barbecue dinner.

The playful competition happened on April 11 at Crestmore Manor in Jurupa Valley. Miller-LeForbes brought so much energy and humor to the moment that tables of guests started working together, pooling money and shouting out bids.

The idea came from another wedding the sisters attended, where their own table won a similar auction. "I remember telling my family that evening that I loved the concept and would consider incorporating it into my own wedding someday," Brittani, 33, told PEOPLE.

The strategic seating chart made the auction even more fun. Brittani had intentionally mixed friends, family, and newcomers who she thought would click.

Bids climbed higher and higher until a table of the couple's bowling friends won with a $500 contribution. Another table voluntarily donated money too, touched by the creative moment.

Sunny's Take

This wasn't just about who got their ribs first. Guests who'd never met before became instant teammates, laughing and strategizing together. Several told Brittani afterward they'd never experienced anything like it at a wedding.

The funds will help send the newlyweds on a two-week Hawaiian cruise this summer, but the real gift was already given: a reception where every single guest felt part of something joyful and unexpected.