Magic happens at the intersection of celebration and public relations. The more outrageous the party, the more people will talk about it for years to come. The elements these parties have in common are celebrity hosts, celebrity guests, lots of money spent, and shenanigans that the press will be glad to cover. For example, the picture above is from the party Elton John threw for his own birthday.
English piano man Elton John turned 50 in 1997 and did what every flamboyant celebrity would do to celebrate: he dressed up like Louis XIV and invited 500 of his famous friends to an over-the-top soirée. The singer’s outrageous costume included a wig so massive that he had to ride to the party in a moving truck — seated on a custom velvet and gold throne, mind you.
Read about ten such parties at Flavorwire.