Top Birthday Parties of the 21st Century

It seems that not just celebrities go all out when it comes to birthday celebrations. Business moguls and pretty much anyone with the funds to splurge, can throw some really great parties. These executives of finance, music, retail, and the like don’t hold back when it comes to putting together parties to remember.

They ensure that the playlists are top notch by flying in musical spectacles from across the world. And they dedicate themselves to providing for every detail.

Whether you’re looking for party ideas of your own, or just looking for an opportunity to gape at the excess that some people go to, here’s the list of this century’s most expensive and most extravagant birthday parties:

50 Cent and Aerosmith Perform at 13th Birthday Party

Elizabeth Brooks, who father is former DHB Industries CEO David Brooks, had the kind of 13th birthday/bat mitzvah party that people of all ages were envious of. She invited friends and family to New York’s Rainbow Room where Aerosmith, 50 Cent, and Don Henley of The Eagles provided the musical entertainment.

The super extravagant bash set her father back $10 million, as the music was just the half of it. Guests took away iPods and lots of other digital gadgets as party favors.

Robin Williams as MC

The founder of Texas Pacific Group Capital, David Bonderman, spent a whopping $7 million on his 60th birthday bash.

Not only was Robin Williams the master of ceremonies taking center stage on the dance floor, but the party, at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock casino, featured liver performances by classic rock greats John Mellencamp and the Rolling Stones.

Vodka and Vintage Wines

Ukrainian billionaire Victor Pinchuk’s 50th birthday extravaganza took place at a prestigious French ski resort and was overflowing with fine vodka and vintage wines.

The guests might have been a bit to enthralled by the Cirque du Soleil performance and the fireworks display to enjoy the dance floor, but not one was seen complaining about anything at the $6.6 million party.

Strip Club Full of Cash

Rapper Rick Ross had a slightly different predilection when it came to celebrating his 35th birthday. He didn’t stop at spending $1 million at a strip club in Miami, Florida.

He called his entourage to bring over more cash before the night was over. Youtube videos of the spectacle show Ross and his friends joining the scantily clad ladies on the stage and dancing with reckless abandon. Not everyone’s typical birthday party, but different strokes for different folks.

England’s Party of the Year

The Telegraphy declared Prince Azim’s, the son of the Sultan of Brunei, lavish birthday party “England’s party of the year” and it seems that the Prince wouldn’t have been satisfied with anything less. His father set the precedent with his 1996 50th birthday, where Michael Jackson was apparently paid $16 million to perform.

The elder royal dropped a total of $25 million on the two-week, three thousand guest shindig. Prince Azim’s 27th birthday, which featured live music by Chaka Khan, didn’t take it to such excess, or did he? The family won’t reveal the party’s overall cost, but we do know that he spent over $100,000 on white roses to decorate the Leicestershire country house that hosted the party. That’s a lot of flowers!

Mexican Beach Bash

Arcadia Group’s CEO Sir Phillip Green invited heaps of A-list guests to his four-day birthday extravaganza on a beach in Mexico. Attendees were flown in on private jets and dined on $80 burgers. The music was also top notch, as Chris Brown and Carlos Santana provided musical entertainment.

This beach party, which included guests like Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Hudson, cost Green in upwards of $20 million and it sounds nothing short of decadent.

White Orchids of the Century

Sean “Diddy” Combs treated guests to his 40th birthday party to an elegant black-and-white themed affair. The whole thing cost $3 million, with $28,000 just on the world’s finest white orchids.

With such an attention to detail, the Plaza Hotel in New York has likely not seen such a classy party since the previous century.