On April 16, 1977, crowds of hip revelers cheered as nightclub Studio 54 first opened its doors at a building on 54th Street in New York City. 

It would only be open in its original form for 33 months, but it soon became known as one of the hottest and most exclusive clubs in town, making a whopping $7 million in its first year alone.

The space would later be adapted into a theater, but Studio 54's party scene in the '70s and early '80s will forever be remembered for its wild nights, high-profile guests, and massive crowds. 

We've put together a collection of photos that will take you back 40 years into the club. 

Talia Avakian contributed reporting to an earlier version of this article.

SEE ALSO: We took a helicopter to dinner at the Rockefeller Estate with the most powerful business players you've never heard of

Studio 54 officially opened its doors on April 16, 1977, in a building that previously housed a theater. The club quickly became popular, with regular crowds lingering outside in the hopes of getting in.

Steve Rubell (pictured in the short satin jacket in the center) was the co-owner of Studio 54 and often the one to determine who was cool enough to enter. The club became notorious for its exclusivity thanks in part to Rubell's motto: "The key to a good party is filling a room with guests more interesting than you."

Still, the dance floor was consistently packed with people dancing to disco beats. Among the guests were an array of high-profile influencers and celebrities.

• Veterans to Dreamforce, the annual user conference for Salesforce, swear by the Partyforce app for finding the best free nightlife during the conference.
• The app tracks sponsored parties throughout the city and lets users create an agenda of events they want to go to.
• This year, the team behind the app will even give an update when parties get sold out or over capacity.

Dreamforce attendees on the hunt for free concerts and drinks at sponsored events around the city should look no further than Partyforce, an app designed specifically for tracking parties during Salesforce's annual user conference, coming up in San Francisco from November 6 to 9.

The app, a free download by the digital event marketing company DoubleDutch, lets users view which parties are happening when during Dreamforce, and save their favorite ones to a personal agenda.

Currently there are 105 different parties listed on the app — including everything from an evening RollerDisco hosted by AdRoll and Gainsight, to a mid-morning Dungeons and Dragons event hosted by the Cloud Force Collective. For the fancier folks, there's also a yacht party hosted by Datanyze.

In the past, sponsored parties have even had major musical acts like Green Day and Flo Rida.

Dreamforce nearly takes over the city with its 170,000 attendees eager to learn more about customer relationship management (CRM) software, in addition to gathering up suitcases worth of swag and business cards.

Despite Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff's strict no-drinking policy for his own employees, the company's annual user conference has a reputation for its active night life. 

While the conference includes a concert at AT&T Park, headlined by Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz, most of the evening activities take place in hotel bars and rented out restaurants throughout the city at events sponsored by different startups and vendors looking to make good business connections by paying for an open bar. 

Last year, Partyforce had 6,500 active users who can share tips with one another through messages or forums on the app.

Some of the parties got so crowded, according to DoubleDutch CEO Bryan Parker, that people got turned away at the door. To help with this problem, Parker said, DoubleDutch will have people placed throughout the city to update the app if a party looks like it will be at capacity.

And a word for the wise: While Partyforce does let users keep a schedule, it doesn't actually register attendees for any of the events. For bigger parties, like Pardot's already-sold-out Party on the Peak, attendees must register ahead of time.

SEE ALSO: These are the 5 things you must do before Dreamforce, the 170,000-person tech conference taking over San Francisco next week

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried the newest BlackBerry phone for a week

New Year's Eve sounds greaton the surface: Sparkly outfits, lively parties, and new beginnings. But think back: When was the last time you actually had fun on the last major holiday of the year? 

From overcrowded and overpriced bars to hangovers and broken resolutions, here are the reasons why we think New Year's Eve is really just the worst. Let's all just stay in this year. 

Food and drinks are WAY overpriced.

If you go out on New Year's Eve, expect cocktails to cost double their normal price, and food portions to be smaller and more expensive than usual. Don't even get us started on the cost of Champagne.

There's so much pressure to have a good time.

Not only is there so much pressure to have fun, there's so much pressure to attend a cool party or event. After all, no one wants FOMO. 

There's even more pressure to have someone to kiss at midnight.

If you don't come to the party with a date, you're either staring awkwardly at your shoes at midnight, or you kiss some random person at the bar. Neither is ideal. 

• Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., reportedly spent over $4 million on the company's New Year's Eve party at L.A. Live, according to TMZ.
• Spiegel rented out several venues, including the Microsoft Theater, a bowling alley, and Wolfgang Puck's restaurant.
• The company is flying in Snapchat employees from around the world, and Drake is said to be performing.

Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., is reportedly spending north of $4 million on his company's New Year's Eve party tonight, according to documents obtained by TMZ.

Snap's party to close out 2017 will reportedly be held at L.A. Live, the massive entertainment complex in downtown Los Angeles that includes various restaurants, theatres and venues. According to TMZ, Spiegel and Snap rented out "Microsoft Theater and virtually every venue facing Microsoft Square — Katsuya, Lucky Strike, Tom's Urban, Conga Room and Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill."

Spiegel, the 27-year-old billionaire co-founder of Snap, is apparently paying for the party himself. Per a Snap spokesperson: "We're excited to celebrate a transformative year as a team. Evan is personally sponsoring the night's performance."

TMZ claims Snap has been planning this party for months, and secured permits to host as many as 5,000 guests. The company is reportedly flying in employees from around the world to be at the event, which will reportedly include a "105-foot DJ tower and pyrotechnics." Oh yeah, and rapper Drake is also said to be performing.

So... what do you have planned?

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: We interviewed Pepper - the humanoid robot

There are few traditions more distinctly American than Groundhog Day.

Although most people hear of the infamous groundhog Phil's weather prediction via a quick blurb in their morning news on February 2, the event is a very real pilgrimage to Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where tens of thousands gather to watch the little guy come out of his hole and pray that he doesn't see his shadow.

This is where my adventure begins.

SEE ALSO: A look inside the marriage of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen, who are worth $540 million, planned their wedding in 10 days, and have spoken every day for 11 years

Groundhog Day, despite being celebrated nationwide in America, stems from European legend. A groundhog comes out of its hole. If it sees its shadow and retreats back into its hole, it's considered a bad omen, and there will be six more weeks of winter. No shadow seen? Early spring. It's celebrated on February 2 every year in multiple cities and towns across America.

But no celebration is as grand as the one held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. This small town fills with thousands of travelers who are there to see the most important man of that day predict the weather. Punxsutawney Phil emerges in the wee hours of the morning of February 2. But the celebrating starts many hours before …

I was attending Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 2012 when I decided to meet a friend in Punxsutawney. Having grown up in Pennsylvania, I'd always heard that it was a great party. As the photo editor for our campus paper at the time, I brought along a camera.

As I drove into town on the night of February 1, I was surprised to see very little signage telling me where to go. Thousands of people? Where was everyone?

I pulled into a Walmart parking lot and rolled down my window as I approached the first person I saw. "Where's the party?" I asked. "Right here," he said, and subsequently handed me an adult beverage.

Marc Benioff, Ashton Kutcher, Elon Musk, and Snoop Dogg walked into a bar.

And the night only got crazier from there.

Sound Ventures, a tech-investment firm founded by Kutcher and the talent manager Guy Oseary held one of the most exclusive and lavish parties at the SXSW film festival and tech conference on Saturday night. Powerful forces from Hollywood and Silicon Valley came together for the event — dubbed "The Party"— set on a rooftop bar in Austin.

Business Insider got into the invite-only bash. Here's what happened.

SEE ALSO: HBO created a 'Westworld' experience at SXSW that's like Disney World with gunslingers, women, and booze — take an exclusive look inside

"The Party" was the event everyone was clamoring to get into at SXSW this year.

I practically begged my way onto the guest list through Sound Ventures. But an RSVP didn't guarantee those invited a spot inside the party, held at Austin's Kimpton Hotel Van Zandt.

Instagram Embed:
//instagram.com/p/BgKezsvjw-i/embed
Width: 800px

Guests had to arrive during certain hours at the hotel to pick up a wristband.

• Awkward small talk is now being banned at parties around the world.
• Instead, hosts are providing guests with prompts for "meaningful" discussion topics.
• Some research suggests that people who have more substantive conversations are happier.

We'd just left a crowded birthday party when a friend told me he admired the way I made small talk.

It's painful for him, he said, to do the idle chit-chat thing with every new and old acquaintance he meets.

Well, thanks, I wanted to respond. I've been watching the Weather Channel all week?

I should have been more sympathetic to his plight. The prospect of making small talk is paralyzing for many people — which is why parties outright banning it are sprouting up across the globe.

The inspiration in many cases appears to be a 2016 article in Wired, in which behavioral scientists Kristen Berman and Dan Ariely write about a dinner party they hosted in this vein. The hosts provided guests with index cards featuring examples of meaningful conversation starters, like suicide prevention and dominatrixes.

According to the authors, "everyone was happier" without the obligation of talking about such trivial topics as the weather or the latest sports game. (The party apparently led to two dates as well.)

A recent article in the Hong Kong Free Press profiles Carolina Gawroński, founder of No Small Talk dinners. No Small Talk launched in Hong Kong in March, and is spreading to cities around the world.

At No Small Talk dinners, the only rules are no phones and no small talk, which includes the questions, "What do you do?" "Where are you from?" and "How long have you been in Hong Kong?" Guests at this party also receive cards with meaningful-conversation prompts. (The website suggests: "Who is your favorite parent?")

Meanwhile, other hosts are organizing dinner parties modeled after Thomas Jefferson's, in which one of the main rules is — you guessed it — no small talk. One such host asks guests to write down potential conversation topics, then puts them in a bowl and passes them around to get things started.

To avoid making small talk, assume the other person has deep thoughts too

Small-talk-free party organizers often cite a 2010 study as evidence that their method is preferable. The (small) study, published in the journal Psychological Science, found that college students who held more meaningful conversations were happier than those who engaged in more small talk.

To be sure, it would take considerable energy — and gumption — to eliminate small talk from daily life. ("How are you doing?" "Oh, I'm fine. Do you believe in heaven and hell?")

But if you're looking to cut through the chit-chat and get to the real stuff, we do have some tips. Namely, assume the other person has deep thoughts and that they too want to avoid discussing the weather.

And if you do wind up in a situation where small talk is unavoidable, the best thing you can do is stop worrying about yourself and focus on how the other person is feeling instead.

SEE ALSO: 15 ways to get better at small talk

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's a polite way to end a conversation with someone you don't want to talk to

• At Art Basel Hong Kong this year, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art held an exclusive, star-studded party to celebrate its presence at the premier art fair in Asia.
• The event was held at Hong Kong's Jumbo Kingdom, the world's largest floating restaurant, and featured an elaborate 1930s theme and storyline centered around the disappearance of the character Scarlett Li.
• I attended the party, which was full of stunning visuals, a brass funk band, classic dim sum appetizers, and impromptu performances from dancers and actors. 

Imagine Hong Kong in 1931 — the British still dominated the island, one of the few free ports in the world at the time. The alleys are lined with opium bars and courtesans and everyone dresses like Dean Martin or Suzie Wong.

That's the world the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) sought to conjure up at its most recent soiree celebrating the museum's presence at this year's Art Basel Hong Kong, the premier art fair in Asia for millionaire and billionaire collectors to buy and sell art.

LACMA has been working in recent years to become the authority on both classic and contemporary Chinese art, in an effort to become the "bridge between technology, entertainment, and culture in the United States and China."

LACMA's "In the Mood for LACMA: The Story of the Elusive Scarlett Li" party featured an elaborate theme and story centered around the disappearance of "the most legendary madam of the West Coast."

The star-studded event, held at Hong Kong's Jumbo Kingdom, the world's largest floating restaurant, featured a mix of celebrities, art world big shots, artists, collectors, and  — thanks to a last minute invite — yours truly. 

I attended to get an inside look at one of this year's most exclusive parties. It did not disappoint. 

SEE ALSO: Inside the secret masquerade yacht party that brings the wildest techies and Wall Streeters together for a night of debauchery

The party was located at the Jumbo Kingdom, a 62,000-square-foot floating restaurant off Hong Kong's Aberdeen Harbour. The restaurant, the largest of its kind, has long been an iconic part of the city frequented by celebrities, royalty, and politicians.

We were told to arrive on time, lest we miss "part of the odyssey," which promised to include period decorations and performances evoking the mysterious story of Scarlett Li. I must admit we arrived late. But from the line out front, it looked like we weren't the only ones.

To get to the restaurant, you have to take a ferry that looks like something out of a Hollywood Golden Age vision of Hong Kong. It fit the theme, which called for party attire that combined "old Hollywood glamour juxtaposed with Hong Kong heritage."

When venture capitalist and philanthropist Jillian Manus throws a party, the who's who of Silicon Valley shows up. That's because her parties are legendary. The budget? Exorbitant.

The prolific hostess is known around the Bay for her over-the-top dinner parties and Valentine's Day galas, which have over the years included a live elephant greeting guests at the door, a recreation of Woodstock, and a San Francisco Symphony concert on the lawn of her Atherton estate.

Business Insider recently spoke to Manus to get the inside scoop on how her talk-of-the-Valley parties come together. She shared photos of her last Valentine's Day bash with us. Take a look.

SEE ALSO: The tech elite are abandoning Silicon Valley in droves because of 'groupthink' and out-of-control living costs— here's where they're headed

"I never just throw a party. I am knee-deep. I roll up my sleeves," Manus said.

Instagram Embed:
//instagram.com/p/BHlbMlOjJT9/embed
Width: 800px

It's no wonder that the venture capitalist's parties are "the toast of Silicon Valley."

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

In 2006, Manus and her then-husband Alan Salzman, an early investor in Tesla, started hosting annual gala benefits on Valentine's Day to raise money for a local cancer clinic.

• When they're done right, wedding favors are an opportunity for a couple to show originality.
• But they often end up being disposable, forgettable items that guests could care less about.
• Here are some ideas for unique and affordable wedding favors guests are sure to remember.

Raise your hand if you're tired of ending every wedding season with an overflowing stash of pastel-painted mint puffs. Are breath-freshening candies nice to have every once and awhile? Yes. But there are more creative ways out there to gift wedding goers, and they don't have to break the bank either.

Consider leaving something on your guest's seat or dinner plate that they'll always remember, and that they'll actually use and enjoy. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Assemble hangover kits.

Even if your guests did come prepared for the hangover that's bound to attack post-party, one can never be oversupplied. Let's be real, it's more than likely that they won't be experiencing their last drinking-induced headache any time soon. These are great because you can adjust their content depending on your budget — they can be as embellished or simple as you want them to be, as long as the basics (pain reliever and water) are included.

2. Order (or make) personalized koozies.

Who doesn't love a reusable wedding favor? Not only can one like a koozie act as a memento that holds the night's memories, it's also practical, so it's likely that you'll get your money's worth because people will use them rather than toss them to the side. You can find plenty of wedding favor koozie designs on Etsy, or you can get crafty and make your own.

3. Provide (even more) alcohol.

You'd think after juicing an open bar all night long, the last thing your guests would want to see is more alcohol. Well, that's not usually the case. You can find an inexpensive, small bottle of wine to personalize with a photo to give to your guests on the way out. They'll be happy to enjoy it over dinner the next night, and they can keep the bottle as a souvenir. To that point, anything in a bottle is usually a good idea — think hot sauces, sodas, and the like.

4. Make them smile with tiny plants.

Who can look at a miniature potted succulent without smiling? No one, that's who. Giving your guests a plant in its beginning stages of life not only gives them something that is indispensable, but it gives them something that will grow along with you and your marriage as a reminder of the blossoming love between the married couple.

5. Get personalized to-go boxes.

There are few easier ways to a person's heart than through food — especially cake. Often times, newlyweds are left with an abundance of wedding cake at the end of their receptions and are shoveling it onto plates or whatever's handy to send it out the door with their guests. With something like a personalized take-out box, guests are automatically invited to help themselves and are guaranteed to appreciate the courtesy.

6. Donate to a charity.

Couples are increasingly choosing to forgo tangible wedding favors all together in exchange for a donation to a charity or cause that they care about. Rather than shelling out time and cash on a couple hundred little things, why not make a big difference in the world? You can notify your guests about your choice at the reception — many are sure to give you the stamp of approval.

Sign up here to get INSIDER's favorite stories straight to your inbox.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Super-Earths are real and they could be an even better place for life than Earth

• People from all over the world are flocking to Singapore for the Singapore Grand Prix motor race on September 16.
• But attendees come for more than just the race — they come for the wild, over-the-top parties.
• The all-weekend extravaganza at Amber Lounge is known to be the most extravagant party of the Singapore Grand Prix. 
• And it's not cheap — ticket packages range from $477 to about $35,000.

If you're coming to Singapore for the Grand Prix, you're also likely going for the parties. 

The weekend's wildest party can be found at Amber Lounge, a pop-up club that is only created for the Singapore Grand Prix, the Monaco Grand Prix, and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, according to Iolande Skinner, a representative for Amber Lounge.

The Amber Lounge parties attract celebrities and billionaires from all over the world, where they're bound to mingle with the drivers. 

"Every Formula One driver has Amber Lounge on speed dial after a race," Kimi Raikkonen, a 2017 Ferrari driver, told The New York Times. "It’s the only place to celebrate with friends and team members."

Business magnate Richard Branson, singer Justin Bieber, and Kim Kardashian have been seen at Amber Lounge parties in various locations, Skinner told Business Insider. 

The Singapore location for 2018 is Temasek Reflection, Singapore Water Wall behind Millenia Walk, 1 Temasek Avenue, Singapore 039192. 

Here's a look at the club's lavish all-weekend party that will cost you $10,000 just for a table.

SEE ALSO: I stayed in the $6.6 billion mega-hotel in the heart of Singapore, and it wasn't anything like 'Crazy Rich Asians'

Singapore's Grand Prix festivities kick off on the island nation in mid-September, with celebrations culminating the day of the race, September 16, 2018.

Source: Singapore Grand Prix

The swanky Amber Lounge, a pop-up club that only exists during the Singapore, Monaco, and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix races, is famous for hosting the wildest Grand Prix parties.

Source: Amber Lounge

The extravagant Singapore Grand Prix event spans the entire weekend.

Source: Visit Singapore

Between the months of November and January, there are tons of events and holidays that call for dressing up. 

Whether you have a fancy Thanksgiving dinner to attend or you're planning your New Year's Eve getup in advance, you're probably shopping around for a new look.

It's easy to assume that festive attire comes with high price tags, but that's not always the case. Below, we've rounded up 22 party dresses that you can get for under $50.

Sparkly dresses work for a number of occasions.

This ruched sequin dress by Forever 21 is cut above the knees and features spaghetti straps, so you'll want to consider wearing a jacket and tights depending on the weather.

Cost: $32

Find out more about Forever 21's ruched sequin dress here >

Cape dresses are an elegant choice.

Fashion Nova's chiffon cape-style dress features statement sleeves. Pair it with simple accessories and some cherry-red lipstick.

Cost: $27.99

Find out more about Fashion Nova's chiffon cape dress here >

Instead of a sequin dress in a solid color, try one with stripes.

Opt for one with sleeves for extra warmth in the winter.

Cost: $36.99

Find out more about Charlotte Russe's striped sequin bodycon dress here >

• Hosting world leaders and the public alike in the White House is a large part of presidential tradition.
• From a hungry mob grabbing at a block of cheese to kids' parties (even a high school prom), the Executive Mansion has nearly seen it all.

The White House contains one of the most important offices in the world, but that doesn't mean it's all business inside.

Social functions put on by presidents, first ladies, and their families, have been considered an important part of overall policy as A-list celebrities and private citizens are entertained inside America's most famous house.

See what it was like at some of the most iconic White House bashes in US history:

SEE ALSO: Cigars, painting, and crosswords: the surprising hobbies of 17 presidents

DON'T MISS: The wildest and weirdest facts about the White House, from hauntings to hot tubs

President Andrew Jackson opened the East Room of the White House to the public so the people could enjoy a 1,400 lb block of cheese he was gifted by a dairy farmer two years earlier. Mobs were said to have hung around for days and caused extensive damage.

Source: White House Historical Association, The Constitution Center

President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jackie Kennedy hosted a birthday party for daughter Caroline Kennedy and son John Jr. Kennedy on November 27, 1962. The part was full of colorful balloons.

Held in the President’s Dining Room in the White House residence, the president and first lady were among the party's approximately 30 attendees.

Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum

• The woman who says she "invented"gender reveal parties has mixed feelings about them today.
• Jenna Karvunidis, 39, wrote a blog post in 2008 detailing how she baked a cake filled with pink icing to celebrate the arrival of her daughter.
• Since then, the idea has been copied by countless other expecting people. 
• Karvunidis told INSIDER she hopes that society can modernize the gender celebration to make sure people aren't feeling excluded.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

A woman who believes she was at the forefront of the "gender reveal parties" movement has mixed feelings about the now ubiquitous celebrations.

Jenna Karvunidis, 39, originally wrote a blog post in 2008 detailing how she threw a party that featured a cake filled with pink icing to celebrate the arrival of her daughter Bee, she told INSIDER.

"It was picked up and an interview with me was published in The Bump magazine and the idea kinda spread from there," Karvunidis said on Facebook. Since that time, the idea has been copied by countless other expecting people and became a viral phenomenon.

Now, Karvunidis is going viral for writing a Facebook post that questions the idea of celebrating a baby's gender too soon

On July 25, Karvunidis published a post on Facebook addressing the now-viral parties and her role in them. At the end of her post, she shares that she has "mixed feeling" about these parties 11 years later and questions the wisdom of celebrating gender at birth.

"Who cares what gender the baby is?," Karvunidis wrote on Facebook. "I did at the time because we didn't live in 2019 and didn't know what we know now — that assigning focus on gender at birth leaves out so much of their potential and talents that have nothing to do with what's between their legs."

Karvunidis went on to say her gender reveal was for her first-born daughter Bee who now wears suits, which Karvunidis believes breaks a gender norm.

Karvunidis said the response to her post has been overwhelmingly positive

At the time of this post, Karvunidis' post has been shared by over 14,000 people and has nearly 2,000 comments.

"I wasn't expecting it to blow up so big," she told INSIDER. "It's rare that something that blows up is a good thing, but it's been really great. I'm really happy." 

The post has received support from members of the LGBTQ community, Karvunidis said. 

"I aspire to be the best ally possible," she said. "I want to help make sure that all the members of our community are seen, heard, and understood. We're all one community and we can't have people feeling excluded. That's not right and not good for anybody."

However, Karvunidis said the only fans she really worries about are her children. She made it a point to talk with Bee about the post as soon as it started to go viral.

"I shared the news with my daughter the first day when it started to blow up," she said. "I post things all the time and I don't consult her, but this one went really big so I said, 'You know what? Let's talk about this post.'"

Read more: 9 creative ways to throw a gender reveal party

She said that being a mom has helped her realize that gender norms can be damaging

Karvunidis didn't always feel this way. She said it was motherhood that changed her views. Speaking to INSIDER, she recalled a specific moment when her opinions began to evolve when one of her younger daughters reacted to a new toy.

"There have been a few tipping points," Karvunidis said. "One of them involved my younger, more 'traditional,' or 'girly,' daughter, so to speak. It was on Christmas when she was about three. She opened a present and it was Legos — normal, primary-colored Legos. She started to cry and when I asked her what was wrong she said 'Why would Santa bring me a boy present? It's not pink.'"

Karvunidis said that moment opened her eyes.

"Everything is being pinkified these days," she said. "While it might come from the right place, what is really happening is that they're boxing girls into a smaller and smaller space. That's not what I want. I want all of the things for all of the kids — let them decide."

Karvunidis doesn't think gender reveal parties should emphasize gender norms, either.

"I think my daughter is adorable in her suit," she said about her oldest daughter, Bee. "She looks amazing. So I thought, isn't it ironic that these gender reveal parties are now focusing so much on these ever-narrowing gender expectations?"

"We're an everyday family, she's an everyday kid," she added. "Who cares what she wears?"

Read more: A couple had a giant baby jump out of a box at their gender reveal party — and people are obsessed

While the support for her post has been huge, Karvunidis says gender reveal parties probably aren't going anywhere

Karvunidis said if she could go back to 2008, she'd still have the gender reveal party.

"But I'd license them, make a lot of money, and donate it all!" she joked.

"Really, It's hard because I know the parties have brought a lot of joy to people," she said. "I think people have taken this as a moment to celebrate their lives and that's great. I think that trying to put the cat back in the bag now would be like telling someone not to get an engagement ring when they get married."

Karvunidis hopes that society can modernize the gender celebration to make sure people aren't feeling excluded. She even suggested turning the gender reveal parties into name reveal parties instead. 

"We can make sure we're putting the best foot forward for our children," she said. "If you only have pink or blue to choose from, isn't that limiting? Let's move on — let's get creative."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Most hurricanes that hit the US come from the same exact spot in the world

• Airbnb says it's banning "party houses" after a deadly shooting at a rental in California killed five people.
• Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky tweeted Saturday that the San Francisco-based company is stepping up efforts to "combat unauthorized parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct."
• Airbnb has always banned unauthorized parties, but it plans to increase enforcement of that policy and expand manual screening of "high risk reservations."
• The Halloween party shooting occurred in the San Francisco suburb of Orinda. The woman renting the home lied to the Airbnb host, saying she was renting it so her asthmatic family could escape wildfire smoke.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Airbnb Inc. says it's banning "party houses" in the wake of a deadly shooting at an Airbnb rental in California.

In a series of tweets Saturday, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky said that the San Francisco-based company is stepping up efforts to "combat unauthorized parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct."

"We must do better, and we will. This is unacceptable," Chesky said.

Airbnb has always banned unauthorized parties, but it plans to increase enforcement of that policy. Chesky said Airbnb will expand manual screening of "high risk" reservations that are flagged by its system. Reservations for one night at a large house, for example, might get extra scrutiny.

The company also plans to crack down on hosts who allow their homes to become long-term nuisances in their neighborhoods. Effective immediately, the company will remove guests and hosts who fail to comply, Chesky said.

Chesky said Airbnb is also forming a rapid response team dedicated to house parties. He didn't say what the team would do that police don't already do.

Margaret Richardson, Airbnb's vice president of trust, will oversee the rapid response team. Airbnb will release more details on its policy after Richardson conducts a 10-day review to determine the scale of the problem and the best way to fix it.

Five people died after a Halloween party shooting in the San Francisco suburb of Orinda.

"What happened on Thursday night in Orinda was horrible. I feel for the families and neighbors impacted by this tragedy. We are working to support them," Chesky said in a tweet.

The woman who rented the home lied to her Airbnb host, saying she was renting it so her asthmatic family members could escape wildfire smoke, according to a person with knowledge of the transaction, who was not authorized to publicly disclose the information and spoke only on condition of anonymity.

The owner was suspicious of a one-night rental on Halloween and before agreeing reminded the renter that no parties were allowed. More than 100 people had gathered for the party, police said.

House parties have long been an issue for Airbnb, which has more than 6 million listings worldwide.

In 2018, the company permanently banned a guest who crammed more than 250 people into an Airbnb rental in Seven Hills, Ohio, for an unauthorized New Year's party while his host hid in a bedroom.

In July, two people were killed during a party at an Airbnb in Pittsburgh.

Jessica Black is a lawyer and founder of Moms Against STRs, which pushes for local regulation of short-term rentals in Texas. Black said U.S. media reports have documented at least 30 shootings at Airbnb rentals since May.

In Black's neighborhood, an Airbnb rental was taken over by a film crew that was shooting an unauthorized movie. She's also concerned that a sex offender could stay in a rental home without neighbors being alerted.

Black said she's glad Airbnb is addressing the issue, but she's skeptical. She doesn't think Airbnb has a good track record of enforcing its own policies.

"Is this about them trying to put lipstick on the pig for the IPO?" Black said.

Airbnb plans to have an initial public offering next year.

• Read more:
• Airbnb hosts reportedly used closed Facebook groups to gossip about guests and share lewd, personal information
• This is the pitch deck now-$31 billion Airbnb used when it was just getting started
• Silicon Valley is increasingly convinced that the traditional IPO process leaves too much money on the table. Here's why Bank of America is advocating the increasingly-popular alternative.
• Airbnb is offering free housing to people displaced by California's wildfires

Join the conversation about this story »

• On Tuesday night, the Whitney Museum of American Art hosted its annual star-studded Art Party fundraiser.
• Guests included actresses Katie Holmes and Julia Fox, fashion influencer and entrepreneur Olivia Palermo, former NFL football player Victor Cruz, and journalist Elaine Welteroth.
• The evening consisted of a sit-down dinner at 7 p.m. followed by cocktails and dancing from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Tickets for the second half of the evening ranged from $200 for Whitney Contemporaries members to $500 at the door.
• Proceeds benefited the Whitney's independent study program and other education initiatives.
• I joined the party shortly after 9:30 p.m. to get a first-hand look at what's regarded as one of the buzziest events on the New York City social calendar.
• I witnessed many a glamorous photo op, took a shot in an elevator in the name of good journalism, and found myself rubbing shoulders with the who's-who of New York society. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

On Tuesday night, the Whitney Museum of American Art hosted its annual fundraising dinner and Art Party. Stylishly dressed celebrities, influencers, and artists — including actresses Katie Holmes and Julia Fox and former NFL football player Victor Cruz — were among those in attendance.

The evening began with a boozy sit-down dinner at 7 p.m. on the third floor of the museum. Co-chaired by Kristen Cole of luxury boutique Forty Five Ten and artists Maia Ruth Lee and Liza Lou, it featured a family-style menu and champagne towers. Following the dinner, guests made their way to the ground floor for drinks, light bites, and dancing and enjoyed elevator access to galleries.

For years, the Whitney Art Party has been where "all the cool kids" in the New York City social circle go, so I decided to see what it's all about. Here's what it was like:

SEE ALSO: I partied at the Brooklyn club named the 2nd best thing to do in the world. It was a wild night of dance parties, gravity-defying performances, and crazy costumes.

NOW READ: I got into an ultra-exclusive Coachella after-party where every guest has a private chauffeur and influencers rub shoulders with Tyga, Paris Hilton, and Lil Pump — here's what it was like

The annual Whitney Art Party took place on the ground floor of the Whitney Art Museum in New York City's Meatpacking District from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

I arrived at the museum shortly after 9:30 p.m., checked in via iPad with event staff at the entrance to the museum's Untitled restaurant, and bypassed the red carpet in favor of getting straight to the event.

Dodging catering staff serving up light bites ranging from sliders to strawberry-flavored marshmallows, I made my way into a sea of glamorous and fashion-forward outfits. The dress code for this year's Art Party was "festive," which inspired everything from floor-length gowns to patched denim jackets.

After making a few laps with my DSLR, I packed my camera gear away and opted for my iPhone so that I could meet people more organically and experience the party as a guest.

The party's three open bars served everything from champagne to classic cocktails and kept guests well imbibed.

DJs played top hits throughout the night ...

... booze was free-flowing ...

... and everywhere I looked, people were chasing the perfect photo op.

The photo booth witnessed many a pose throughout the night.

The crowd skewed younger the later the night went. I met a mix of art patrons including lawyers, entrepreneurs, models, artists, and writers.

Guests had the option to purchase a $250 Art Party Ticket (reduced to $200 for Whitney Contemporaries members) or a $500 Artist Sponsor ticket (reduced to $450 for Whitney Contemporaries members), which allowed the Whitney to extend a complimentary ticket to an artist of its choice.

A stairwell decorated with strings of light led guests to a gallery on the second floor.

Though for many the stairwell was a destination in and of itself. 

A freight elevator took guests to galleries on the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors. Since drinks weren't allowed near the art, a bartender inside the elevator provided specialty tequila drinks by Casa Noble on the ride up.

I indulged. All in the name of art and journalism!

On the 8th floor, the elevator opened up to the exhibit "Fruits, vegetables; fruit and vegetable salad" by conceptual artist Darren Bader.

Earlier in the night, fruits and vegetables, which Bader calls "nature's impeccable sculptures," were placed on top of the wooden pedestals.

By the time I arrived, the fruits and vegetables had been chopped up into this salad, which Whitney staff served up to guests.

I tried the salad — decent, by my account — while talking to a designer of bespoke hats who was infinitely better dressed than I was.

Next, I headed to the 6th floor, and in the minutes before midnight, had it more or less to myself — a luxury in the world of New York museum-going.

My visit was well-timed. Gallery staff told me that around 10 p.m., an hour into the party, they received an influx of guests.

Feeling cultured, I headed downstairs to catch the last 30 minutes of the party.

Up until the party shut down, guests were lining up to get their photos taken.

All in all, the night was tamer than I had expected. While museum fundraisers are on the whole not raucous events, I expected more dancing and merriment based on the sole fact that there was an open bar. Pockets of dancing occurred throughout the night, but the atmosphere didn't stray above refined.

The party was a see-and-be-seen event, however, which was in line with my expectations. If you care to run into the who's-who of New York City high society while supporting the arts, the Whitney Art Party is definitely the place to be. 

• An Australian bartender found a glitch in an ATM that allowed him to spend $1.6 million that he didn't have in 5 months, according to a report by VICE.
• The man, Dan Saunders, made transfers back and forth between his accounts and withdrew money without the bank detecting that the accounts were overdrawn.
• Saunders spent one year in prison and 18 months out on a community corrections order after going to newspapers and TV outlets with his story.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Imagine getting rich overnight. Well, that's basically what 29-year-old Australian bartender Dan Saunders did in 2011, according to a report by VICE, with one major caveat — the money was obtained by duping an ATM.

The story, which you can listen to in full thanks to VICE's new "Extremes" podcast, almost sounds like the premise of a movie. After a night out partying with friends, Saunders attempted to make transfers between his savings account and credit card at an ATM. But Saunders quickly realized that the machine was mistakenly letting him transfer more money than he actually had in his account. 

In the early hours of the morning, the ATM machines went offline, disconnecting from the bank. Saunders saw there was a delay between the withdrawal and bank's system documenting the transaction — so long as he transferred money between accounts during the ATM's offline hours, he could withdraw large sums of cash without the accounts appearing overdrawn.

For the next five months, Saunders kept up the scam and spent a total of $1.6 million on wild parties, luxurious hotels, fancy dinners, and sometimes giving money to friends for college tuition.

"If you have imagination and money, you're able to help people live their wildest dreams," Saunders told VICE. "It's a super addictive fun thing to do, especially when the money literally comes from 'thin air.' People who think you've got money, they treat you differently."

But eventually, the charade was too much for Saunders to keep up. He stopped making the transfers and the bank realized what happened. Saunders told VICE it was more than 10 months after apologizing to the bank before any legal action was taken. He was taken to court after speaking to newspapers and TV outlets about the incidents.

"I thought I was going to get totally reamed, but the court was weird because no one actually understood what I did—not the judge, not the prosecutor—so it was very odd," Saunders told VICE.

Saunders spent one year in prison and 18-months out on a community corrections order. Afterward, Saunders returned to work in the hospitality industry.

You can read more about his story over at VICE, or hear the full story on the April 7 episode of the "Extremes" podcast, titled "The ATM Glitch Millionaire."

SEE ALSO: 4 states in the US have already begun reopening businesses. Check out what that looks like in South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Georgia.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A cleaning expert reveals her 3-step method for cleaning your entire home quickly

In the world of remote gaming and virtual game nights, PowerPoint parties have become increasingly popular. But what exactly are they — and how do you host one? 

Here's everything you need to know about the newest — and slightly odd — party game experience. 

What is a PowerPoint party

A PowerPoint party is a relatively new trend utilizing Microsoft PowerPoint software for social fun instead of its usual business and academic associations. 

Before the party, each participant prepares a PowerPoint presentation on a topic of their choice. During the party, participants take turns presenting their PowerPoint topic to the other partygoers for a set number of minutes. After presenting, the participant must be prepared to answer questions from the other partygoers. 

The result is a unique social engagement that brings together strangers and old friends alike.

How to host a PowerPoint party

If you have the hardware required to connect a laptop to a TV (such as an HDMI cable or a Google Chromecast), you can easily host a PowerPoint party in your home or office. 

But in the age of remote connection and the time of COVID-19, PowerPoint parties can easily be adapted explicitly for virtual gatherings. Applications like Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet allow many people to participate in the same video call. 

You can also use them to share screens, making them perfect choices for remote PowerPoint parties. All you'd need to do is invite the attendees to join the video call.

Hosting and presentation tips for your next PowerPoint party

If you're considering hosting a PowerPoint party, here are a few tips and tricks to help make it a success. 

Set house rules

Depending on the group you're hosting, you may want to set house rules for the presentations in order for everyone to enjoy themselves to the fullest. Consider establishing the amount of time each presentation runs well before the party begins so that participants can prepare accordingly. 

You can set other various house rules, like "Everyone who attends must present." You might want presentations to adhere to a particular theme or avoid specific topics that might cause partygoers' discomfort. Or you might require all guests to wear silly hats because why not. 

Pick a topic that's unique to your interests

Since you're going to be speaking at length about your topic, select one that you're deeply familiar with and passionate about. The best PowerPoint party topics are those which are fresh, compelling, and teach partygoers something they've never known before.

Don't take yourself too seriously

Remember, this is for fun! You don't have to worry about the depth of your presentation or what other partygoers will think. Just have fun and come prepared to learn something new about everyone else in the room.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to do a voiceover on a PowerPoint presentation and add pre-recorded audio to your slides

• How to convert a PowerPoint to Google Slides in 2 different ways

• How to add music to a PowerPoint slideshow to make your presentation more engaging

• How to draw in Microsoft PowerPoint to create custom designs on slides through the desktop app and online

• The 48 best PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts for making great presentations quickly and easily

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why electric planes haven't taken off yet

Last month, 16 socialites dressed in flimsy summer dresses and dripping with expensive jewelry gathered on the oceanfront patio of Palm Beach's Tideline Ocean Resort, sipping vodka cocktails and white wine. James Beard award-winning chef Shawn McClain prepared a five-course tasting menu for the flock in frocks that included avocado crèma, Kobe beef hot dogs, and red-fleshed navel orange panna cotta. 

It was a lunchtime get-together for members of Let's Get Social Palm Beach, a networking group that connects local influencers to businesses and charities with a stated goal on its its website"to create an interactive and engaging community of like-minded individuals." At this event, the all-female attendees heard about the renovation plans of the host hotel, located just south of the Four Seasons hotel facing the Atlantic. The women then embraced without masks, snapping photos that they promptly posted to Instagram.

"The season," as it's called, is a storied tradition in the South Florida enclave. Between November and April, wealthy northerners escape the winter cold and indulge in ritzy luncheons, swanky dinner parties, and black-tie galas. Fixtures include Lois Pope, widow of National Enquirer founder Generoso Pope, Jr., Hillie Mahoney, chairman of the Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute, and Jean Shafiroff, a philanthropist and author who is also a Hamptons mainstay. 

The pandemic cut short last year's lineup of fetes and festivities by about a month.  But this year, the season and its celebrants are back — albeit on a smaller scale, with more intimate and discreet settings than before. 

Crowded balls and galas with ticket prices that range from a few hundred dollars to $2,000 a pop have either been canceled, pushed back, or held virtually. Palm Beach's elite are instead hosting dinner parties and cocktail hours in their opulent backyards or covening small groups at restaurants, like the Let's Get Social lunch. The scene "has not skipped a beat," Jessica Fontaine Swift, a local who runs the publication Palm Beach Social Diary, told Insider. "People are still more or less living their lives." 

Palm Beach has suffered only 12 deaths from the coronavirus, which helps foster a feeling of safety among its moneyed residents. There's still a county-wide mask mandate in place, however, even "in outdoor public places where social distancing of 6 feet or more is not possible," and a curfew from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. 

It feels like a palm-treed bubble: Donald Trump decamped to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach after leaving the White House in January, sparking neighbors' protests and supporters' cheers. But despite the divided reaction to its most famous resident, it's business as usual, with newcomers fighting over multimillion-dollar mansion in a real-estate market overheated by new deep-pocketed transplants.

So the party invitations pour into inboxes: Let's Get Social Palm Beach, which has more than 4,700 followers on Instagram, is on track to host 15 events this season. That's about the same number as during a normal, pre-COVID-19 year, said cofounder Briana Beaty. This month, the group threw a "Galentine's-themed" trunk show. A yacht outing is also on the agenda.

Palm Beachers — as they're nicknamed by local press — have adjusted to pandemic realities. Most events are held outdoors and require reservations to prevent crowding. But these safety measures only go so far, like at the maskless lunch at Tideline Ocean Resort. "If they chose" to take their masks off and take pictures together, "that's their business," Beaty said. "We can't stop them."

Unlike New York, where many residents hail from, Florida is wide open for business. In September, Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted nearly all COVID-19 restrictions for businesses, allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity. For wintering Manhattanites, Palm Beach has become a "social oasis," David Columbia, who started and runs the online magazine New York Social Diary, told Insider. 

On a Saturday night in January, downtown Palm Beach's restaurants and bars buzzed. A stream of luxury cars — Porches, Mercedes, and Range Rovers — lined up for valet parking at Buccan, a "small plates" hot spot where a petite snapper ceviche is $19 and truffle tagliatelle costs $50. The men wore suit jackets, button-up shirts, and leather loafers; the women accessorized their designer dresses with obviously branded Chanel and Louis Vuitton bags.

Inside and outside the restaurant, two blocks from the town's iconic main drag of Worth Avenue, the chatter of patrons overwhelmed the background music. At Buccan's bar, a 61-year-old local named George feasted on a $39 miso-marinated black cod with little concern for the lack of social distancing. He dines out three times a week, he told Insider. "Phenomenal," he proclaimed of his meal. 

On January 25, socialite Shafiroff hosted a 75-person luncheon honoring the animal charity American Humane, according to the Palm Beach Daily News. The event took place outside in the Colony Hotel's verdant garden. Guests dressed in casual preppy attire, with shawls, colorful button-up shirts, and ballerina flats. In some photos, they sported masks. In others, they didn't.

Even so, the area's waterfront mansions, which have the added lure of privacy, have emerged as the bedrocks of the COVID-19-era social scene. Gone are the days of a four-hour party with cocktail hour, a multicourse meal, and musical performances, said Josh Lyons, the co-owner and chef of West Palm Beach-based C'est Si Bon Catering. 

These days, dinners are "simpler and faster," he said, capped to three courses and two hours. Hosts invite between two to 20 close friends, while meals are often served outside in their "large yards." Servers keep their distance, wear masks, and sometimes take guests' temperatures. The cost of the events range from as little as $40 per person to as much as $1,000 a person, depending on whether the menu includes specialty items such as foie gras and caviar.

Take the recent birthday party of actress Jena Sims, the girlfriend of pro golfer Brooks Koepka. In a driveway of a private home, pictures posted to Instagram show a table for 18 guests covered in a sparkly golden cloth, an array of tropical flowers, and wine glasses. A bar decked out in yellow, orange, and pink balloons is set up nearby. Dressed in colorful flowy dresses, maskless party-goers embraced for pictures and danced into the night. Sims did not respond to Insider's request for comment about the event.

The season's marquee charitable functions, which typically attract hundreds of patrons, have adjusted to pandemic realities. The Lady in Red Gala, which was slated to be held at the posh Breakers resort and whose $500 tickets support disabled veterans and a local food bank, was ultimately a virtual event on February 19. Gala goers at home in black tie enjoyed a concert by soul songstress Gladys Knight and a standup act from comedian Dana Carvey. 

Behind the scenes of these shindigs are the workers, servers, and support staff that make them possible. And while the coronavirus season's small get-togethers do represent a financial lifeline for local companies like Lyons' catering outlet, they are not as lucrative as soirées with epic guest lists of years past. The pandemic has forced Lyons (below) to cook two- and four-person dinners that he would have previously rejected as unprofitable. "We've learned to say yes to everything because we really need the business," he said. 

Even though the biggest events have moved online, socializing may come with a COVID-19 cost. In the spring of 2020, town officials were quick to mandate restrictions. And even though two-thirds of Palm Beach's population is over 65, putting them at high risk, COVID-19 killed only two residents during the first two months of the pandemic — while hundreds died in the working-class towns on the mainland across the Intracoastal Waterway. 

Between November and early February, the town has registered a faster rise in cases than in Palm Beach County. 

Despite the risks, the season rolls on undeterred. 

"SEE YOU TONIGHT MEMBERS," exhorted the caption of a pink-hued, cocktail-laden Instagram post from Let's Get Social Palm Beach, touting an in-person "social hour" at Italian restaurant Cucina on February 25. "I can't wait!" commented one member, amid 183 likes from followers. "It's going to be so fun."

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why thoroughbred horse semen is the world's most expensive liquid

I launched Rafanelli Events in 1996, and before the pandemic, I employed 50 people — it's now about 20. 

We design and execute weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, charity events, and corporate occasions, so most of my staff are producers and designers. My job is to be a fireman, a weatherman, security — I'm everything!

Getting into the business wasn't a straight line for me. 

I was a political-science major in school, and I started out working on political campaigns, which I suppose makes sense when you see how campaign events are run now.

These days, you can major in event planning in college, but I always tell people to go get that business or English degree. Study what really interests you because you'll probably have three careers anyway. If you do decide to get into events, you have to love organization, creativity, being with people, and persuading people.

In my business, I like to say that time buys you choices. 

The shorter the time period, the more you have to hustle — and you might miss out on the photographer or band that everybody wants. 

Funnily enough, coming out of COVID-19, they're probably available right now but won't be in the fall. 

Most of my clients tend to have a lead-up of nine months to one year and budgets for 200 to 300 people starting at $1,000 a person and going well into the millions.

The key trend I'm noticing coming out of COVID-19 is that I'm not hearing a lot of "no." I'm hearing a lot of "yes," a lot of "more." 

In the past, serving caviar to hundreds might have seemed like an extreme luxury, or they might not have wanted a full-floor tent with air conditioning. I'm not going to say that this will become the new normal, but I will say that everything is going to be considered because everybody's been holding back.

Everyone keeps asking me if buffets will be coming back after the pandemic. The one thing I've learned — and I think this will be the case more than ever as we come out of COVID-19  — is that people want what they want.

It's their big day, and they don't really want to compromise, unless it's for the health of their guests. So long as they're comfortable with the precautions, buffets will still be a part of weddings. 

Getting married in Europe is still a no-go, so we're seeing people who want to do destination weddings looking around the US, as well as in the Caribbean and Mexico. One trend we're seeing is people booking a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton hotel that has residences attached to them, so we can buy out five of the residences and have a pod of people staying together.

There are some exciting parties on the horizon.

On top of having 12 weddings between June and December (from between 100 to 450 guests each), we've been engaged to do a "celebrate everything" party for a family to make up "for lost time and lost celebrations" because of the pandemic. 

They're inviting guests to a mystery location for the weekend. There, they'll be celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary, two milestone birthdays, their son's high-school graduation, and their daughter's Harvard graduation.

The idea is for it to be a mystery so guests will not know where they're going until they get there. All the travel and accommodations are being met by the client for 150 family members and friends. I can't tell you any more than that without giving away the surprise.

I've planned some pretty wild weddings. 

One of the most memorable was a five-day event for an American client in Istanbul. It involved a party in a 1,000-year-old cistern, a wedding for 450 guests in a palace, and a cruise for the whole party on the Bosphorus. 

When it comes to organizing feats, planning Chelsea Clinton's wedding was one of the most difficult. There were 600 guests for three days — and for the sake of privacy, the guests didn't find out where they were going until the Tuesday before the wedding.

On top of that, we had to liaise with the Secret Service for the president, as well as then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's diplomatic security, and then we had our own security company. With all of this security, it was like a military operation, but we still wanted to be respectful to the town where it was being held.

I'm quite proud that to this day, there are only six images of Chelsea and Mark's wedding — and they were the photos released by the couple. Everything else was private, and anybody who attended remembers what happened.

What's interesting now is that, by and large, guests are really good at not taking photographs if they're asked not to. Sometimes, we do have to take all phones from guests and staff, both to secure the wedding and to make everybody be present, but generally, the people invited to a wedding are respectful.

The most important thing I tell a bride and groom when planning their wedding is to remember that the day is for you.

You and your family come first — and if, say, you don't eat meat, no one will mind that there's a vegetarian menu. 

Folks can spend an enormous amount of time worrying about everybody else, when, in fact, this is you and your family's day.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: How the 1999 Russian apartment bombings led to Putin's rise to power