Everything you need to know about the Met Gala: What it is, who can go, how celebrities get invited, and more

• The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
• It features a glamorous, star-studded red carpet where celebrities showcase high fashion.
• Stars like Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, and Zendaya are regulars.

Ah, the Met Gala — one of the biggest star-studded events of the year. Unless you're an A-list celebrity or fabulous designer, chances are you will never know what it's like to attend the "Oscars of the East."

But thankfully, enough celebrities and guests have spoken about the event that we have a glimpse of what it would be like to actually get into this storied ball.

From pricey tables to celebrity interactions, here's what it's really like inside the Met Gala.

What is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala serves a purpose — to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Met Gala, known formally as the Costume Institute Gala, is a fundraising event. The proceeds go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute. It's famous because it's essentially an annual ball that serves as a glamorous arena of high fashion for designers and celebrities.

It's hosted by the chairwoman of the gala, Vogue's editor in chief Anna Wintour, with famous faces usually co-chairing the event. The 2024 Met Gala co-chairs were Bad Bunny, Chris Hemsworth, Jennifer Lopez, and Zendaya. Previous Met Gala co-chairs have included Michaela Coel, Penélope Cruz, Roger Federer, and Dua Lipa.

Though it's been around since 1948, Wintour took over as chairwoman of the gala in 1995 and ever since then, it's gone from a philanthropic event to the "Oscars of the East."

The Met Gala takes place every year on the first Monday in May (obviously the inspiration behind the title of the documentary, "The First Monday in May," about the event).

It's not only the launch of the Costume Institute's annual show but a time to recognize the East Coast's influence on celebrity and culture.

The 2024 Met Gala was hosted on May 6.

What do celebrities do inside the Met Gala?

In addition to a red carpet spectacle, guests can expect a cocktail hour and formal dinner.

Guests arrive at the bottom of the Met's famous staircase and walk up the red carpet. The tent is filled with flashing bulbs and screams from pedestrians cramming in to try to glimpse the stars and their dresses.

Between 600 and 700 people attend the event, ranging from A-list stars to designers to employees from Vogue, the Met, the Costume Institute itself, and some of the brand sponsors.

The guests at the Gala are led inside and around the museum, typically through the Costume Institute's upcoming exhibit, as well as allowed to mingle for a cocktail hour. They're then privy to exclusive performances and state-of-the-art dinners.

Though the decor and setting change each year, the Met Museum's Temple of Dendur room has become a recent favorite. Lizzo graced a stage set there in 2023 when she performed both classical flute pieces and sang her own tracks.

This year, Cynthia Erivo joined Ariana Grande to perform covers and hits like "Into You."

But one of the best parts about attending the Met Gala is the celebrity interactions that wouldn't take place anywhere else. Olivia Rodrigo chatted with Kendall Jenner while Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo danced together in 2022. And in 2023, Anne Hathaway looked shocked to discover that Jared Leto was beneath the costume of Karl Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette.

You're also likely to see new romances forming — Swifties credit the Met Gala with linking Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn in 2016, and Wintour encouraged rumors that she was dating actor Bill Nighy when they walked the carpet together in 2023.

Can anyone go to the Met Gala, including non-celebrities?

Sorry — if you're not an "It" actor, celebrity, musician, sports superstar, or designer, you're going to have to shell out, big time.

The cost to attend the Met Gala can range from $75,000 for a single ticket to $350,000 for a table. Sometimes designers can get a table discount depending on the size of the brand and its relationship with Vogue.

That money goes to the Costume Institute, by the way — nearly $22 million was reportedly raised in 2023.

Oh, and just in case you thought you could save for it, Wintour reportedly has a say over every single invitation.

How do celebs get invited to the Met Gala?

While it's unclear how exactly celebrities are chosen to attend the Met Gala, attendees are often in the midst of major career moments and/or recent fashion campaigns with attending brands.

And the invites are just as classy as the event itself. Obviously, Wintour wouldn't settle for a generic e-vite, so guests get gorgeous invitations featuring the Met Gala's theme for the year, typically with an artistic flair such as a Richard Avedon photograph or a Man Ray painting.

There was never an age restriction in place at the Met Gala until 2018 when the gala was deemed "not an appropriate event for people under 18."

This means that young Hollywood faces like Mckenna Grace and Xochitl Gomez aren't eligible to attend. There is an exception to the rule, however. Guests who are under 18 are allowed to attend, as long as they're chaperoned by their parents. 

Do celebrities pay for their outfits?

If you do get to attend the Met Gala, you must dress to the nines. Guests go all out when it comes to what they wear. Since the Met Gala is associated with a museum show, guests typically dress thematically — sometimes the show will honor a designer, like 2023's theme honoring Karl Lagerfeld, or perhaps it will have a broader directive, such as "Manus x Machina" or "Model as Muse."

This year's dress code was "The Garden of Time," which gave celebrities a chance to wear everything from vintage pieces to custom looks that embraced technology and nature.

Celebrities are typically courted by designers to wear their custom looks, from dramatic and daring dresses to accessories. Sometimes, it backfires — think Madonna's risque Givenchy look in 2016 — but more often, it wows, like Rihanna's robe designed by Chinese couture designer Guo Pei in 2015.

But on occasion, attendees do purchase their outfits — like Zendaya did this year with her historical Givenchy piece.

But if you don't like any given Met Gala look, you might have Wintour to blame. Journalist Amy Odell, who has written a biography on the Vogue editor in chief, says all outfits are pre-approved by Wintour before celebrities step onto the red carpet.

It's unclear what happens to Met Gala outfits after the event. It's rumored that most garments are returned to designers, but it's likely a case-by-case scenario.

The most valuable Met Gala outfits throughout history are also a mystery. However, Dua Lipa reportedly wore $10 million worth of jewelry in 2023, and the Marilyn Monroe piece that Kim Kardashian wore in 2022 has been described as "the most expensive dress in the world."

Why is the Met Gala controversial?

Some celebrities dislike the Met Gala. Gwyneth Paltrow famously said she had no fun whatsoever: "I'm never going again. It was so un-fun. It was boiling. It was too crowded. I did not enjoy it at all," the Goop maven said.

Amy Schumer similarly hated the event, calling it a "farce" to Howard Stern and saying the entire event was like a "punishment." 

Demi Lovato also left the event early and said one star treated her so terribly that she felt like drinking alcohol, so she left to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. 

And then there was Lena Dunham, who drew intense backlash after criticizing not only the Met Gala but Odell Beckham Jr., the famous New York Giants wide receiver who she was seated next to.

Some Met Gala themes have also faced scrutiny. Many took issue with the Karl Lagerfeld theme in 2023, as the late designer often expressed offensive views throughout his life, like criticizing women with curves and saying he was "less keen" on same-sex couples adopting children.

Who is not allowed at the Met Gala?

Much like the secretive approach to Met Gala invites, it's also unclear who isn't welcome at the annual event.

Tim Gunn has claimed that he was once disinvited from attending, and "Riverdale" star Lili Reinhart said in 2022 that she doesn't believe she'll be allowed back after criticizing Kim Kardashian's extensive efforts to fit into small clothing for the event.

But the only star that Wintour has confirmed to be excluded from future fundraising festivities? That would be former US president Donald Trump.