Who Actually Pays To Go To The Met Gala?

If you've got the cash and the rapport with Anna, you don't exactly need to be an A-lister to snag a ticket. Plenty of moneyed philanthropists who donate to the museum throughout the year as "Friends of the Costume Institute" have a chance to pay their own way, but even that's proven more difficult in recent years thanks to the drive to fill the room with stars, according to one socialite who regularly attends. 

And if you're just some random billionaire who's willing to drop tens of thousands of dollars on a date night out, you're still not guaranteed a spot. The event is technically invite only, and some rich donors have even been told that they couldn't bring their spouses because Anna didn't approve.