The Met Gala may be known as the most exclusive fashion event in the world, but what unfolds beyond the flashing cameras is a mystery to most. A set of strict rules awaits stars the moment they step inside.
The Met Gala is an annual high-fashion fundraiser that supports the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. Set for May 5, 2025, the event will dazzle with daring outfits — yet what goes on inside remains just as captivating.
From phone bans to invite-only access, here are eight unexpected rules that Met Gala guests are required to follow — many of which fans have never heard of.
1. Phone and Social Media Use Is Restricted
Guests attending the Met Gala must follow a no-phone and no-social-media policy upon entering the museum. While non-flash photography and video for personal use are generally allowed in most galleries, any form of staged or unauthorized photoshoots is prohibited.
Filming guided tours is permitted only with the guide’s consent. Additionally, any photos or videos taken at the event cannot be published, sold, or used for commercial purposes.
This rule ties closely to the preferences of Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of Vogue and the event’s longtime chair since 1995. According to Sylvana Durrett, a former Vogue executive who helps organize the Gala, Wintour values real conversation over screen time:
“Anna is sort of an old-school traditionalist. She likes a dinner party where people are actually speaking to each other.”
HERE IS ANNA WINTOUR!, who Met curator Andrew Bolton called a "camp icon." She wears a Chanel gown from Karl Lagerfeld's final couture show; it is appliquéd with real flowers dipped in resin (eternal life, honey!). Her feather cape channels the unofficial camp mascot, a flamingo pic.twitter.com/SsJYDs4eoh
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) May 6, 2019
Staff are asked to watch phone use quietly — not by policing it, but by offering a gentle reminder if someone is clearly distracted. Even the young Vogue team members stationed on the museum’s steps — who offer directions and assist with guest needs — are held to strict expectations.
That expectation isn’t just informal — it’s enforced. Director Andrew Rossi once noted, “They were told very clearly that they weren’t allowed to be using their cellphones, and if they were seen using their cellphones they would be escorted out of the [ball].”
That level of enforcement hasn’t stopped all attendees from occasionally bending the rules. In 2024, rapper Lizzo recorded a short video in the museum’s bathroom, capturing a playful moment as two other celebrities danced nearby. She posted the clip to her TikTok account with the caption, “Met bathroom.”
@lizzo Met bathroom
2. Entry Is by Invitation Only
While the Met Gala is one of the most talked-about events in fashion, attending it isn’t as simple as buying a ticket. Every guest must receive a personal invitation, and even past attendees are not guaranteed a spot the following year.
Celebrities, athletes, designers, and other high-profile figures are carefully selected to join the exclusive gathering. The official guest list remains under wraps until just before the event, although fans often make guesses based on familiar faces.
Frequent attendees include Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, Gigi Hadid, and Rihanna. Designers such as Marc Jacobs, Christian Siriano, Nicolas Ghesquière, and Zac Posen are also regulars — usually arriving arm-in-arm with the stars wearing their custom pieces.
3. Dress Codes Are Creative — But Not Optional
Every year, the Met Gala issues a dress code that aligns with the evening’s theme, and following it is not just expected — it’s essential. As stated by the Met, the guidelines are “purposefully designed to provide guidance and invite creative interpretation.”
For 2025, the theme is “Tailored for You,” echoing the Costume Institute’s spring exhibit, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which spotlights menswear and explores fashion’s role in shaping Black identity.
This year’s exhibit focuses on the Black dandy, exploring how fashion has shaped identity and culture across the Atlantic diaspora.
Inspired by Monica Miller’s book “Slaves to Fashion,” the display is organized around twelve traits of Black dandyism, with designs from Grace Wales Bonner, Pharrell Williams, and the late Virgil Abloh highlighting themes of race, power, and heritage.
4. The Seating Chart Is Carefully Planned
Choosing who gets to sit where at the Met Gala is no small task. Eaddy Kiernan, who oversees the event’s planning for Vogue, begins mapping out the guest arrangement as early as December.
However, the final version isn’t locked in until about a month before the event, once the room’s layout and flow are confirmed. But the planning goes far beyond names on a list. Kiernan and her team also consider the position of every table, keeping in mind the ever-changing décor and the need for clear views of the stage.
Personal dynamics play a part too. “We try to make sure someone isn’t staring into the eyes of a former flame,” Kiernan explained, noting that past seating choices are carefully reviewed to avoid awkward encounters.
The process is detailed and deliberate. Durrett shared in the Met Gala documentary, “The First Monday in May,” that records of past seating are kept to avoid awkward repeats. She added:
“A lot of thought goes into who sits next to who.”
As Vogue’s André Leon Talley once put it, Wintour approaches the task like a head of state. Her goal is to craft the ideal dinner party — where Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Lady Gaga might end up side-by-side with designer Alexander Wang.
5. Attendees Must Be 18 or Older
Since 2018, the Met Gala has enforced an age restriction — guests must be at least 18 years old to attend. Wintour called it an executive decision, explaining that “it’s not an appropriate event for people under 18.” Exceptions are rare but may be made when a parent accompanies the minor.
One person once commented on this on X, “honestly [sic] I’m inclined to believe if there was any child Anna would make an exception to her 18+ rule at the Met Gala it’s North West,” sharing a photo of North with her parents at a past event.
honestly I’m inclined to believe if there was any child Anna would make an exception to her 18+ rule at the Met Gala it’s North West who she’s known since birth. pic.twitter.com/z73KIvTQYr
— Louis Pisano (@LouisPisano) May 1, 2023
6. The Menu Is Carefully Curated
Wintour sets strict rules for what’s served at the Met Gala. Parsley, onions, garlic, and messy foods like bruschetta are banned to prevent bad breath, stained teeth, or accidents on gowns.
Caterer Sean Driscoll, who handles the menu each year, tailors dishes to guests’ needs — like offering vegan meals for Stella McCartney’s table. Not every item is a hit, though. At the 2011 gala, many passed on the lamb potpie.
Presentation matters, too. During a tasting, Wintour and Baz Luhrmann rejected a dish for not looking elegant enough. She even searched her phone for better visuals, leading to beef being plated as medallions instead of slices.
7. Smoking Is Strictly Prohibited
Smoking — including e-cigarettes — is not allowed anywhere inside the museum or near its entrances. Despite the rule, several young celebrities were spotted smoking in the bathrooms during the 2017 event, prompting backlash from museum donors and board members.
8. Attending Comes at a High Price
Getting into the Met Gala isn’t just about status — it requires a serious financial commitment. In 2023, the individual ticket price rose from $30,000 to $50,000, prompting some long-time museum donors to decline their invitations.
“These people are already donating so much, to then ask for that amount is a lot,” said one source at the time. Another added:
“For every person that decides not to go, 20 people will line up behind them and beg to come.”
In 2024, the cost climbed even higher. A single ticket reached $75,000, while a table, often purchased by brands or fashion houses, cost $350,000. Still, seating arrangements required Wintour’s approval. Despite the steep pricing, the event serves a critical purpose — the Costume Institute, the Met’s only self-funded department, raised $22 million that year alone.
The high ticket prices serve a greater purpose. Each year, the Met Gala coincides with the opening of the Costume Institute’s annual exhibition, helping to raise tens of millions of dollars for the museum. The event is not just a fashion spectacle — it’s a major fundraiser driven by meticulous planning and a dedicated team.
Durrett once described the operation as “an army,” referencing the 100 staffers from Vogue, the Met, and event planning teams who manage the affair — including ten full-time Vogue employees.
Décor lead Raúl Àvila begins preparations a year in advance, meeting monthly with Wintour and museum staff, and working within strict timeframes during the final days. Before each Gala, he oversees large-scale installations like a 30-foot vase made of 250,000 roses.
Ted Resnick, whose company handles the carpeting, echoed the intensity. His team needs four days to install more than 70,000 square feet of natural fiber carpet, adjusting every year to the event’s growing scale.
He recalled the 2014 Gala, when Michelle Obama opened the Anna Wintour Costume Center. Security was so tight that work outside the building was nearly stopped. Resnick noted:
“In our business, failure isn’t an option.”
The Met Gala is more than a red carpet event — it’s a tightly orchestrated production with strict rules, high stakes, and months of preparation. From seating charts to security, every detail is managed to uphold the exclusivity and elegance the evening is known for.
