Get Ready To Party — And Spend Some Money

(CBS)  The New Year is the time to party and recently at New York's famed Cipriani restaurant, a group of real estate brokers were hard at play. Office parties are rites of December, but the real estate party's lavishness is a sign of the times.

Parties these days are popping like never before and renowned event designer Preston Bailey is doing his part.

"I think the great thing about this party is the element of surprise, that it is in a brownstone in New York City," he said showing off some of his recent handiwork to Sunday Morning correspondent Serena Altschul.

Bailey built a tent in the backyard of this Manhattan home and created a small and sumptuous room for holiday entertainment. His team is preparing a luncheon for 42 guests.

"As you walk in the entire thing is like this, you're transported to this rich environment with a lot of richness and I love that," he said.

And so do his celebrity clients. He planned the weddings of Donald Trump and Liza Minnelli. Bailey's events are floral and opulent, and that's just the way he likes it.

"I never got into the simplicity thing," he said. "I don't know how to do simple. I love being dramatic and over the top. "

Since time immemorial, mankind has been asking "where's the party?" Ancient Rome had its share of fun. The emperor Nero entertained in a hall with a revolving ceiling which misted its guests with perfume. Louis the XIV threw extravagant feasts at Versailles.

It took a while for America to catch on, but it did. Truman Capote's Black and White Ball in 1964 is regarded as the party of that century. In 1989 Malcolm Forbes flew his guests to Morocco to celebrate his 60th birthday.

The Roman-themed birthday party that former Tyco CEO Dennis Kozlowski charged to his company cost a million dollars. Of course, events like that have made corporations party-shy, but for the rest of us, the celebration goes on.

"I think they've only gotten bigger and more elaborate in the last 20 years," Lisa Hurley, editor of Special Events magazine, said. "I think that's due to the influence of magazines such as InStyle that show readers what incredible celebrity weddings look like as well as the influence of the internet."

Not to mention television. The airwaves are filled with party and wedding shows like the Style Network's "Whose Wedding is it Anyway?" There is also MTV's outrageous hit, "My Super Sweet 16," which features teenagers whose parents are wealthy enough to throw the extravagant parties which sometimes include celebrity guest appearances.

The program is controversial, but it and other shows share a fascination with a common theme: big celebrations that cost really big money.

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[cjsimmons1]

I watched your December 31st broadcast, and as always enjoyed all the reports including Serena Altschul%u2019s well-reported story on the phenomena of the ultra-lavish parties %u2026 not just for weddings, but also for Sweet Sixteens or for the holidays. What left me disgusted and angry was the utter waste by the woman from North Carolina who spent %u201Cover seven figures%u201D on a 54th birthday party for her husband who was a recent cancer survivor. Celebrate! Yes, I agree. He survived a horrible deadly disease, but throw a party that cost over $1 million? Can we imagine, just for moment, what %u201Cover seven figures%u201D could have done to promote the fight against cancer? Why not donate that money to cancer research in her husband%u2019s honor, or donate a wing to a children%u2019s hospital for young cancer victims? Why not make a lasting contribution that could potentially benefit millions of cancer sufferers, instead of for food and gifts that will all, in time, pass away and be forgotten.

Let%u2019s now see a story where selfless individuals take their fortunes and do something worthwhile like helping cure disease, feed the starving, and shelter the homeless.

Sincerely, C. Jerry Simmons, Hyattsville, Maryland

[candiperez]

How do you know that Steve & Beth did NOT spend money also on cancer research? Being judgemental doesn't look good in the eyes of God either. Judge and be judged. Whatever. What I think is that if people want to spend their money instead of squirreling it away and not using it as part of the economy is a bigger shame.

[DKithcell]

I grow so tired of the rich justifying their decadent behavior with bibilical and philopanthric references. Read all of Proverbs about how little attention most people pay to the poor and PLEASE, we all know what kind of tax write offs you get through giving. I found it interesting the references to Louis the XIV and Nero--leaders whose lavish lifestyles ushered in a decline of their civilizations. These kind of obscene celebrations are symptoms of decadence (along with the emergence of theocracy, overextended military, too much money in the hands of an entitled few, and debt spurred by a government and people living beyond its means) and a country in decline. I am not jealous of you or your friends lifesytle. I pity you for your stupidity and hollow values.

[blessedby4]

I personally feel the amount an individual spends on a party is first, relative to their net worth and second, personal choice. Through hard work and opportunity the Fowlers have been successful in their endeavors. Thank God we live in America where this opportunity is available to each of us. I find the negative attacks against Beth and Steve presumptuous and judgmental. As a friend of this wonderful couple, it was an honor to have been a guest at this fabulous celebration. During the party, I had a conversation with another guest who shared how Steve and Beth had afforded her a fresh start with her life. Do those of you who find the need to share your negative and jealous undertones, have personal knowledge of the charitable contributions made by Steve and Beth Fowler or are you making ignorant assumptions? Further reading available in Matthew 7:1-5 and James 4:11-12. God bless each of you and may you reach your desired goals and dreams. "Party On" Beth and Steve!!

[adamsman]

Update to all: The Fowlers partied on, and keep on partying, their company however, did not fair so well and over 400 people lost their jobs this year. So party on, and on Steve and Beth, while your former "family" starves.

[rubarb373]

It was embarrassing to watch. It only adds to our growing reputation as a nation of rich people who think only of their own pleasure. How many poor children could be educated with that money, making productive citizens out of them instead of seeing them live in slums, etc. The whole piece was nauseating!!

[opus1ny]

I get the fact that she was grateful her husband made it to his 54th birthday and has beaten cancer, but please. Does one really need to spend $1 million to show your husband and the world this? What happened to gathering your family together over a dinner, holding hands and saying thank you to your maker and to each other?

And what are we telling our kids in spending 6 and 7 figure sums for bar mitzvahs and sweet 16 parties? They may be wonderful memories for now, but in the bright light of day, advances nothing toward the healing of this world.

Why do we feel this need to constantly try to be a part of Lifestyles of the rich and shameless?

[jekoreng]

I wonder what God will say to Steve Fowler when asked how he helped his fellow man during his time on earth. Steve can say that he and his wife had a 1 million dollar plus party instead of helping fund research for cancer which may have helped other cancer victims stay on earth a little longer as did Steve. "Party On" Beth and Steve!

[zenmind44]

Your extravagant party piece was deeply disturbing to me. With more and more of our youth (and their parents) being caught up in the celebrity culture, we are forgetting our fellow human beings. I would welcome you to visit our synagogue in St. Louis Missouri, Central Reform Congregation where our rabbis, Susan Talve and Randy Fleischer, who are committed to social justice, are performing bar/bat mitvahs, weddings, etc. with deep meaning without the "flash" that has permeated this American consumer driven culture. The people you profiled could have made such a huge difference in the lives of some of our soldier's families and organizations that are dedicated to Tikun Olam, healing of the world. I've heard the arguments "we already give, we deserve to spend on ourselves as well". Poor excuse for narcissistic behavior such as this. A party of 7 figures? Please, it was embarrassing to watch. If you can't throw a beautiful party for a few thousand bucks, something is terribly wrong.

[auctnr1]

Beth Fowler threw a $1,000,000 plus 54th birthday party in Raleigh, North Carolina for her husband Steve.

"He's a cancer survivor and I really felt so fortunate and blessed that I was allowed to have more time with him," she said. "And what a great reason to celebrate."

Too bad she didn't see fit to donate over a million dollars to St. Jude Hospital in honor of her husband and mail an acknowledgement to her 400 friends that came to the party.