BeyoncÉ Knowles
The pop star courted controversy when it emerged she’d been paid R14.5 million to perform at a New Year’s Eve party sponsored by the late Mutasim Billah, son of now deceased former Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi. Following an international backlash, the ‘Single Ladies’ singer demonstrated good public relations by donating the dosh to help earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

Paris Hilton
Before her 15 minutes of fame came to a screeching halt and she was unceremoniously replaced by protégé Kim K, the original reality queen threw the mother of all 21st birthday parties. But one gig wouldn’t suffice, so the heiress flew to five different destinations, including New York, Tokyo and London, to ring in the milestone in different time zones. It’s widely believed that her dad shelled out R500 000 per guest to ensure his princess had a good time.

Rihanna
We’re excited to see how the Bajan beauty celebrates her 24th birthday next month, after an all-star cast showed up when she tur ned 23. Last year’s soirée, held at a private LA residence, included ice sculptures and a sweetie stand along with her celeb friends Beyoncé, P Diddy, Zac Efron and Ryan Phillippe.

Lindsay Lohan
Before she was saddled with drug abuse allegations and stints in jail, Lindsay was an in-demand actress who could invite the who’s who of Hollywood to attend her birthday parties. When she marked her 20th, the actress hired the ultra-exclusive Polaroid Beach House in Malibu and paid celebrity chef Kerry Simon to prepare a feast. A-list guests included Nicole Richie, Kate Bosworth and Owen Wilson. The bash repor tedly cost a cool R750 000.

Jay-z and Kanye West
To celebrate the release of their latest album, Watch the Throne, the music moguls threw a party at a swish Miami nightclub that set tongues wagging. Witnesses report that Jay-Z bought bottle after bottle of Ace of Spades, spending nearly R1.9 million on the exclusive Champagne, and left the waiter a massive R375 000 tip. Luckily he made more than that back shortly after: Jay-Z was paid R7.5 million to perform with Coldplay at The Cosmopolitan Hotel’s Marquee Nightclub on New Year’s Eve in 2010.

Kim Kardashian
Kim certainly got her fairy tale wedding – even if it didn’t have the usual ‘happily ever after’ ending. Her super-lavish nuptials reportedly cost R70 million – not that she paid for much. Kim got E! Entertainment (the channel that broadcasts her family’s reality shows), to shell out for most of the expenses. Some of the exorbitant costs included R75 000 for invitations, R45 000 for the cake and R450 000 for three Vera Wang bridal dresses. And let’s not forget the 20 ct engagement ring that set her fiancé back R14.5 million. We can only imagine how much the divorce settlement was worth.