No Garlic, No Smoking, No Selfies: Wildest Met Gala 2025 Rules You Never Knew Existed

No Garlic, No Smoking, No Selfies: Fashion's most anticipated night, the 2025 Met Gala, is taking place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the star-studded red carpet with avant-garde fashion statements is the most popular feature of event, the rest of the Met Gala is a closed door affair with a strict schedule.

This year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” coincides with the The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute’s new exhibition. The exhibit highlights the rich history and cultural significance of Black Dandyism, with a focus on tailoring and the contributions of Black designers.

Absolutely no smoking

Also Read: Shloka Mehta’s Sister Diya Mehta Jatia Shines at Met Gala 2025

Once inside the Met, even the most powerful and stylish people in the world aren’t allowed to smoke. The curated collection of clothes on show could get damaged or have a smell of smoke, so smoking is prohibited inside the Met Gala.

No phones or selfies allowed

Even though high-profile celebrities and social media stars grace the Met Gala red carpet, we never see Instagram stories and TikTok videos from inside the Met. That’s because there’s a very strict ‘no phones’ policy within the event.

No onion, garlic or parsley on the menu

Hindustan Times report states that certain food items are banned from the Met Gala’s dinner menu in order to prevent bad breath and poor photos. No onion, garlic, or parsley can be found in the food to ensure no one has a lingering onion breath or has herbs stuck in their teeth when they smile for photos. Also, bruschetta isn't offered to guests to prevent food spillages.

Also Read: ‘Eat That!’ AB de Villiers Slams Critics of Virat Kohli’s Strike Rate, Highlights Gavaskar and Sehwag Remarks

No free entry – even for Hollywood/Bollywoood

It might be surprising to many but celebrities and A-listers actually have to pay for their seats at the Met Gala. Even though the event is strictly an invite-only affair, there's a price attached to each seat and table.

You don’t choose your seat

Paying $75,000 (Dh275,000) doesn’t guarantee you’ll sit with your BFF—or even your spouse. Seating is a carefully strategised affair. As per Vogue’s special projects director, Ward Durrett, meticulous planning goes into who sits where, factoring in everything from professional rivalries to encouraging unexpected mingling. Spouses are often seated separately for maximum social spark.

Your outfit needs the 'AWOK' stamp

Even your look must get a seal of approval from the queen of fashion herself. Outfits need to be AWOK—Anna Wintour Okay—before you can walk the carpet. Yes, even after spending thousands on couture, it’s Wintour’s word or nothing.