Extravagant or not? Singapore blogger’s S$40,000 birthday bash sparks online debate
A Singapore blogger has come under fire for her upcoming birthday bash costing upwards of $40,000 – none of which she is paying for.
Sara Shantelle Lim was quoted in a press release stating that she will celebrating her 27th birthday on Friday this week with “the biggest ‘Candylicious Neon’ themed party in Singapore” and has received over $40,000-in-kind sponsorships for the private bash.
Lim blogs at The SG Sisters, a blog she started with her elder sister, Lora Christelle Lim. The blog claims to be “the first and only Luxury Blog in Singapore.”
Singapore tabloid The New Paper, first reported that Lim has a bevy of alcohol and beer sponsors including Jim Beam, Auchentoshan, Pinnacle Vodka, Courvoisier, and Brewerkz.
Among other things, flowers, candy buffet, and a three-tier birthday cake for the party will all be sponsored. Three diamond rings have also been sponsored, to been given away to the “Best Dressed” partygoers.
The party will be held at exclusive night spot, Club Altimate at 1-Altitude, where the venue rental is said to cost $20,000 for the night.
For entertainment, Lim said that her friend, Singaporean model-DJ Nicole Chen, will be spinning at the party. Lim also reportedly name-dropped her friend Kim Lim, the daughter of Singapore billionaire Peter Lim, who recently bought Spanish football club Valencia.
Lim reportedly stated that while most of the sponsors are “mainly her close friends, who wants [sic] to throw Sara an amazing birthday party”, other sponsors “believe that she can help them to promote their brand well on her luxury blog” or want to “tap into her strong network of contacts”.
News of the blogger’s lavish celebration has sparked online debate, with some calling it an “obscene amount of extravagance”.
Facebook user Greg Tan commented, “40k is some people’s annual pay...but others can just spend it in 1 night.”
Another user, Eleanor Quek, wrote, “What a waste of money on one big party. I know I will not be supporting those brands anymore. Bad advertising decision.”
Others have commended Lim’s shrewdness in having a sponsored birthday party. Facebook user Johnny Laxman said, “don’t have to feel sore and condemn her for it. At least she’s smart enough to get others to sponsor her instead of using her own money”.
Sponsorship is not a new concept to bloggers in Singapore.
One of the most prominent bloggers in Singapore, Wendy Cheng, or better known as Xiaxue, had sponsors for her wedding and home renovations. The blogger and her husband reportedly spent $80,000 on their home renovations, excluding the sponsorships that are estimated to be worth $100,000.
