Mom Reveals She Spent Over $50K For Her 9-Year-Old Son's Birthday Party On A Lavish Yacht
"It was every kid's dream."
Instagram Gone are the times when a children's birthday party took place at a Chuck E. Cheese, at least for one mother, who went above and beyond for her son's birthday.
Roxy Jacenko, an Australian mother of two and businesswoman who is most known for appearing on the third season of "The Celebrity Apprentice Australia," revealed that she had spent a pretty penny for her son, Hunter, and all of his friends so that he could properly celebrate his birthday.
She spent $50K on a lavish birthday party on a yacht for her son's 9th birthday.
For Jacenko's son's 9th birthday party, she decided to rent out a luxury 122ft superyacht for $2800/hour, which ferried 20+ of Hunter's nine-year-old friends around the Sydney Harbour in Australia. The Hawaiian Bash theme seemed to be a hit for everyone involved, according to Jacenko.
In an interview with Sunday Confidential, via Perth Now, she revealed that the entire idea for the party had come straight from her son, while also enlisting the help of luxury event planner Diane Khoury. "Hunter was looking through old photos from when he was little and came across some images of a trip we went on to Hawaii," she told the publication.
"It was then he decided he wanted a Hawaiian-themed ninth birthday as he has missed out on celebrating with his friends due to Covid for the past three birthdays." The assistant planner and stylist for the party, Katarina Yelavich, even gave credit to Hunter for coming up with an "amazing [inspiration] document" that he gave to the event planners of the concept for his party.
"It was every kid's dream," Jacenko pointed out after shelling out $50,000 for him to have the 9th birthday party of his dreams.
On the day of the party, which took place on the weekend of May 6th, guests were instantly transported to a faux Hawaii, with hula dancers placing leis around their necks. Everyone was even offered mocktails served out of pineapples and canapes as they made their way onto the Ghost II super yacht.
The entire boat was decorated in a 42-foot double-layered balloon garland and surfboards and flamingo cut-outs. There was also a tiki bar that held Hunter’s two-tier birthday cake, topped with a handmade figurine of himself dressed in Hawaiin shorts.
Jacenko was previously criticized for throwing a $40K 'nightclub' party for her daughter's birthday.
In August 2022, Jacenko caught a bit of flack online after throwing her daughter, Pixie, a nightclub-themed party for her 11th birthday, which boasted a whopping $40,000, according to Daily Mail.
In photos shared on social media, the birthday girl was seen partying with all of her friends in an event space decked out with disco balls, balloons, and custom-made neon lights. There were even fireworks and a flame-throwing mixologist was also featured at the event.
“Some people have too much money…. and [are] out of touch with the real world. Spoilt to the max,” one person wrote underneath the Instagram photos Jacenko shared from the bash, while another person chimed in, "This is a gross display of wealth."
Following all of the backlash from the party, Jacenko appeared on the Today Show Australia to defend her decision to throw her daughter a lavish birthday party. “The reality is we are here for a short time and I want to make sure that my children have the best opportunities they can,” she claimed.
“I had cancer, we have lived a life that has been under scrutiny a lot, so I want to make the most of my life because you don’t know what happens tomorrow,” Jacenko continued. “It was a celebration of not only her 11th birthday but her business,” she added, referencing her daughter's toy company, Pixie's Pix.
Nia Tipton is a Brooklyn-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.