By evening, guests had arrived in corsets and chainmail before heading to a make-your-own-potions station. A playlist of medieval-style pop covers played in the background as they sipped Champagne. And that was just the first night of the three-day, 30th birthday celebration Tolbert threw for herself. She invited 21 friends to a French chateau about 80 miles south of Paris, shelling out about 2,200 euros ($2,557) hosting it. "If I can actually afford it," Tolbert said, "why would I not?"