I think because the ceremony was a bit more emotional than most people expected, the party started off quietly, with lots of hugging. I think it was especially moving for the gay couples there, as this was still a very novel event, Vermont being the first state in the US that allowed gay marriages (well, technically civil unions, but I like to remember it as a wedding and ignore the legalese). But the liquor from Ari's wine cellar flowed liberally and everybody got very jolly very quickly.