Did your Met Gala invite get lost in the mail? Ours too. Inside the big night, straight from the stars themselves.

Once the final stragglers made it up the Met Gala carpet — we’re looking at you, Rihanna and your plus-one-to-be — the stars got to let loose inside the illustrious museum. Well, depending on how constricting their outfits were — and how strictly the many gala rules were enforced.

But the point is that once the celebrities disappear from the top of the blue carpet, after showcasing their “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”-themed looks and talking to or ignoring reporters, the real event actually begins.

First, there’s the gala, with speeches, surprise performers, awkward run-ins with exes and ex-rivals, art to view and, of course, a party in the bathroom. Then, for many, the party continues all night with outfit changes, afterparties and fast food runs.

Here’s what happened after the famous staircase was climbed and the stars disappeared behind the doors …

The cochairs made speeches

Colman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, Lewis Hamilton and Pharrell Williams loaned their names to the fashion fundraiser, which celebrated menswear and Black dandyism. Not only did they promote the event leading up to it, but at the star-studded party — where tables start at a reported $350,000 — they gave speeches (which typically acknowledge the event’s theme and their connection to it).

Usher and Stevie Wonder performed

The musical talent is always hush-hush until the performers take the stage. This year, Usher rocked the heck out of the Temple of Dendur, singing his hits, including “OMG.”

The legendary Stevie Wonder, a first-time gala attendee, sang his “Higher Ground.”

Fun was had in the bathroom

The reported “no cellphones” rule was broken (again) by celebrities — and we thank them for it.

Questlove shared a video of a selfie being taken in the coed loo — snapped as everyone said “Black shit” in unison. Cochair Domingo was there taking photos with his cellphone — along with Hamilton, Cynthia Erivo, Tracee Ellis Ross, Quinta Brunson and many others — so even the night’s bigwigs break rules.

Laura Harrier shared a bathroom group selfie in her Instagram Stories.

We’re not sure if Sabrina Carpenter made it to the restroom, but she said it was on her list. The past two times she attended, her outfits were so complicated, she had to hold it in.

At least some stars ate at the gala

Between Anna Wintour’s reported food restrictions (including garlic, onions, parsley, chives and bruschetta) and the fact that many stars are wearing loaner outfits worth thousands, there isn’t a ton of eating going on. Megan Thee Stallion, Angel Reese and Doechii were among those to buck the trend — sharing a video in which they tried the cornbread and caviar and a white truffle lobster roll — breaking the phone rule too. They should be invited to every party.

There were reunions — and you can decide if they were awkward or not

Rihanna and Ciara had a beef more than 10 years ago on X when it was still known as Twitter. It stemmed from Ciara telling Joan Rivers that Rih wasn’t “the nicest” to her at a party and then proverbial shots were fired on social media. Now older, wiser and moms many times over, they played nice and even posed together for photos.

Meanwhile, we’re not sure if Miley Cyrus and ex Patrick Schwarzenegger, who broke up a decade ago, spoke at the gala, but he did photobomb her — with a smile — as she posed for a photo.

There was smoke and skin at the afterparties

While A$AP Rocky didn’t roll into the bash he hosted with Ray-Ban until 2 a.m., the event, held at Jean’s, was filled with “people and smoke,” according to WWD. Offerings included joint and cigar stations and lots of AWGE branding (the name of his creative agency), including what looked like a tailor shop but was a VIP hideaway. Rihanna made an appearance — after an outfit change — while Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Sabrina Carpenter, Jenna Ortega and Julia Fox were among those on the guest list.

There was also a rager at People’s, where Janelle Monáe took off a third layer of her outfit — nipple pasties time! — and partied.

There were great girl gangs

Carpenter and Ortega, who bonded over “Taste,” rolled to afterparties together. Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner took on the night hand in hand. Megan Thee Stallion, Angel Reese and Doechii shared a table at the gala. It was nice seeing these VIP ladies out together.

Fast food was eaten — or at least posed with

We didn’t have Halle Berry in a sheer LaQuan Smith splayed out on a counter at Raising Cane’s on our bingo card, but what an epic picture.

There were wardrobe malfunctions

Kylie Jenner shared that Ferragamo creative director Maximilian Davis told her to tape her feet into her shoes — and then she couldn’t get them off at the end of the night. There were handlers aplenty trying to get her unstuck — even spraying her piggies with liquid — as she howled “Ow” in an Instagram video. She followed up with the important update — a close-up photo of her feet and the news that they were “okay!!!!” Phew.