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Some were dressed in their wedding best, others in jeans and trainers - but none of the estimated 120 people stranded on Waiheke Island on Saturday night were equipped for a night in the open.
They were left behind when the last Fullers ferry back to Auckland filled to capacity.
Some of the unlucky ones were left on the wharf at Matiatia all night. One of them, who gave her name only as Sara, was furious after spending almost eight hours on the wharf.
She said several parents told babysitters they would be home at 1am, and their children would have woken wondering where mum and dad were.
She said the abandoned passengers should get refunds at the very least.
A nearby building was apparently broken into and food taken. It is thought accommodation on the island was fully booked. Some of the stranded attempted to light bonfires.
Taxi driver Amanda Way said: "It would have been freezing. We took people to different places, down to beaches. One lot I gave a blanket to."
Another taxi driver put up a pregnant wedding guest at his house for the night. Events including a dance party, several weddings and a Vodafone New Zealand Warriors appearance packed the island. Warriors ambassador Peter Leitch, The Mad Butcher, said the stranding could deter future visitors.
An all-day dance party at Stonyridge Vineyard attracted about 1000 people on Saturday. Vineyard owner Stephen White said: "The way to solve it is [for Fullers] to just send another ferry back."
The island's population could swell by up to 20,000 on Saturday nights in summer, he said.
Fullers Group operations manager Ian Greenslade estimated 60 to 120 people were left on the wharf and, to his knowledge, it was the biggest incident of its type.
"When most of the people choose to come back on the last sailing it makes it a little difficult."
