Inside the Oscar Parties!

Gavin Rossdale is dazzled by wife Gwen Stefani's stylish Chanel Couture ensemble at the Vanity Fair party. The musician couple remained joined at the hip all night – despite requests from photographers to get solo shots of Stefani.

New pop Patrick Dempsey takes a night off from double diaper duty to have a meeting of the minds with Lance Armstrong, who arrived and left the Vanity Fair bash solo.

Best Actress nominee Meryl Streep finds herself in good company among a group of Hollywood powerbrokers – (from left) Nicole Kidman, Mary J. Blige and Oprah Winfrey – at the Vanity Fair party. Blige, who arrived arm-in-arm with Winfrey, told PEOPLE of partying with her pal: "We're hanging out tonight. It's been so much fun."

Also making the scene at the Vanity Fair bash: James Blunt and model girlfriend Petra Nemcova, who lays a big wet one on her "Beautiful" musician. Arriving straight from Elton John's Oscar party at which he performed with his host, Blunt gushed to reporters, "I sang "Tiny Dancer" with Elton John himself, and now I'm going to retire."

Opting to go casual in cocktail dresses, partygoers Zooey Deschanel and Chloë Sevigny (in vintage Thierry Mugler) play catch-up at the Vanity Fair party.

It's a Titanic reunion for Best Actress nominee Kate Winslet (for Little Children) and Best Actor nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (for Blood Diamond), who share a hug at the Vanity Fair party. Their blockbuster sailed away with the Best Picture trophy a decade ago.

A little sip never hurt anybody! After polishing off her own cocktail, Best Actress nominee Penélope Cruz gets a taste of what Madonna's having at the Vanity Fair shindig.

Watching the Oscar proceedings inside the Vanity Fair soirée, presenter Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes erupt with excitement over Martin Scorsese's Best Director win when his name is finally announced at around 9:20 p.m.

Oscar presenters Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig compare notes on how to enter and exit the Vanity Fair party. Earlier, The Prestige star ducked back into the fete to a chorus of congratulations after dashing over to the Kodak Theatre to present Best Foreign Film. Craig took a different tack with the paparazzi: On his way out of Morton's, Craig cawed like a bird in response to demands for more photo ops.

When Oscar presenter John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston weren't hanging out with BFF Oprah Winfrey, they were chilling with Sean "Diddy" Combs at the Vanity Fair party.

Best Supporting Actress winner Jennifer Hudson happily shows off her trophy at her second stop of the night – the Vanity Fair party. The first order of business for the Hollywood Dreamgirl following the over three-hour show: "Food – that's first!" Hudson said, as she headed to the Governors Ball.

With her first Oscar hosting stint behind her, the evening's emcee Ellen DeGeneres is ready to celebrate at the Vanity Fair bash with her two biggest fans – girlfriend Portia de Rossi and mom Betty, who made sure to document the fun.

Though thrilled with his Best Actor trophy (for The Last King of Scotland), Forest Whitaker has eyes only for his wife Keisha as the couple arrive at the Vanity Fair bash. As for his new accessory, Whitaker told PEOPLE: "I know EXACTLY where it's going. At our house, we have this staircase, and it's going to go right at the bottom of it where you can see it everyday."

Presenter Gwyneth Paltrow continues her love affair with the English at the Vanity Fair bash, where she chatted up British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen (aka Borat) and his fiancée Isla Fisher.

With director husband Taylor Hackford nowhere in sight, Best Actress winner Helen Mirren (for The Queen) shows off the new man in her life – Oscar! – to Vince Vaughn and Dreamgirls star Jamie Foxx at the Vanity Fair party.

After hitting the dance floor, Kirsten Dunst finds a place at the Vanity Fair bash to kick back with her date for the evening – younger brother Christian. Christian seems to be one lucky plus one: he also escorted big sis to the 2005 show.

Best Actor nominee Will Smith (for The Pursuit of Happyness) and wife Jada Pinkett Smith grab hold of their burgeoning star, 8-year-old son Jaden, at the Vanity Fair bash. Jaden had his folks beaming when he took the stage as a first-time Academy Awards presenter with another little star, Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin.

Lance Bass gets cozy with Haylie Duff at the Envelope Please Oscar viewing party at The Abbey in West Hollywood. The two tablemates spent the evening watching the ceremony and buzzing about the nominees alongside Duff's new boyfriend A.J. DiScala (not pictured).

Best Song winner Melissa Etheridge (who told reporters that her Oscar "is the only naked man that will ever be in my bedroom") shares a moment with Abigail Breslin at the Governor's Ball. The Little Miss Sunshine nominee, who stayed up well past her bedtime to enjoy the festivities, was later spotted clutching her Curious George doll and rubbing her eyes at 11:30 p.m.

A statuesque Nicole Kidman shares a tender moment with husband Keith Urban at the Vanity Fair party. Though the country singer was by her side for most of the night, Kidman walked the red carpet with her BFF Naomi Watts.

Tom Cruise leads the way for wife Katie Holmes (who recently said she plans to go back to work) as they enter the Vanity Fair post-Oscars bash.

Donna Karan, Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, and husband Kendu Isaacs react – in a big way! – to the Oscar winners at the annual Vanity Fair bash.

No hard feelings there! Former couple Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow (who dueted on the song "Picture") greet each other warmly at Elton John's annual AIDS Foundation Oscar Viewing Party.

Simon Cowell and Sir Elton John get into a bit of a row, as those Brits say, at John's annual Oscar bash.

Look out Katie, Posh might have a new pal! Kelly Osbourne (who was spotted holding the hand of Transamerica actor Kevin Zegers) takes the time to chat up Victoria Beckham at John's West Hollywood bash.