Robert Altman offers his unique take on the institution of marriage with this raucous comedy about a wedding reception that quickly turns chaotic. When the Corellis and Brenners--two completely opposite families--convene to watch their children tie the knot, everything seems too good to be true. But when the Brenner family matriarch dies before the reception has even begun, the boozing Dr. Jules Meecham (Howard Duff) decides that they better wait to break the news to friends and family, and as everyone continues to celebrate, it becomes evident that things aren't what they appear to be on the surface. Affairs are initiated and alcohol is ingested, leading up to a thunderstorm--and the most shocking secret of all. Altman assembles a who's who of American comediennes with this star-studded farce in which he compassionately mocks marriage and family life.