how far away from the wedding was the crash?
If the crash happened in local vicinity, then I could relate to the bright lights off into the darkness concern....but i don't think it happened close at all. I would think the partiers would have heard/seen something. But then again perhaps they were all trailer trash drunk at that point.
Had they departed at 11pm or whenever, and the notifications went out at midnight, they could have been miles off into the darkness and surely your eyes have adjusted for that light difference in the beginning.