Each year, my spouse and I pick out five books for each other to read. The Wedding People was on my 2026 list, so here we are! A great recommendation. Five stars. It’s almost like she knows me. 
I know this was a monster book in 2024, so you probably already know about it. If you are one of the uninitiated like I was, The Wedding People is a feel-good dramedy set in a fancy Rhode Island hotel. As you can probably guess, pretty much all the people are there for a wedding. Except for our beloved protagonist, Phoebe. Like many of us, Phoebe never quite recovered from the weirdness that was the COVID pandemic. Her life just got off track.
But she is taking back control. She always wanted to stay at this particular hotel, and so she finally got around to booking a room. Not realizing that she would be literally the only person in the entire hotel not part of a giant wedding event.
The awkwardness starts immediately, before Phoebe can even check in. She is accosted by Lila, the bride, who is handing out gift bags to all of the guests. They start talking in the elevator and it becomes clear that Lila is…a bit high strung about the wedding week. She is terrified that Phoebe’s presence is some kind of bad omen, but also she quickly becomes close to Phoebe.
Along the way we also meet the kind-hearted groom, Gary, and his daughter named Juice (long story). Gary’s best man is Jim, who is the brother of Gary’s deceased wife. It’s kind of a complicated wedding party.
Spiritually, this book feels like a late 90s/early 00s ensemble movie about middle age. In many ways, life doesn’t take you where you expected to be. When you’re young, you are idealistic and energetic, and know what you want. You go for it. But then the tide pulls you somewhere else before you realize. I think in middle age, maybe you have the opportunity to rediscover yourself, and rededicate yourself to what you want. Or, maybe what you thought what you wanted isn’t for you. This book is great at exploring all that. It’s kind of like A Christmas Carol or It’s a Wonderful Life in that way. It gives you a shot of hope.
I thought it was a really gracious and entertaining book. I think I read it in four days. Would y’all recommend Alison Espach’s other books, if I enjoyed this one?
