The Wedding People

Driving into downtown Newport with Juice, Phoebe thinks about her attitude toward children. She dislikes when other adults try hard to earn a child’s approval, which Matt used to do. Phoebe remembers Mia, Tom, and their baby having Thanksgiving dinner with her and Matt before Matt and Mia’s affair started. She pinpoints this moment as the first time she felt like an outsider among her husband and best friend. Matt played with the baby for most of the meal. Later, Phoebe confessed she found the constant baby conversation obnoxious, though Matt thoroughly enjoyed holding the baby.

Matt and Phoebe’s differences grew considerably; they began living separate lives, though stuck together in pandemic isolation. Phoebe recalls Matt attempting to explain his affair with Mia as something naturally occurring, and Phoebe accused Matt of wanting to be with Mia because she has a baby. By the end of their marriage, Phoebe suspected she wanted Matt to be a different person just as much as Matt wanted Phoebe to be someone else.

Juice calls Lila a “bitch” as they park in front of a row of boutiques. Instead of scolding Juice, Phoebe asks Juice why she feels that way, which confounds Juice. Juice explains that Lila was just born a bitch, and Phoebe makes jokes about Lila’s doctor proudly handing Patricia a swaddled baby, congratulating her on the arrival of her bitch. Juice laughs enthusiastically but then complains about buying special shoes for the wedding. Phoebe explains a list of unspoken rules that, upon accepting them, will make Juice’s life easier. As they try on shoes, Juice reasons that she dislikes Lila’s materialistic tendencies; she thinks Lila is over-concerned with her appearance. Phoebe counters Juice by analyzing how an article of clothing often expresses more than a person’s style; she uses Matt’s belt as an example. Matt owned and wore one belt daily. He took good care of this accessory, explaining that he wanted to wear it the day he died. Phoebe took this to believe that Matt was loyal and committed, traits she admired and wanted in a husband.

Juice confesses she misses talking about Wendy and doesn’t feel free to speak about her mother with Lila or Gary. She shares happy memories of Wendy with Phoebe. Phoebe reveals that Gary talked to her about Wendy just this morning, suggesting Juice initiate conversations about her mother with Gary. Juice explains how Lila becomes upset when she mentions Wendy and how she has very little alone time with Gary. Phoebe legitimizes Juice’s feelings, focusing on Gary’s attempts to be kind to Lila. Phoebe buys an obnoxiously large hat, which embarrasses Juice, although she’s a good sport about Phoebe’s teasing. When it rains, Phoebe grabs Juice and tucks her under her hat. They enjoy a fun lunch in a cafe.

Phoebe drives to an adult sex shop to purchase supplies for the bachelorette party. Juice spots an animal shelter next door, and Phoebe allows Juice to look at the dogs briefly. However, when Phoebe returns from the sex toy shop, Juice has two dogs picked out, including one for Phoebe named Frank. Phoebe implies that she plans on adopting the dog and, much to Juice’s chagrin, keeping his name.

Phoebe returns Patricia’s clothes to her room. Patricia drinks alone, and Phoebe observes self-help books on her nightstand. Patricia is delighted when Phoebe asks to join Patricia for an afternoon cocktail. She tells Phoebe about meeting Henry, falling in love, and her own mother’s disapproval. Patricia’s family descends from a long line of wealth (Patricia’s mother refers to Jackie Kennedy as a family member), and Henry owned a waste management company. Like Gary and Lila, Henry was significantly older than Patricia. She worries her daughter will make mistakes resembling those Patricia made when she was younger.

Patricia tells Phoebe a story about a nude cubist self-portrait she commissioned after Henry’s terminal cancer diagnosis. She felt devastated by Henry’s cancer, always viewing her husband as strong and immortal. She recalls disliking how her 60-year-old body looked, wishing she had commissioned the painting when she was younger. However, she realized that her 90-year-old self would see her 60-year-old body as beautiful, just as she now looks back fondly on her 30-year-old body, which she took for granted at the time. She had a long-time friend, William, capture her image. Patricia loved the “priceless” painting. Lila saw the portrait as a betrayal of Henry right at the end of his life. She gave the painting to Gary for free without Patricia’s consent, and Patricia remains angry. She wants the freedom to live as she wants and make choices for herself, embodying her individuality without constant disapproval from her family. Patricia’s desires resonate with Phoebe, who also wants to feel allowed to sit with her feelings of boredom, sadness, and grief.

The bachelorette party begins at a spa where the bridal party undergoes a “water journey.” They strip naked in a room full of pools and hot tubs of varying temperatures, and they are encouraged to wander between bodies of water. Lila joins Phoebe in the coldest pool to start. Phoebe encourages Lila to relax when Lila complains about Gary’s mother. At first, Lila can’t stop talking, announcing relaxation is impossible. However, Phoebe encourages Lila to focus on her breath, and Lila’s stress and tension soon melt away. The bridal party leaves the spa calm and rejuvenated, separating into their rooms to prepare for dinner.

Jim stops Lila in the lobby, with Phoebe close by. He speaks urgently to Lila, explaining that a strange man ejaculated in the tailpipe of the antique convertible Lila planned to use on her wedding day. Phoebe sees tension physically return to Lila’s body as she declares they must procure a new car. Phoebe announces that she will make the arrangements as Gary scolds Jim for telling Lila about the ridiculous incident.

Phoebe enjoys the ritual of preparing for an evening out; she showers, styles her hair, and applies makeup before stepping into a new dress. She meets the bridal party in the lobby for drinks and Ryun, a hotel employee, serves. Ryun flirts with Lila, noting that she is unique, though Lila asserts that Patricia might suggest otherwise. The women enter the billiards room for a prepared talk with the “sex woman.” Vivian, the original maid of honor, arranged this portion of the evening. The woman lists her credentials: she works as a world-renowned zoologist, specifically helping giant pandas mate in captivity. The presentation begins with a very scientific PowerPoint slide show, and the women all believe Vivian orchestrated a prank. However, the sex woman draws parallels between the sex lives of pandas in captivity and couples experiencing pandemic-era sex lulls brought on by isolation. She explains that her current work centers on helping couples reignite more active sex lives. Then, she talks with each woman about their sex lives and gives suggestions about how to enhance intimacy. Lila finds the entire encounter too personal and embarrassing. The sex woman ends the presentation with an impressive display of vibrators and sex toys, encouraging self-discovery.

Next, the bridal party enjoys dinner in Newport at the White Horse Tavern, the oldest tavern in the US. Lila still seems off-put by the sex woman’s talk, and the other bridesmaids grow tired of Lila’s bad attitude. They ask each other about weird sexual encounters, though this dismays Lila. The waiter delivers a bottle of expensive wine, a gift from Gary. The women openly confess their significant others would never be so thoughtful, which pleases Lila. However, Nat points out that Lila doesn’t seem happy about her self-described “beautiful” sex life; Phoebe distracts the women with plastic penis straws. Though it feels wrong, they sip their expensive wine with the bachelorette party staple.

The bridal party meets at the hotel for a tarot card reading conducted privately. While waiting for their turns, Marla and Phoebe grab a drink together. Marla discusses her strained relationship with Lila before talking about her marital affair. Phoebe gleans insights about infidelity from the outlook of one who cheats; she can better understand Matt’s perspective, though she doesn’t yet feel ready to forgive him.

Phoebe asks the tarot card reader to describe her future in a very general sense, and the woman quickly tells Phoebe about a potential move, investment in property, an end to her pregnancy journey, and a romance in the distant future. After years of feeling stuck in the present, Phoebe feels relieved to hear about her future life. She cries as the tarot card reader finishes her reading.

The bachelorette party heads to a nightclub to round out their evening. Lila’s ability to dance with abandon while taking multiple shots impresses Phoebe, even though she seems disappointed by the day. They stay out late and must walk back to the Cornwall Inn after trying and failing to summon an Uber. Lila vomits in a flowerpot in the lobby. Phoebe escorts Lila to her room, but they end up in Phoebe’s room when Lila can’t find her key. Lila confesses that she is extremely attracted to Jim, and she doesn’t want to get married to Gary. Phoebe stops Lila from canceling the wedding in the middle of the night, promising to help her sort out the details in the morning. Unable to sleep with Lila’s snoring, Phoebe locates Lila’s room key and sleeps in the bridal suite.

Gary enters the bridal suite looking for Lila, pleasantly surprised to see Phoebe. He is equally as intoxicated as Lila. Phoebe doesn’t mention Lila’s intentions to cancel the wedding. She listens to Gary’s reservations about marrying Lila and how he may have rushed into an engagement to overcome the grief of losing his first wife. He confesses to not feeling happy since Wendy died, instead focusing on the happiness of others. Wendy, an artist, inspired Gary to see the beauty in everyday life, and he hoped Lila would fill that void. He feels incredibly guilty for devastating Lila by giving her hope that he could cure her father’s cancer, only for him to die soon after his final treatments. Phoebe fantasizes about Gary being single and touching his graying beard. She appreciates his aging features, evidence of a difficult life during which he had to persevere. Gary admits that he feels like Phoebe is the only person he can talk to. Phoebe touches Gary’s hand, and they share a moment before Gary retreats to his room.

The following morning, Lila refuses to comment about her intentions to cancel the wedding. She feels hungover and sends Phoebe to substitute her spot in a surfing lesson with Gary and Juice. This activity is important to Juice. Phoebe desperately wants to spend more time with Gary and Juice, but she feels herself growing too connected to the wedding people. Gary and Phoebe laugh at the beach as they struggle to pull on wet suits. Surfing proves both challenging and relaxing for Phoebe, reminding her of yoga. She falls off her board and gets caught in the undertow, loving every moment of the experience.

Afterward, Phoebe, Gary, and Juice fall asleep on a blanket together. When they wake, the trio enjoys lunch together at Flo’s, a famous clam shop in Newport, and Phoebe pretends she is a part of their family. Juice reads about the restaurant’s long history, noting how many times the shop rebuilt after devastating hurricanes. They stop at CVS, Juice’s favorite store. Phoebe buys Gas-X for Lila and leaves it outside her room when they return to the Cornwall Inn.

Phoebe is not a family member, so she doesn’t attend the Blending of the Families reception. Instead, she drinks beer at the hotel bar and attempts to write her maid-of-honor speech. Jim approaches, and they both admit to struggling with their speech writing. Jim suggests they take THC gummies, hoping the drug will prove inspirational. They head to his room.

Jim admits to feeling attracted to Lila before Gary ever met her. Jim’s work situated him outside of Patricia’s art gallery for several weeks. He spotted Lila walking in and out of the gallery and couldn’t look away. She eventually approached him and divulged that she just discovered her father was dying. Jim held Lila as she cried in the middle of the street. When he eventually built the courage to ask her out, he brought Gary to Patricia’s art gallery. Jim remembered how much Gary enjoyed perusing art with Wendy. Jim felt he had achieved more compatibility with Lila than Gary had, but somehow, Gary ended up with Lila’s business card. When Jim felt emboldened enough to ask Gary for Lila’s card, Gary revealed that Lila and Henry coincidentally came to Gary’s practice for a second opinion on Henry’s cancer diagnosis. Their relationship began before Jim could act on his attraction to Lila.

Jim and Phoebe agree that they never see Gary and Lila talk to each other; they seem to put on a show for their friends and family. Jim confesses that he likes how Gary acts like himself when talking to Phoebe. When Gary asserts that his initial bond with Lila was all in his head, Phoebe replies, “It’s not as black and white as you’d think” (276-77), giving Jim the peace of mind knowing that Lila reciprocated his attraction, at least when they first met. They listen to the bridal party return from the Joining of the Families, and Jim thinks he hears Lila crying.

Phoebe thinks about the nature of weddings and how they’ve evolved into massive, expensive events that people can’t reasonably back out of. Struck by sudden inspiration, Phoebe returns to her room and writes a five-paragraph speech. This is the first writing Phoebe has accomplished in years, and she feels invincible. She searches for open teaching positions in Newport and apartments for rent. She finds a “winter keeper” listing at a Newport mansion and contacts the owner to apply for the position.