The Wedding People

Initially, Lila serves as a foil to Phoebe, contrasting sharply with her. At the beginning of her wedding week, Lila is surrounded by close friends and family, while Phoebe grapples with isolation at the end of her marriage. Lila is young, about to become a stepmother, and maintains a close relationship with her mother, even working alongside Patricia. In contrast, Phoebe has endured years of challenging fertility treatments, experienced a miscarriage, and is approaching middle age with a stalled career and a longing for a maternal connection.

However, as Phoebe spends more time with Lila, she begins to see unexpected similarities. For instance, Phoebe realizes that “maybe the bride is the kind of woman who doesn’t have friends like that, friends who are honest even when it’s embarrassing” (65), even before learning Lila’s name. In reality, Lila’s friendships have waned, her relationship with Patricia is strained, her future stepdaughter views her as a “bitch,” and she’s not truly in love with her fiancé. Both Lila and Phoebe turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their grief over losing their fathers. Phoebe escapes into cheerful literature, ultimately leading to a dead end in her research, while Lila focuses on orchestrating a flawless, expensive wedding to honor her father’s dying wish, masking her true feelings about Gary.

From Phoebe’s limited perspective, Lila initially comes across as selfish and insensitive. While Lila does exhibit self-centeredness and a lack of sincerity, her underlying motivations are more nuanced, revealing her as a surprisingly thoughtful individual. For example, Lila barges into Phoebe’s bathroom without warning and disregards Phoebe’s privacy as she begins to rant about her future sister-in-law. Phoebe reprimands Lila for her sense of entitlement, asserting, “You’re not God. You’re just another fucking woman, put here on earth like the rest of us” (165). However, Lila challenges Phoebe’s assumptions by clarifying that she did knock before entering and responds, “You think it’s okay to tell someone that you want to die, then kick them out of the room, and then act like it’s not going to affect them in any way whatsoever? I’m not a monster, Phoebe” (165). This exchange reveals that while Lila may initially appear callous, her actions and words reflect a deeper, more empathetic understanding than Phoebe initially perceives. Moreover, by acknowledging her initial misjudgments of Lila, Phoebe begins to confront her limitations and the tendency to judge others harshly before allowing herself to form genuine connections.

By the novel’s end, Lila undergoes a significant transformation as she begins to confront her true feelings and desires. As she faces the reality of strained relationships and unfulfilled expectations, Lila starts to let go of the façade she has meticulously maintained. This shift allows her to acknowledge the superficial nature of her relationships with others. In doing so, Lila embraces her desires and feelings rather than conforming to external pressures. Her actions contribute to the theme of Navigating Societal Expectations in Marriage, Love, and Intimate Relationships. This newfound authenticity marks a discernable change in Lila’s character as she moves toward a more honest and self-aware approach to life, shedding the constraints of tradition in favor of personal fulfillment and genuine connections.

Gary, Lila’s fiancé and Phoebe’s romantic interest, works as a proctologist, a profession that provides much of the comedic relief throughout the narrative. Gary’s first wife, Wendy, died of cancer, an event from which he has yet to fully recover. This loss has deeply affected his daughter, Juice, exacerbated by Gary’s emotional unavailability. Despite their different circumstances, Phoebe and Gary find common ground in their struggles with depression and suicidal ideation. Both are wrestling with how to find joy and purpose in their daily lives, and through their meaningful conversations, they come to realize that they are each responsible for creating their own happiness. Nevertheless, Gary remains passive, never taking the steps necessary to pursue his potential for happiness.

Throughout the novel, Gary remains a static character, failing to evolve or drive the plot forward. He relies heavily on others, particularly Lila, to influence his actions and decisions. Reflecting on how Lila and her father sought his professional help, Gary admits, “Lila was so hopeful that I became hopeful” (253), illustrating his tendency to let others shape his emotional state. Even though Gary acknowledges his feelings for Phoebe, he does not confront Lila or call off the wedding. His primary motivation is maintaining peace and accommodating those around him, particularly Lila. Jim, in a moment of frustration, remarks to Lila, “Gary takes deep breaths and says, Okay, okay, we’ll fix this, and then he is going to fix it, and then you’ll feel better, until tomorrow when you find something else pointless to melt down about” (315). This insight underscores Gary’s pattern of resistance to change and shying away from decisions that would positively contribute to his sense of fulfillment.

Jim, Gary’s brother-in-law through Gary’s first marriage to Wendy, remains Gary’s closest friend and supports him in the traditional role of best man following Wendy’s death. Despite his supportive role, Jim is a point of tension for Lila throughout the novel. Initially, this friction seems to stem from Jim’s reputation for being noncommittal and unserious. However, the text later reveals that Jim has his own romantic interest in Lila. Jim met Lila before Gary, but his hesitation to pursue her romantically left the door open for Gary. Much like Gary, Jim is reluctant to take decisive action, allowing his best friend to marry the woman with which he is secretly infatuated. By the novel’s end, Jim expresses his intention to pursue Lila now that she has called off her wedding, indicating a readiness to finally act on his feelings.