The Wedding People

Content Warning: The section of the guide includes discussions of infertility, pregnancy loss, and suicide.

Phoebe’s Roaring Twenties-themed room at the Cornwall Inn illustrates the disconnect between her external circumstances and her internal emotional state. Arriving with idealized expectations, Phoebe had long fantasized about the Cornwall Inn as her “happy place,” envisioning it as a sanctuary of bliss: “[S]he pictured herself on that canopy bed because she could only imagine herself happy in a place she had never been, a bed she had never slept in” (12). Much like her other life expectations—marriage, a career, and motherhood—the reality of her stay at the Cornwall Inn starkly contrasts with her aspirations. The room, festively decorated for a party, clashes with the tranquil setting she envisioned for her final moments alive. Lila’s frequent, uninvited intrusions disrupt the privacy Phoebe anticipated for her last night, and the absence of room service prevents her from indulging in a final luxurious meal. Most significantly, the balcony becomes a point of unexpected revelation, offering Phoebe a view of the wedding guests that sparks her curiosity and allows her to eavesdrop on their conversations. These unanticipated experiences ultimately provide her with renewed purpose and a reason to continue living.