“I just mean, a story can be beautiful not because of the way it ends. But because of the way it’s written.”
If you loved The Wedding People by Alison Espach, you’re not alone. This propulsive, heartwarming novel about Phoebe Stone – a woman grappling with heartbreak, unexpected connections, and a solo adventure at a bustling Newport wedding – has resonated with readers who adore contemporary fiction brimming with humour, tenderness, and nuanced characters. Fans of The Wedding People often look for similar books that explore themes of self-discovery, family dynamics, and the surprising people who help us begin anew. Whether you’re searching for books like The Wedding People or contemporary fiction about weddings and personal reinvention, you’ve come to the right place. Today at What We Reading, we’re curating our favourite books similar to The Wedding People that capture the same blend of wit, heart, and emotional resonance. From character-driven dramas to feel-good stories with unexpected twists, these novels are perfect for anyone who fell in love with Phoebe’s journey.
The Wedding People Summary
It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest present not there for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years, and is determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself.
Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe’s plan, which makes it that much more surprising when the pair of them can’t stop confiding in one another. In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, The Wedding People is an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we take to places we never imagined – and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.
The People We Hate At The Wedding – Grant Ginder
Kicking off our list of books like The Wedding People with another hilarious wedding-themed Chick Lit read, The People We Hate at the Wedding tells the story of a less-than-perfect family. Paul and Alice’s half-sister, Eloise, is getting married in London. There will be fancy hotels, dinners at *it* restaurants, and a reception at a country estate complete with tea lights and embroidered cloth napkins. They couldn’t hate it more.
As this estranged clan gathers together, and Eloise’s walk down the aisle approaches, Grant Ginder brings to vivid, hilarious life the power of family, and the complicated ways we hate the ones we love the most in a bitingly funny, slyly witty and surprisingly tender novel.
Big Summer – Jennifer Weiner
Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life with a massive favour to ask. When Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honour at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless. But when Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.
A sparkling novel about the complexities of female friendship, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most, perfect if you loved The Wedding People.
Seating Arrangements – Maggie Shipstead
Winn Van Meter is heading for his family’s retreat on the pristine New England island of Waskeke. Normally a haven of calm, for the next three days this sanctuary will be overrun by tipsy revellers as Winn prepares for the marriage of his daughter Daphne to the affable young scion, Greyson Duff. Winn’s wife, Biddy, has planned the wedding with military precision, but arrangements are sideswept by a storm of salacious misbehaviour and intractable lust in this wedding satire book similar to The Wedding People by Maggie Shipstead.
Save The Date – Morgan Matson
Charlie Grant’s older sister is getting married this weekend at their family home, and Charlie can’t wait for the first time in years that all four of her older siblings will be under one roof. Charlie is desperate for one last perfect weekend before the house is sold and everything changes. Making decisions about things like what college to attend and reuniting with longstanding crush Jesse Foster can all wait. She’s focused on making this weekend perfect.
The only problem? The weekend is shaping up to be an absolute disaster. Over the course of three ridiculously chaotic days, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realise that sometimes, trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.
The Unhoneymooners – Christina Lauren
Undoubtedly one of the most popular books like The Wedding People, Christina Lauren’s The Unhoneymooners follows Olive, who is always unlucky. Her twin sister, Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest girl in the world. But, just twenty-four hours before Ami’s dream wedding, the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, and the only people left unaffected are Olive and best man Ethan, who just so happens to be her sworn enemy. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.
Putting their shared hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk of becoming a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now need to pretend to be loving newlyweds. But the weird thing is, she doesn’t seem to mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels sort of…lucky.
Check Out The Best Books Like The Unhoneymooners
The Wedding Date – Jasmine Guillory
Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn’t normally do. But there’s something about Drew Nichols that’s too hard to resist. On the eve of his ex’s wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend.
After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa has to head home to Berkeley, where she’s the mayor’s chief-of-staff. Too bad they can’t stop thinking about one another… They’re just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long-distance dating disaster of the century – or closing the gap between what they think they need, and what they truly want…
The Celebrants – Steven Rowley
It’s been a minute – or five years – since Jordan Vargas last saw his college friends, and twenty-eight years since their graduation when their adult lives officially began. Now Jordan, Jordy, Naomi, Craig, and Marielle find themselves at the brink of a new decade, with all the responsibilities of adulthood, yet no closer to having their lives figured out. Over the years, they’ve reunited in Big Sur to remind themselves that life is worth living.
The Celebrants by Steven Rowley is a book similar to The Wedding People that stands as an honest tribute to the growing pains of selfhood and the people who keep us going. Weaving in humour and heart, The Celebrants is a tale about the beautiful ways in which friendship helps us celebrate our lives, even amid the deepest challenges of living.
Once And For All – Sarah Dessen
Louna, daughter of famed wedding planner Natalie Barrett, has seen every sort of wedding: on the beach, at historic mansions, in fancy hotels and clubs. Perhaps that’s why she’s cynical about happily-ever-after endings, especially since her own first love ended tragically. When Louna meets charming, happy-go-lucky serial dater Ambrose, she holds him at arm’s length. But Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged, now that he’s met the one girl he truly wants.
As bubbly as champagne and as delectable as wedding cake, Once and For All is another one of the best books like The Wedding People set in the world of wedding planning, where crises are routine. It is a story that has everything Alison Espach fans will love: humour, romance, and an ending that is both imperfect, just like life itself.
People We Meet On Vacation – Emily Henry
In People We Meet on Vacation, Poppy and Alex are best friends with opposite personalities – Poppy is adventurous and spontaneous, whereas Alex is far more reserved and practical. Despite their incredible differences, they form a deep bond in college and begin a tradition of vacationing together every summer. For a decade, their trips have been full of laughter, memories for a lifetime, and an undeniable connection. However, two years ago, something happened that ruined everything, and they stopped speaking to each other.
Now, hoping she can mend their broken friendship, Poppy convinces Alex to take one final trip together. As they embark on their adventure, old memories resurface, tensions mount, and Poppy comes to realise that she doesn’t just miss Alex – she’s in love with him. But will they be able to overcome the past and risk their friendship for the potential of something more?
Check Out The Best Books Like People We Meet On Vacation
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
