- All the women in the congregation keep gossiping, as they ague over whether Levin is worth Kitty or not. They remark that Kitty is not looking as lovely as she once did, but even so, she's better than Levin.
- Dolly is deeply moved as she recalls other weddings where young women renounce their past and enter into a mysterious future. Even Anna was once a pure, blushing bride—though Dolly has now heard details of a presumed divorce in the Karenin family.
- The women continue gossiping about fashion, wedding details, and the married couple.