This chapter details the wedding of Nel Wright to Jude Greene. Helene, Nel’s mother, was exhausted but elated as she prepared for the wedding, tired from planning the church ceremony and its subsequent reception. The reception was an anomaly, as church weddings with receptions were rare in Medallion because they were costly. Most people either married at the courthouse or lived together without a formal ceremony. The Wrights did not send out invitations; instead, everyone just showed up. Those who could afford a gift brought one; those who could not still came, even if they did not have a gift.

The marriage is perhaps ill-advised. Jude wishes to better himself and work a job other than his current job as a waiter at the Hotel Medallion. He is driven by anger, a strong desire to prove himself as a man, and the need for someone to care for him. This led him to propose to Nel, who he was attracted to because she did not try to get his attention. When he opened up to her about his struggles, she listened with empathy and ultimately agreed to marry him.

The wedding is a success. At the reception, the newlyweds take to the dance floor for their first dance and anticipate their wedding night. As she gazes out into the crowd, Nel locks eyes with Sula.