Jana Duggar, 34, marries bible studies leader who still lives with his parents after fearing she'd never wed (and sister Jill wasn't a bridesmaid) Her sister Jill has had a longstanding estrangement from the family Jana's sister, Jessa Duggar, was her maid of honor, her sister-in-law, Abbie Duggar, and sisters Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johannah Duggar, Jinger Duggar and Jordyn Duggar were bridesmaids Jana and the pastor and bible study leader of the East Fairview Mennonite Church in Milford, Nebraska , 31, held their nuptials at The Grand at Willow Springs in front of 500 guests just three months after getting engaged Have YOU got a story? Email [email protected] By Valeria Garcia For Dailymail.Com Published: 03:19 EDT, 16 August 2024 | Updated: 03:19 EDT, 16 August 2024 e-mail View comments Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann said 'I do' on Thursday in Prairie Grove, Arkansas but her sister Jill - who has had a longstanding estrangement from the family - was not one of her bridesmaids alongside their other siblings.
The Counting On star, 34 — who moved out of her parent's home in July — opened up about her big day to People , gushing over how she had 'prayed for this for years.' She and the pastor and bible study leader of the East Fairview Mennonite Church in Milford, Nebraska , 31, held their nuptials at The Grand at Willow Springs in front of 500 guests just three months after getting engaged, which she described as a 'dream come true.' 'I think it is one of those things that all girls envision someday,' she told the outlet just days before he got married.
'For me, it felt like, "Okay, it's never coming." But now it's starting to sink in. Reality is starting to set in.
She told the outlet: 'And I'm like, "Wow, this truly is something that I've dreamed of." And just to see it coming about is incredible and kind of hard to believe. It's a dream come true.
' Jana Duggar and Stephen Wissmann said 'I do' on Thursday in Prairie Grove, Arkansas; Jana seen in 2024 She and the business owner, 31, held their nuptials at The Grand at Willow Springs in front of 500 guests just three months after getting engaged; Stephen seen in 2024 Jana's sister, Jessa Duggar, was her maid of honor, her sister-in-law, Abbie Duggar, and sisters Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johannah Duggar, Jinger Duggar and Jordyn Duggar were bridesmaids according to the publication. Jill, 33, who is the closest in age to the bride was notably not named as one of the bridesmaids. Read More Jinger Duggar Vuolo reveals what dating in a strict Christian household is really like She modeled a modest off-the-shoulder ivory A-line dress as her father walked her down the aisle arm in arm with her father Jim Bob Duggar as Holy, Holy, Holy by Audrey Assad played.
'The dress felt classy and a bit like a princess,' she said recalling the moment. Explaining her taste for minimalistic decor she shared, 'The venue is already so gorgeous and picturesque that I didn't want to take too much from that. The guys will be in black suits, the girls in champagne-colored dresses, and then just white flowers and greener.
' Because both Jana and Stephen come from big families, they wanted to ensure both sides played a part in the day they said 'I do.' 'Coming from two bigger families (Wissmann being one of 13 siblings), we love to be able to get together and celebrate moments like these. And so to have all of them there, it just means a lot,' she said.
The TLC alum and the Nebraska native initially met through their families sometime in 2011. She said recalling their meeting: '[Stephen's family] would travel and sing. I remember them coming to our home, probably 13 or so years ago and they ended up getting snowed-in here, which hardly ever happens in Arkansas 'I remember just playing games late into the night, doing puzzles together until the snow melted off, and they were able to travel back home.
I don't really remember Stephen that well because I'm older than him and so he was not at all on my radar,' she said. Years later, they reconnected and dated briefly before breaking things off. Then in December of 2020 they rekindled their flame after realizing they 'enjoy each other.
' Because both Jana and Stephen come from big families, they wanted to ensure both sides played a part in the day they said 'I do'; Stephen and mother Gloria seen in 2021 The TLC alum and the Nebraska native initially met through their families sometime in 2011; Stephen and a family member seen in 2021 Years later, they reconnected and dated briefly before breaking things off. Then in December of 2020 they rekindled their flame after realizing they 'enjoy each other'; Jana and mother Michelle in 2024 'He's been a good friend over the years and has not pressured me in a lot of ways,' she said of her now husband,' Jana and sister Jessa seen in 2021 Jana's sister, Jessa Duggar, was her maid of honor, her sister-in-law, Abbie Duggar, and sisters Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johannah Duggar, Jinger Duggar and Jordyn Duggar were bridesmaids; Duggar family women seen in 2023 She explained: 'I had been a slower mover on it, but just over time, his character, his coming back, still loving me no matter what. I know we have a big crazy family and still kind of putting up with a lot of things.
I'm like, my goodness, there are not too many people that do that. He must really, genuinely care about me. 'It takes me a bit to open up, but I think just his continuing to be there, no matter what, through ups and downs.
He's been a good friend over the years and has not pressured me in a lot of ways,' she said of her now husband. As for their plans after becoming man and wife, Jana confirmed that she will move to Nebraska to live with Stephen who finds work in the irrigation system install business. Meanwhile Jana's sister Jill has been estranged from the family for quite sometime.
In Amazon Prime's four-part docuseries, entitled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, Jill railed against her parents and accused them of 'taking advantage' of her and her siblings by tricking them into signing contracts and forcing them to be take part in the family's numerous reality shows against their will - without pay. It's been reported that the Duggars received $18 million over the course of their 21 seasons on TV, but according to Jill, it all went into her father's pocket. When asked if they ever received money for their time in the show, Jill stated: 'No.
I never received any payout. 'No check, no cash, no nothing. For seven-and-a-half years of my adult life, I was never paid.
We were taken advantage of.' In Amazon Prime's four-part docuseries about the family, entitled Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, Jana's sister Jill railed against her parents and accused them of 'taking advantage' of her as they have been estranged ever since She said they tricked her and her siblings into signing contracts and forced them to be take part in the family's numerous reality shows against their will - without pay During the doc, which premiered in June 2023, Jill also shared some of the extreme measures that her dad took to try to cover up brother Josh's molestation of his own sisters During the doc, which premiered in June 2023, Jill also shared some of the extreme measures that her dad took to try to cover up brother Josh's molestation of his own sisters - and recalled how she was forced to defend him on national television to prevent the family's hit reality show from being canceled. She explained that when news of Josh's alleged abuse was made public in 2015, her dad's main focus was protecting the family's squeaky-clean reputation - rather than the victims.
The former reality star went on to release her own tome, called Counting The Cost, in September, and in it, she shared even more of her family's secrets, claiming her dad 'treated her worse' than he 'treated her pedophile brother.' She spoke about her dad's reaction to the book to the Today show days after it came out. 'My dad texted the entire family group text [since we’re still in the group thread] and he was just saying, "This is so sad,"' she revealed.
'He basically threatening that if anybody speaks out against him or my mom that they would be cut out of the inheritance.' When asked about their relationship at the time, she described it as 'complicated.' 'We just had to draw some pretty strict boundaries and just put things in a healthier place,' she explained.
'There just hasn’t been a whole lot of change. And again, we don't expect people to change. 'So while I love my parents and I respect them and honor them, I just have to prioritize our family unit and do what's best and healthy for Derek and I and our kids.
' She also recalled how she was forced to defend him on national television (seen) to prevent the family's hit reality show from being canceled The former reality star went on to release her own tome, called Counting The Cost, in September, and in it, she shared even more of her family's secrets Back in January, she and her husband, Derick, 35, admitted that they couldn't remember the 'last time' they had seen Jim Bob - and that it was at least a year prior At the time, she said she would see her mother while 'celebrating birthdays and some holidays,' but as for her father, she said she did not have any 'individual contact with him.' 'My relationship with my dad got pretty toxic to the point where we had to cut off individual contact with him,' she shared. 'It got to the point where Derick was there to step in and kind of say, "Hey, don't reach out to my wife individually or else I'll have to file a protective order," just because it was so hard for me to handle.
' At the time, she said she 'hoped for a reconciliation' but said there needed to be 'change' first. 'We do love our family ultimately, and I would love for my kids to have their grandparents involved more in their lives, but we also want to make sure that it’s a healthy relationship,' she stated. In January during an appearance on The Unplanned Podcast, Jill confirmed that she had seen Michelle recently , but when she was asked about the last time she saw her dad, she couldn't even remember.
Derick said he thought it was when their son, Freddy, was born in July 2022, to which Jill added, 'Was it that? Or was it a wedding? I can't remember.' 'It was a birthday thing or baby announcement. Some kind of family function,' she decided, to which Derick interjected, 'That was over a year ago.
' Nebraska Arkansas Jana Duggar Share or comment on this article: Jana Duggar, 34, marries bible studies leader who still lives with his parents after fearing she'd never wed (and sister Jill wasn't a bridesmaid) e-mail Add comment.
