TLC star Jana Duggar, known for her appearances on “Counting On” and “19 Kids and Counting,” has officially tied the knot!
The eldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, 34, married Stephen Wissmann, 31, in a ceremony held in Prairie Grove, Arkansas, on Thursday.
The wedding took place two months after Jana and Stephen became engaged. Jana’s bridal party featured her sisters, including Jessa Duggar Seewald, who served as her maid of honor, along with Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johannah Duggar, Jinger Duggar Vuolo, and Jordyn Duggar.
Abbie Duggar, her sister-in-law, was also part of the bridal party. Jim Bob Duggar had the honor of walking his daughter down the aisle.
In a pre-wedding interview , Jana Duggar expressed her excitement, describing the wedding as “a dream come true.”
“Coming from two large families, we cherish moments when we can gather and celebrate together,” she said. “Having everyone there meant so much to us.”
The ceremony was held about half an hour from where Jana grew up with her siblings in Tontitown, Arkansas.
According to People, Stephen Wissmann is one of 13 siblings and resides in Nebraska with his family. His work involves installing irrigation systems, and he also engages in sandblasting and painting.
Jana Duggar plans to move from Arkansas to Nebraska to join Wissmann in a house they purchased and have been renovating together.
Jana and Stephen’s connection dates back more than a decade, having met through their families.
“I remember their family visiting our home about 13 years ago. They got snowed in, which is rare for Arkansas,” Jana shared.
“We spent time playing games and doing puzzles until the snow melted and they could head back home. At that time, Stephen wasn’t really on my radar since I was older and he was just a kid.”
Years later, the two reconnected and briefly dated before deciding to part ways. However, they stayed in touch, especially after Jana’s brother Jeremiah Duggar married Stephen’s sister, Hannah, in 2022.
Earlier this year, Jana and Stephen rekindled their romance, realizing that they still enjoyed and appreciated each other’s company.
“Counting On” aired for 11 seasons between 2015 and 2020, but TLC canceled the show in 2021 following the indictment of Jana’s older brother, Josh Duggar, on child pornography charges. Josh was later convicted and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The series was a spinoff of “19 Kids and Counting,” which aired from 2008 to 2015. TLC canceled the original show after it was revealed that Josh Duggar had sexually molested five young girls, including his sisters, when he was a teenager.
In 2022, the four-part docuseries “Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets” was released, exposing further controversies surrounding the Duggar family.
The series included allegations from the fourth Duggar child, Jill Duggar Dillard, and others against the once-revered reality TV family, known for their conservative values and large family.
The series also claimed that Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar had joined a cult led by an accused sexual predator when they were a young couple.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar responded to the docuseries, criticizing its portrayal of their family.
They stated that the Amazon Prime series “paints so much and so many in a derogatory and sensationalized way because sadly that’s the direction of entertainment these days.”
