JANA Duggar’s surprise wedding included a sweet moment with her mother, Michelle, before the star married Stephen Wissmann.
Photos from the big day show the eldest Duggar daughter getting some final primping from her mom before walking down the aisle to her husband on Thursday in what she described as a “dream come true.”
In one photo, Jana, 34, is seen standing in her off-the-shoulder white wedding gown with her long hair in curls hanging off to one side.
She is holding out her hand to show off her engagement ring and long polished nails while smiling through teary eyes at her mom.
Michelle, 57, can be seen standing just behind her, resting one hand on her back and the other on her arm.
Other photos show Jana and Stephen, 31, sharing a kiss in front of a classic car, and the happy couple posing with their wedding party.
The couple was also seen exchanging vows in another photo, sharing teary-eyed smiles while holding one another’s hands.
Photos, which were taken by Darian Ackerman, of Jana and her bridal party, and Stephen with his groomsmen show just how happy those closest to the couple were for them.
Jana posed for a pic surrounded by her sisters Jessa Duggar, Joy Anna Forsyth, Abbie Duggar, Jinger Duggar Vuolo, Johanna Duggar, and Jordy Duggar.
The bridal party is seen in the snap smiling up at Jana while some work to ensure her dress is perfect for the pics.
DREAM DAY
Jana and Stephen exchanged vows at a lavish venue called The Grand at Willow Springs, in Prairie Grove, Arkansas on August 15.
After the big day, she opened up about finally walking down the aisle, confessing to People that she “never” thought it would happen.
“I think it is one of those things that all girls envision someday,” she told the magazine.
“For me, it felt like, ‘Okay, it’s never coming.’ But now it’s starting to sink in.
“Reality is starting to set in. And I’m like, ‘Wow, this truly is something that I’ve dreamed of,'” she went on.
“And just to see it coming about is incredible and kind of hard to believe. It’s a dream come true.”
Duggar Family Tree
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How many children and grandchildren do Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar have?
- Jim Bob and Michelle are parents to 19 children
- The couple has nine girls and 10 boys and all of their children have names that begin with the letter J
- Joshua, Jana, John-David, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer, Jordyn-Grace, and Josie, were all raised in the family home in Tontitown, Arkansas
In addition to the siblings she invited to serve as bridesmaids, Jana invited Jill Dillard and Josh Duggar’s wife Anna Duggar to her wedding.
Her seldom-seen sibling, Justin Duggar, and his wife, Claire Duggar, also appeared in photos from the event.
Jill, 33, who has publicly distanced herself from her family and their strict religious beliefs, was invited as a guest but not given a role in the wedding.
The couple, both of whom come from massive families, said “I do” in front of 500 guests total.
HOME SWEET HOME
After tying the knot with Stephen, Jana is finally leaving her family’s home and moving into a house of her own.
She and her husband purchased a modest $275,000 house in Nebraska on May 31, 2023, as revealed by The U.S. Sun exclusively.
Nebraska property records show that only Stephen is listed on the deed for the house.
The home boasts 2,152 square feet and is situated on a .25-acre lot.
It has five bedrooms and two bathrooms.
The ranch-style property also had a basement, a two car garage and additional amenities.
In the backyard, there is a large storage shed, there are hardwood floors throughout the house, carpet in the bedrooms and tile in the bathrooms.
Jana revealed to People that she and Stephen have been renovating the house, which is slightly outdated.
“It’s great. We’ve been working, he has a little house we bought that we’ve been fixing up and getting pulled together, and so that’s been fun,” she said.
THEIR LOVE STORY
Jana and Stephen were first linked in December 2020, when they were spotted at several family events together.
“[The Wissmann’s] 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 Arkanasa,” she told People.
“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.”
The two dated briefly but decided it wasn’t the right fit.
Despite the split, they stayed in touch on and off through the years.
Earlier this year, they reconnected.
“It was like, ‘What are we doing? We still enjoy each other. We still really appreciate each other,'” she said.
“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 added.