'Joseph's Wedding' Recap

Counting On "Joseph's Wedding"

• Joe and Kendra’s wedding day has arrived! Just before noon, Kendra and her family members are leaving their home for the church. “I think my favorite thing I’m looking forward to is probably the first kiss,” says Kendra.
• At the Duggar home, Joseph is the only one left, and he is walking through the bedrooms placing letters on the pillows. “I wrote each of my siblings a letter, just thanking them for their influence in my life,” says the groom.
• At the church, Cindy and Jeremiah are finishing up the wedding design. “Because I’m not real familiar with the bride, I want to make sure she feels as honored as the Duggar girls,” says Cindy. Due to a mistake by the florist, some of the flowers won’t arrive in time for the wedding.
• “Joe is doing good,” says Jedidiah. “He’s never really too stressed. It is a little much for him…but I’m glad that I can be a part of Joe’s wedding.”
• “It will be sad to see Joe moving out, but it’s good that he’s next door pretty much, so he won’t be too far,” says Justin, who is a groomsman for the first time.
• “Joe and Kendra are two completers for each other,” says Kendra’s mom, Christina.
• Kendra puts on her wedding dress and then shows it off to her father, Paul Caldwell. Sewn into the dress is a ruffle from Christina’s dress. 
• “You remind me of your mommy when she was coming down the aisle,” says Paul when he sees his daughter. Kendra gives him a frame with a picture of the two of them, as well as a letter, “so that you can remember that you’re always my daddy.” The bride gets a bit emotional, as do her parents.
• Kendra heads to the sanctuary to take photos with her bridesmaids and flower girl (her little sister). 
• Jana uses makeup to cover up a scratch on Joseph’s nose, which he earned in a broomball match earlier that week. 
• “Y’all probably should have chose a different activity to do,” says Jana. “Kind of a rough thing to do right before a wedding.
• Jim Bob and Michelle sit down with Joseph for a few moments. “It was just very special getting to spend time with him and pray with him and give him some advice,” says Jim Bob.
• Michelle’s words of wisdom are “…not to go to sleep with anything between you and Kendra, just make things right, don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, speak kind words to one another always, cherish her, treat her with the utmost respect…”
• “You have a tendency maybe to be a man of few words, which can be good…but with your wife, make sure that everything she does for you, you praise her, you thank her,” says Jim Bob, encouraging his son to constantly verbalize his love for his wife.
• Meanwhile, some of the girls help sew Christina’s ruffle back on Kendra’s dress. “I think in different moments, we just all kind of pull together,” says Jana. “We don’t worry about, ‘Oh, well this was so-and-so’s job.’”
• In the guys’ room, Jim Bob and the groomsmen pray for Joseph. Everyone lines up, and Joseph walks his mom down the aisle before taking his place on stage. The processional begins, and Kendra and her father wait patiently at the back of the church. “If you fall, I’ll pick you up,” says Paul. “If I fall, just keep heading to Joe.”
• Best man Josiah escorts maid of honor Lauren, followed by the ring bearers and flower girl.
• The bride enters, and everyone stands. Joseph’s lip begins quivering, and he starts to cry. When he and Kendra arrive at the altar, Pastor Caldwell gives a short speech to Joseph, filled with advice and encouragement, seasoned with humor and emotion.
• “When she was born…I prayed, ‘Lord, I noticed you gave me a girl; just in case you don’t give me a son, would you make her a little bit like me?’ And he did. She began to throw fits, and cry, and whine. I said, ‘Wait a minute, Lord, that’s enough. Would you make her like her mother?’ And he did. She is sweet, hardworking, beautiful, has loving smiles all the time, loves to laugh, can cook and take care of children, and is a true blessing in our home. Then I prayed, ‘Lord, forgive me for being so selfish. Would you make her a little bit more like you?’ And he did.”
• “For the last 19 years and 28 days, we have done our part,” says Pastor Caldwell. “Today will start you doing your part.”
• Pastor Caldwell steps up on stage with Joe and Kendra, and the sermon begins. After the vows, ring exchange, and unity candle, the parents pray over Joe and Kendra, and the couple enjoys their first kiss! The power goes out just before Pastor Caldwell introduces them, which is perfect because it shows off the candles on the stage. Turns out the power outage is city-wide, so it takes a few minutes for it to be restored.
• At the reception, Joseph and Kendra do the usual cutting of the cake, followed by a sparkler sendoff. The couple drives off in a red pickup.