Saturday, June 30, 2018

Message from Josiah and Lauren Duggar


Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson tied the knot today, and they could not be more thrilled. In the TLCme video below, the newlyweds share a message with viewers.


Photo/video courtesy of UP

168 comments:

  1. Congrats to the happy couple, I wish them nothing but many years of Love, Joy and happiness..cant wait to see the wedding on counting on

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  2. Congratulations to you both!

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  3. Like seeing new married couples. So in love and ecstatic. Congrats to them!

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  4. Congrats 2 Josiah and his bride, May U both have many Blessings!!

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  5. she is sooooooo stunning! what a sweet spirit she has. sooo excited and happy for you guys!

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  6. I hope your marriage is all you hoped it would be.

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  8. Very sweet, though Lauren spoke so softly I could not hear most of what she said except "living the dream". Seems Josiah is definitely the leader in the relationship. Which I know is the general model for marriage per IBLP beliefs; but the other wives have been much more assertive than Lauren has been so far. Though some of that could be her being camera-shy.

    There is also something strange about the goal to "spend time together as a couple" AFTER marriage. I certainly don't believe in "trial marriages" but I also doubt I could make a lifetime commitment to someone I'd never been alone with. Especially knowing a baby could arrive in as early as 9 months to end the "just the two of us" time in their lives.

    But it seems so far this system has worked for the vast majority of Duggar couples, so keeping my fingers crossed it will work out for Josiah and Lauren. I hope I will feel more positive about them after I see their relationship develop on TV. (I didn't warm up to Austin for a while, now he and Joy are one of my favorite Duggar couples.)

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    1. Actually it's not "IBLP" beliefs but Biblical beliefs. There are Christian couples not involved in that organization who follow the Biblical roles according to scripture.

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    2. Josiah is obviously the dominant personality. I think Lauren is too young to have developed any independent thoughts and will follow his lead as she's been reared to do that. I wouldn't make any assumptions about how happy the marriages are based on what the Duggars show the world. The only crack in their façade was when Josh was found out. Anna had little choice be to stay with him and ride out the storm.

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    3. She does seem very young (and dare I say, clingy?) in this video.

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    4. Anon @ 11:53 I am sorry but this young couple are involved in IBLP. We were first 'introduced' to Lauren earlier in the year when she appeared on stage with the duggars on their promotional trip to Australia for IBLP. Laurens father has spoken at many of the organisations conferences, and Josiah has attended the ALERT camp and promoted it. Whether fans like it or not this young couple are second generation ATI/IBLP, it will be interesting to see if they adopt the same 'rules' their parents did raising them, some of the others seem to have relaxed them or stopped following altogther.

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  9. Jinger stil had the most classy dress. And hair up is good for a bride.

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    1. Lauren's hair would've looked pretty in an updo.

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    2. Yeah, I don’t want to be mean, but since it wasn’t her wedding day you’d think she’d do something special. Her hair was more done on Easter than on her wedding day.

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    3. I wore my hair down on my wedding day. My husband loves my hair and putting it up wouldn’t have looked like me. Not everyone should wear their hair up just because they are getting married.

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    4. Always with the comparisons...

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  10. Why let Jana and Anna made the dresses? They get paid so just buy a dress.

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    1. I know! Poor Anna and Jana! All that work... couldn’t they buy an affordable one in a store?

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    2. The duggars believe the brides family pay for the wedding (explained in Earlie episode and book) and grooms family pay for rehearsal dinner. So that's why Anna had such a basic wedding & made hers & I'm guessing why they now had such a basic dress & home made dresses to save money.

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    3. Why do you assume that Anna and Jana didn’t volunteer to make the dresses? They weren’t forced to make them. I am sure they could have found someone else who sews if they didn’t want to.

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    4. There's absolutely nothing wrong with making the bridesmaid dresses. In our Mennonite community we sew our dresses well as the bride's dress. We see it as service for the Lord.

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    5. The Duggars are not Mennonite and have gladly gone off to be filmed buying expensive wedding dresses. If Lauren's bridesmaids couldn't afford bought dresses, then the Duggar family or TLC could have stepped in to provide. This was more work for Jana, who is already worked hard enough with these weddings.

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    6. With the cost of material and notions plus the patterns, it can be very expensive to sew the dresses from scratch. Sewing a dress, using a pattern,is not difficult to do. However, it can be a challenge if you use unforgiving material, the type of material used in many bride maid dresses. Given that the Duggars weddings usually have 6 or 7 brideemaids, that is too much work for such a short time.

      Seems a bit strange to me that Jana and Anna made the dresses. Bridesmaids usually pay for their own dresses. The bride does not buy the dresses. And it is very possible to find inexpensive dresses online. Why go to expensive and effort for dresses that will be worn only once,for a few hours.

      Here,these days young couples no longer follow the tradition of the girl's parents paying for the wedding. The couple pay for the own wedding,with both sets of parents helping out. Marriage is viewed as a union of equals. And if one or both cannot afford to pay for their own wedding, however modest, they should not get married.

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    7. I find it funny that everyone presumes "poor Jana" every time she does something nice for her family. In most families, it is a sign of love to help out. Too many dysfunctional families focus on each person doing their own thing then wonder why they later feel so lonely.

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    8. Jana and Anna are grown women and are not slaves. I paid my daughter to make me some pajama shorts bc she is really good at making them, they are cuter than what stores sell, and she likes doing that to make money. My other daughter enjoys making quilts. She makes better looking, more creative looking quilts than anyone I know who sells them. So, I am paying her to make me one rather than buy one. Things made for you personally can't be bought retail. Most likely no one will have a quilt or pajama shorts like mine bc I picked each fabric personally and they are unique. Anyone looking to start drama here, go find Peace.

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    9. Anna and Jana have such sweet, giving hearts! They love all the aspects of home-making, and are good at it, and probably enjoyed making the dresses! And maybe Lauren couldn't find the exact dresses she wanted so they made them. I'm sure the older girls weren't forced to sew the dresses! Definitely an act of love to their new sister-in-law!

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    10. Some may feel sad for Anna and Jana but maybe they wanted to do it as a gift for the couple.

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    11. Perhaps it was simply a color or style choice. Jana and Anna are wonderful seamstresses and no doubt did a great job.....they aren’t martyrs and there is no reason to pity them.

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  11. Congratulations you two such a sweet young couple

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  12. Congrats 2 u both on ur special day 💒💐💐

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  13. Can't get 2 watch the clip in
    Scotland UK

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    1. See 'YouTube' in UK! 💒❤🙏

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  14. Yes, congratulations to them. I hope they'll be happy. I have to say I disagree with the 'ecstatic couple comment'. No, Josiah does NOT look ecstatic to me; he comes across as complacent and not really 'excited' about this chapter in HIS life at all IMO.
    He stated to slow down the first year after marriage....what is he going to do about money this first year of marriage? I really thing these people have an unrealistic view of their lives together. It's not all rainbows and candy. I think we all know what to expect for their first year of marriage....a baby will be here within a year from now....slowing down on work? I don't think so. Having said this, where are they going to live and just what does Josiah do for a living?

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    1. I have to agree. Lauren exuded happiness. Josiah was the most methodical least excited groom I’ve ever seen, especially since they had just been pronounced husband and wife. He could just as easily been explaining a new career choice or plans for building a house. I’m sure he’s happy and loves Lauren. But he seems overwhelmed and exhausted, like the day caught up with him. I wonder if tlc pushes these weddings before the couple is entirely prepared for it.

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    2. weddings have a way of exhausting you before they ever happen. Let's hope that this marriage will be a great match and that Josiah is truly just exhausted.

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    3. Gotta agree. Josiah actually sounded as though he was bored in this video.

      I'm also confused by the "slow down" comment. Seems like confirmation that these relationships progress too quickly (at least for Josiah some).

      tbh I've never heard a freshly married person say their first goal was to slow down and really get to know their spouse... Even for the ones who were in a relationship for less than a year before marriage I have never heard this. It really points out how weird relationships and marriage are for the duggars.

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    4. I have a feeling Josiah is very excited... he probably just doesn’t want to interview now, he wants to get some alone time with his new wife :)
      Also, I think Lauren’s dress might be my new favorite out of all the girls. Super elegant and beautiful. Jessas dress was my favorite up until now.

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    5. Men don't usually get so excited about things like this. It's the bride and that's perfectly ok. The men enjoy what happens the night of :)

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    6. I find it very tacky and offensive when people say men get married "for the wedding night." Anyone who would enter into a lifelong commitment such as marriage would be extremely immature to do so because of an expected "wedding night." It's a very crass thing to say and implies that the value of a woman is what she provides on the wedding night. Gross.

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    7. I agree, 12:31. Comments about the wedding night, wink, wink, are crass.

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    8. 12:31pm, Thank you! Marriage is so much more than the wedding night. It is selling men short to think that they prioritize the physical over their marriage vows.

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    9. ITA Anon at 1231PM. Comments like these also imply women DON'T enjoy or look forward to what happens the night of the wedding. While sadly this is indeed true for many couples, that doesn't mean that's what married intimacy should be, something only the husband enjoys and is just a dutiful chore for the wife.

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    10. @ 12:31 Haven't we heard the Duggars themselves joke about what they're looking forward to most about the wedding? Didn't Jim Bob actually say that one time?

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    11. 2:34 - I think that Jim Bob's jokes about his children's wedding nights and "hey hey hey" are also inappropriate and crass.
      However, the Duggars do talk about the importance of marriage vows as well. Saying that a husband isn't excited about the wedding ceremony implies that he is only going through the motions for the wedding night. That doesn't bode well for a marriage.

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  15. Josiah seems tired. That guy is worn out and needs rest. So where are they going to live? There are no more grandma cabins on Jim Bob’s land.

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    1. In a trailer on the land.

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    2. Austin and Joy probably don't need the RV any longer.

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  16. She is so beautiful. Josiah is a lucky man. I wonder where TLC is sending them on their honeymoon though.

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  17. Uriah and Myrtle Bogdonavich and FamilyJuly 1, 2018 at 7:30 AM

    Congratulations. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.

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  18. I guess we will be seeing this wedding (via TLC) next Dec.

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  19. Hi Ellie
    It's amazing but sadly I'm from Ireland and can't seem to be able to watch any of the recent clips you have shown in the past few weeks. It says something about the video not being available in my region. Would you be able to recommend a place to watch them.

    Many Thanks
    Becky

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    1. Hi Becky,

      Unfortunately, TLC clips often have regional restrictions. Most are uploaded to YouTube eventually, and when they are, I post them for my international readers.

      Have a blessed day. I'm grateful to have you as a reader.
      Ellie

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    2. Thank you Ellie, that's useful and I'll keep an eye out on YouTube for them!

      Yeah I have been following your blogs now since I first discovered the Duggars when I was about 14 and the Bates a year or so later. I've just turned 18 and I love following the blogs, love yours with so many useful tips and beautiful places you travel as I have similar plans in mind to travel, and I love keeping up with both families!

      Blessings Becky 😁

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  20. Congratulations! May god bless you with many happy years together!

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  21. Her hair should be up.

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    1. Her hair looks pretty the way it is.

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    2. You wear your own hair up.

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    3. My friend had her hair down. It's curly and shorter but she looked so nice and natural

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  22. Congratulations, you're both beautiful people and can't wait to hear the pregnancy announcement! <3 ^•^

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  23. She's so pretty and her dress was lovely. I hope they'll be happy together.

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    1. Have you seen any other pictures besides the one or two here? All I see is a simple white dress. I'm wondering if I'm missing something.

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  24. Congratulations to Josiah and Lauren Duggar. You are a beautiful couple. God Bless you both with many happy years together. I can't wait to see the wedding on Counting On!

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  25. Congratulations Josiah and Lauren!

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  26. Here comes another baby next spring!

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    1. Don't make assumptions. Maybe they don't want children. Also, she is only 19. Hopefully they wait and have some time for just the two of them if they are going to have kids.

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    2. @22:42pm

      Yeah, it's not going happen!😊

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    3. @12:42 PM Joy was 19 when she got married and pregnant. Kendra married 1 month after her 19th birthday and fell pregnant right away. Anna married Josh at 20.

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  27. Can't wait to see their wedding on Counting On, I love to see the wedding party and see who was in the wedding.... I love the gray suit and the wedding dress. So much is going on with the Duggar family, happy for them. I don't think John David and Abbie will wait to long to get married, happy for them too...

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  28. Congratulations

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  29. Congrats!!! So happy for you guys!!!

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  30. God will rule your lives, and you will benefit greatly from it.

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  31. I love how he said that he wanted to slow down now that they’re married. The first year of marriage is so important and I’m so happy that he is looking forward to spending some quality time with his wife!

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    1. Most young couples just started out are working hard just to keep their heads above water financially. Slowing down has to be saved for retirement.

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    2. I think he's been taken a little by surprise by all the preparation and emotional energy expended when it's your very own wedding.
      Not sure if they'll slow down if L falls pregnant quickly.

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    3. yes, the first year of marriage is amazing and should be spent getting to know your spouse on a completely different level. It's hard going from being chaperoned 24/7, no physical contact and not living together to becoming husband and wife and living together.... unfortunately Lauren will be pregnant quickly and there will be a baby in 40 weeks. Yes babies are a blessing but adding a baby into your marriage before you had the chance to be a couple and live as a couple and have time alone before kids.. well it could have serious consequences and cause relationships to fail to blossom

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    4. Marriage is a marathon, not a sprint. You need to pace yourself. If you slow down at the start, you're going to set the pace that you have lots of time for your wife, and she'll get used to that. Then what happens when life speeds up, as it inevitably does, and you can't give her that much attention? Will she be resentful? Will she be unhappy?

      They need to be realistic. "Start out the way you mean to finish." Honeymoons end and you have to be able to cope with reality. The most adjusted couples have learned how to balance life's obligations with their personal life. Josiah and Lauren are delaying this lesson for a year with some starry-eyed notion that they can slow life down. Time goes by at the speed of light and you can't stop it.

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    5. I would hope that you knew your spouse on that 'completely different level' before you ever said I Do. After you're married is not the time to really get to know someone. Too many hasty brides have been unpleasantly surprised down the line when they tried this.

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    6. As was wisely written in Pride and Prejudice, there's plenty of time to get acquainted after they are married!

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    7. They don't really know eachother. I think it is a good idea slow down

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    8. Slow down from what? They've been at a crawl up to the wedding. Now's the time to kick it into gear!

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    9. Thank goodness most people these days don't have to act like Jane Austin characters!

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    10. Slow down from what?!?!

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    11. Josiah said specifically that he was going to "slow down on as much work stuff as I can" during his first year of marriage. He did NOT state he was slowing down the relationship itself.

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  32. Is there any way for EU based fans to see their message? Somehow everything from TLC/Discovery gets blocked :( Lily and Ellie, will you post the YouTube clip?

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  33. So very happy for this lovely couple, Josiah has always been my favourite Duggar boy & im thrilled he has found his soulmate. May you both be very happy together. Love you guys 💗

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  34. Congratulations on your wedding & also on keeping the date a secret! Josiah, your God given sense of humor will be an asset as a husband, employ it generously! Blessed wishes! ❤

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  35. Congratulations! May God Bless you both!!

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  36. Lauren seems sooooo sweet. Congratulations to both of you!

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    1. I also think Lauren seems very sweet and kind!! I can tell that he really loves her!

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  37. Lauren looks radiant, Josiah looks tired and I don't understand Josiah wearing a black tie, - it's usually a colour when worn with a suit for funerals or mourning, odd! - But the tie is a minor detail as hoping they enjoy these early days of married life together.

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    1. Looks to me like their colors were black, gray and white.Not that it should matter to anyone but them.

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    2. The tie gave me winter wedding vibes instead of summer wedding.

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    3. Wearing a black tie designates a formal event. Many people even use the phrase, "black tie" in invitations to convey that they are requesting formal attire for guests.

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    4. OP is just trying to stir the pot, and insinuate that Josiah was forced into his marriage like other people have been saying. Ignore the trolls and they will get tired of their charades.

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    5. 9.50pm black tie here in U.K. means tuxedo suit and black bow tie not a morning suit with black tie. Is it different then in the US?

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    6. "Black tie" for a wedding in the US does mean tuxedo and black bow tie. "White tie" is a notch above that, even more formal. "Semi-Formal" or "Black Tie Optional" would be where you wear a dark suit and a dark (long) tie.

      I thought a "suit" in the US meant "lounge suit" in the UK, and "morning suit" in the UK meant a cutaway jacket (with tails), often with gray as the color for the vest, pants, or hat (like Ascot attire).

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    7. Better than wearing pink...i think they call it salmon..

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  38. Sorry we did not see it as our Irish tic would not let me in they look so good hope they have a happy life from a big fan

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  39. My husband and I could afford 5 days off after our wedding. Can’t imagine a whole year.

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    1. Josiah didn't say he wouldn't do any work for the next year, just that he'd "slow things down" and focus on his relationship with his wife. I know he has a real estate license, and assuming he works for the family business that DOES allow for him to be flexible with his time. Not to mention what TLC and People are paying him.

      Of course not all people are fortunate enough to do this, but if he can afford it, I don't begrudge it. Especially considering the high chance that a baby will come along before that year is up, I think it's great that he wants to focus on his marriage in its early stages.

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    2. Josiah didn't say he taking a year a off. He said he was going to s low down. I presume he means that for the first year he is not going to allow pressure from work to take over. Rather deal with an unimpressed boss, than work long over time.

      Congrats to this couple. They are young, but both of them seem mature for their ages.

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    3. My husband was in the military. We got married between deployments. There was no honeymoon trip. It was back to work immediately, after a few days off to get married. Slow down for the first year? HA! Unless you count Uncle Sam taking him away for more than half of each year. We stuck it out though. After the military, it's been a high-pressure job that still keeps him busy, but that's life. He'll be retiring soon after nearly 40 years with that company. That's when you slow down, not when you're in your 20's.

      I can't help but think of our parents' generation, the WWII couples who got married and immediately had to say goodbye for years, never knowing if their spouses would come back from the war. The Duggar kids have no concept of what it's like to work for someone else who calls the shots, let alone be obligated to the military. But that builds character.

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    4. I can’t see the video because I’m ousted the USA, did they say they are taking the whole year off?!?

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    5. Surely they didn't mean that Josiah wouldn't WORK for a year.

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    6. He didn’t say he was taking a year off. He said that he was going to slow things down for the first year. I took that to mean not working sixty hour weeks and not planning a lot of ministry events and activities. He wants to focus on his marriage which is a wonderful thing.

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    7. I can’t believe the assumptions that happen after a comment from Josiah that “he will slow down”, perhaps he means less travel or social engagements. These are young people speaking off the cuff who owe no one an explanation about their choices. I simply heard him say that they want to build a solid foundation for their marriage by focusing on each other. I’m gonna watch and see what they do with this year, it will play out on Counting On eventually.

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    8. I thought it was nice he was saying he wanted to focus on building a good marriage. That's what I took from his 'slow down' message. Everyone chooses what kind of life they want. If you want to work for someone else, great. If you want to be self-employed, great. Advantages and disadvantages to both. Strange to see so many judgemental comments about a young couple finding their way. I wish them well!

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    9. Josiah does not really have any important job. It's either used cars lot or real estate. Lauren is 19 and was living with her parents, waiting to get married. His family's show is on TV and gives a stable income. They can take as much time as they want. Look at Derick, he has not worked for a yeah and doing ok.

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    10. I doubt the older Duggar kids are just lazily hanging out with no "real" job. But while they don't owe anyone explanations, it is true that unlike another TV show about a family with 19 kids, the Counting On show doesn't actually SHOW the Duggars or their in-laws working. About the only exception was Austin being shown working on a house flipping project. We know Jeremy's a pastor but I don't recall the show actually showing him preaching.

      So it's understandable that many fans would assume they must all be just living off the TV and tabloid money. I'm actually surprised no one replied to this post asking "Josiah's talking about slowing down his work commitments? I didn't know he even HAD a job in the first place!"

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    11. Oh my gosh, all the judgy attitudes in here...

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    12. It he had a job surely everyone would know about it. These are the same people who invite everyone to see their births on a show and who invite people to see their weddings on tv. They invite people to see them on vacations, so why would a job he something that is private to them? They clearly do not have jobs, they have hobbies if anything.

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    13. Slowing down during the first year is such a bizarre comment. I don't know anyone who's ever said that, let alone had the ability to do any sort of slowing down after adding the responsibility of marriage to already busy working lives.

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    14. That's reality, 2:10!!!!

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    15. I was so taken aback by the way Josiah talked, being the one to make the plans for their first year, seemingly without discussing it with Lauren. I don’t know why, but it really bothered me for Lauren.

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    16. Anon @8:25, And you know that they didn't discuss it beforehand, how?

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    17. Anon 7:55 - I said “seemingly” which, to me, is like saying, “In my opinion . . .” Also, he used “I” a lot, as opposed to “we.” That’s how I came to my own conclusions.

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  40. Congratulations!

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  41. Congratulations to the happy loving couple!!! Wish this married couple a lifetime of happiness and love!!!

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  42. Baby on the way,sooooooon!

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    1. Perhaps they will be like Jinger and Jeremy and wait a bit....

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    2. Hopefully not that soon! She is only 19! There is no need to rush into parenthood. They should take a few years to work and travel before having children. Also, please keep in mind that not everybody wants children. Do not assume that just because Lauren is a woman that she wants children. I am a teacher and love my students, but don't want my own children. Many people automatically assume that I am going to have kids and it has led to some very awkward and uncomfortable conversations, particularly with my older, conservative relatives.

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    3. 12:46, people aren’t assuming she wants kids because she’s a woman, their assuming because of the family she married into and because they are a part of the IBLP

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    4. It is how they were brought up..no birth control. Jeremy was older when he got married. He had been in the world, probably knew something about birth control.

      This couple are very young, with no experience of the world. I doubt that their education included learning about different types of birth control.

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    5. For the way Jeremy and Jinger expressed anything related to babies I dont think they intended to not having them. I think it just didnt happen for the 1st year.

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    6. I've wondered that about Jeremy and if he's had other 'relationships' before Jinger. If he has, obviously JB and M were ok with it for him to marry their daughter. Jinger has a good guy!

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    7. If Jeremy dated in college or after, nobody has come forward with stories to tell.

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    8. 7:33. We are all in the world. We still live on planet Earth. What a strange thing to say.

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  43. Time 10;43Am Mon 7/2/18
    Congrats to the new Mr & MRS D.

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  44. Compare this clip to that of John David and Abbie (which is so light and airy). Lauren is holding on to Josiah for dear life and he clearly looks worn out from the dynamic. To me he looks like he has just recently realized that he is now a grownup; taking on a huge responsibility for the rest of his life. They will make a fine life together and work out their roles - but it is sobering to see a young man already tired on his wedding day. That being said, many couples jump into this thinking it will be all rainbows and butterflies - so kudos to him for his maturity.

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    1. Or maybe he was staying up late one last time w/ his siblings and parents, or packing, or couldn't fall asleep or any number of things that might make him tired on his wedding day.

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  45. Yep. Pregnancy announcement by September, baby in April.

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    1. Faster than you can say Tater Tot. I don't know how they think they will "slow down the first year" if they follow the parenting pattern of most of the other Duggars.

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  46. I'm not sure how Josiah plans on "slowing down" life. These young couples don't use BC because it's against their family beliefs so it's highly likely they'll have a baby before the year is up and you don't "slow down" when there's baby in the house. I'm sure there will be a reality check for both of them once the honeymoon is over.

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  47. He looks tired and not really in love. Just be married becouse he have to. Not becouse he really wants it to be.

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    1. I thought quite the opposite! They both were glowing to me!

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    2. I agree, he seems tired and not really happy.

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    3. They both look so happy and in love!

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    4. He looks happy, she looks happy! They both seem very much in love!

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  48. Stop with all this pregnancy stuff, and let them have a married life first!!!!!

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  49. Black Tie invitations signify that a tuxedo for men must be worn and an evening formal is worn for women.
    Semi-Formal means suit and tie for men and dinner dresses for women, formal knee length.
    I rarely have seen a groom wear a nice gray suit like Josiah did, (it was well fitted) but not with a regular BLACK tie. Just to set the record straight on "black tie events'.

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    1. Who cares what he wore and if it was "proper" according to Miss Manners. He was well dressed and looked good.

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  50. are u sure she is only 18 i think shes at least a good 5 years older than that

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    1. I think Lauren knows her own age, and many people look older than they actually are.

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    2. Is that age comment really necessary?

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  51. Congratulations to the newlyweds. I know taking a year off to get to know your wife is an Old Testament practice. While most of us financially can not afford such a luxury, we can perhaps gleen the wisdom to put on hold whatever is not necessary for a period of time.

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    1. I didn't get the impression that Josiah meant he wasn't going to work at all, but rather that he meant to cut back on work. Most of us don't even have that option if we want to keep a roof over our heads, but evidently he does.

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  52. I still believe the time to 'get to know your spouse' is BEFORE agreeing to marry. It absolutely does NOT have to include indulging in marital intimacy. These kids really do marry strangers. What happens if you 'discover that you don't like what you have learned about them?"

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    1. But there's really no way for us to know that they DON'T know their spouse before they get married. I know couples who've only known their future spouse for a couple of months, but spoke more about the important things in those months (by phone) than most people will in several years.

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    2. I don't recall Josiah saying he was planning on spending his first year getting to know Lauren, but that he was planning on focus on building his relationship with his wife.

      Many people here have opined that married couples in general, not just one that followed strict courting rules, should ideally NOT have children right away but spend at least a year building a strong foundation for the marriage first, and have often praised Jeremy and Jinger for doing that.

      So it seems Josiah is applying the same principle but to his work life and not his domestic life. As for what he does for a living, he has a real estate license, even if he's working for his father that doesn't mean he doesn't earn his own money from his work, in addition to whatever he gets from TLC. Yes, not everyone can afford to "slow down" on work commitments, BUT if Josiah can, then why not? Much of the critique seems rooted in envy to me.

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    3. In the type of marriage the Duggars and their associates have, you pretty much have to "lump it". Look what happened to Anna.

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    4. In the Old Testament, when soldiers were married they were given a year leave of duty to set-up home and relationship. In the past couples took month long honeymoons to get to know each other as husband and wife. In todays anything goes, fast-track relationships, not much is left to the imagination before marriage. If you do not understand what Josiah meant then you espouse a different world-view and no dialogue will change your mind set. However, for many christians, (not just fundamentals) we get it and it is noble and precious.

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    5. 8:22pm Christians are not bound to Old Testament law. Further, that passage refers to military and public service rather than foresaking all work. Josiah wouldn't be separated from Lauren like those in the military from their spouses.
      Knowing your spouse prior to marriage is something to be celebrated not looked down upon as too modern. That doesn't mean physical intimacy, it means their personality, interests, and quirks.
      Josiah and Lauren's relationship went by so quickly that they may actually need the year to get to really know one another.

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  53. May God richly bless you and may He use you both to bring much seed bearing fruit to the glory of His name! Never met you, but love you guys!! And your family

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  54. Like Ben with Jessa, and Jill with Derrick ?

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  55. Have anyone who thinks Josiah is NOT HAPPY, maybe before he made the video, he was saying goodbye to someone, weddings make emotions come out, and maybe Josiah was sad about leaving he family. Josiah is VERY, family oriented, and that is why Josiah is sad!!!!!! Cause, he is leaving his family!!!!

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    1. Josiah and Lauren are staying local, Josh commented how happy he was they would be close by. He supposedly works in the family business which allows him to see his family frequently. He's moving out of the crowded boys' room and gaining some independence not leaving the family umbrella.

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    2. WOW, maybe if U feel that way don't watch the Duggars then!! Josiah's is a kind person!!!!!

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    3. Josiah isn't leaving his family though. His situation is not like Jinger living states away or when Jill was in Central America. He and Lauren may frequent the Duggar big house like Jessa does.

      He can still be family oriented in his new life with Lauren. Being happy to be independent doesn't mean that he is unkind or that he doesn't care about his family. It's a fact that he no longer has to share a room with 7 of his brothers and his cousin. At the very least, he gets more privacy.

      The best part is he gets to start a new life with the woman he loves. Hopefully, if he was sad about leaving home, the excitement of starting his life with Lauren quickly took over.

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  56. Their wedding photos are beautiful! They look so in love!

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  57. Josiah and Lauren looked very happy! I saw them at their wedding! They very much looked enamored!

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  58. To anon 5:15 so only people who have lots of money should get married? How much is enough for you? I only spent a thousand dollars to get married and have stayed faithful and loving to my husband for 22 years.I had a homemade veil to go with my dress.

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  59. The pictures look great! They look like a royal couple.

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