Josiah Duggar Reveals How He Practiced Kissing Before the Wedding

These days, Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson are all over each other. But just a few months ago, they had never even kissed.

In the restrictive world of the Duggars, the first kiss is very public — because it"s at your wedding, in front of everyone you know.

Josiah is revealing how he prepared for his very first kiss: he practiced on his hand. See the video:

In the teaser for Monday night"s Counting On finale, Josiah is just hours away from marrying Lauren Swanson.

23-year-old Joseph Duggar is a married man himself.

He figured that he should pass on some advice to his brother about what he learned from tying the knot with Kendra Caldwell.

"As far as the first kiss goes," Joseph says. "I mean, I’m sure you can figure it out"

"It’s not really that complicated," he assures his slightly younger brother.

"I asked her just to stay … kinda as still as she could … and then kind of go with it," Josiah says awkwardly.

"That’s what we did," Joseph replies.

"Either one side or the other," Joseph adds. "But it looks better when the guy goes, I think."

"I don’t think you’re going to have a problem," Joseph suspects.

He credits his optimism to communication, because: "y’all probably already talked about it."

Witha  little prompting from a producer, Josiah reveals a little more to the Counting On cameras.

"I was thinking, you know what? I wonder what it feels like," Josiah shares.

To be clear, he"s talking about kissing — not the wedding night.

"So I practiced on my hand," Josiah reveals. "I think practicing on my hand was just to see what it felt like from her side."

"You can’t kiss a tree and expect to see what it’s going to feel like for her," Josiah reasons.

Well … he"s not wrong. Lauren is not a tree.

"So if you kiss on your hand, you can feel … like, ‘Okay, maybe I should make my lips more full,’ or whatever," Josiah continues.

That helped him, Josiah explains, to practice "and kind of think of it from that perspective."

"You’ve got to think about it!" Josiah explains.

Obviously, practicing for something like the wedding night using his hand would be strictly forbidden in the Duggar household.

We suppose that kissing his hand must be okay. We hope.

Still speaking to the camera, Josiah gushes about this major life milestone.

"It is interesting to think this is the first day in my life I get to kiss a girl," Josiah says.

He clarifies that he will be kissing Lauren "right smack dab on the lips."

"I mean, it’s special," Josiah shares. "It really is a special moment for us."

"And I’ll try to make sure it’s not just a peck," Josiah promises. "I’ll make sure it’s good."

Most of us have probably seen one viral video or another of a fundamentalist wedding where the bride and groom had never kissed.

These videos go viral because, well, the first kiss ends up being painfully awkward to watch.

While it"s a shame that the Duggars aren"t raised with real choices and personal freedoms, Josiah has seen a lot of weddings.

At 22, his first kiss was probably a little more prepared than a normal person"s at 12 or 15 or 19 or whatever.

We"ll find out on Monday night"s Counting On season finale!

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Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson: ALL Over Each Other on Instagram!

MAJOR PDA ALERT!

We repeat:

MAJOR PDA ALERT!

By Duggar standards at least, that is.

In a new Instagram photo of Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson (not the one above), these two crazy and in-love kids are getting hot, heavy and very steamy in front of their many social media followers.

The couple, who stunned fans by getting married in late June, may not have swapped any spit until becoming husband and wife…

… but they’re clearly making up for lost tonsil hockey time these days.

More into public displays of affection that most members of their famous family, Lauren and Josiah are seemingly always touching and kissing, perhaps never more so than in the red hot new photo below.

Check it out now!

The stars shared the photo on their joint Instagram account, including with it a very simple caption of a heart emoji.

And nothing else.

Because what ekse even needs to be said, right?

“What a joy it is to be husband and wife!” Josiah and Lauren told People Magzine shorly after they exchanged vows in Arkansas this summer, adding at the time:

“Our wedding day was absolutely perfect!”

The pair had reportedly been planning a December wedding and hadn’t even announced the major change of date prior to shocking fans with these June nuptials.

As a result, a natural question has since been asked of Lauren and Josiah:

IS SWANSON PREGNANT?

Was this what many people refer to as a “shotgun wedding?”

Thus far, neigher Swanson nor Duggar has said one way or the other — but the former is not showing any baby bump just yet, for whatever that is worth.

“From walking down the aisle, to looking in his eyes and saying the vows was probably one of my favorite moments,” Lauren later said in a TLC-produced video.

In this same video, Josiah said the following:

“What we’re looking forward to…is really spending time with each other as a couple, and really slowing down.

“For me, I made a priority years ago, for my first year of marriage especially, to just slow down on as much work stuff as I can and really focus on our relationship with each other.”

Slow down, huh?

It doesn’t sound like someone ready to be a father just yet, does it?

“It’s been especially fun to simply work on setting up our house together and just settle into life,” the couple expressed a short time after their marriage, speaking to Us Weekly, concluding in July:

“We’re enjoying dreaming and thinking of the future together.”

Take a look through photos from their wedding below:

View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Relive Their Whirlwind Courtship on Counting On!

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Jinger Duggar Is Besties With Josiah Duggar"s Ex and Fans Can"t Handle It

Back in June, Josiah Duggar married Lauren Swanson in a ceremony that pretty much matched the blueprint for all Duggar weddings that preceded it.

But there was one important difference with Lauren and Josiah’s nuptials.

You see, unlike his siblings, when Josiah met his spouse, he was already no stranger in the ways of love.

In fact, he had extensive experience with hand-holding, chaperoned dates, and, yes … even side side-hugs.

As you may recall Josiah courted Marjorie Jackson before he met Lauren.

The relationship ended abruptly and without explanation after just three months.

Josiah later offered a vague explanation for his breakup with Marjorie, but fans still felt confused.

After all, Josiah and Marjorie may have been young, but the expectations for dating Duggars are extremely high and very specific.

The family describes courtship as “dating with a purpose” — that purpose being marriage, of course.

It’s unheard of for Duggar couples to call it quits after announcing a courtship, which is why fans were so weirded out when Josiah and Marjorie quietly went their separate ways.

And it’s also why they were confused a second time this week when Jinger Duggar’s husband Jeremy Vuolo posted the above photo on Instagram.

“A thoughtful birthday gift from my lovely wife: handwritten calligraphy of the words ‘Og mit liv’ for my office,” Jeremy explained in the caption.

Jeremy went on to explain that the quote comes from a missionary he admires.

But it’s the end of the caption that really caught his followers’ attention.

“Calligraphy by @marjorie.e.jackson,” Vuolo wrote.

Yes, that’s the very same Marjorie Jackson that courted Josiah.

Now, the Duggars are said to be a forgiving lot, so we guess it’s not terribly surprising that they’re not big on holding grudges.

But it’s worth noting that Josiah and Marjorie’s breakup was no amicable parting of ways.

Fans only learned of the split when Josiah deleted every photo of his ex from his Instagram page.

At one point, sources claimed the Duggars were concerned that Marjorie would write a tell-all about her time with the family.

So you can see why so many were caught off guard by the fact that Marjorie maintains ties with the family.

Of course, it makes sense that Jim Bob would keep a young, single fundamentalist like Marjorie in his Rolodex.

Dude has a lot of sons to marry off yet.

View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Relive Their Whirlwind Courtship on Counting On!

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Lauren Swanson Wears Nude Heels (!!!), Pays Tribute to Josiah Duggar

Lauren Swanson has gotten naked, folks.

Kind of. Sort of.

Okay, not really at all.

But the newlywed wife of Josiah Duggar has made headlines both for what she just wrote about her husband on Instagram and for what she wore while doing so.

Yes, to be more clear, of course Swanson wore clothing.

She isn’t that much of a rule-breaker.

She hasn’t gone full Cardi B on her conservative in-laws or anything.

But Swanson did get all dolled up in a flowing green skirt, striped top and nude heels to pose alongside Josiah and write the following over the weekend:

“Can’t believe it’s almost been 2 months since I married my best friend!!!’

She concluded with the hashtags “#2monthiversary #marriageisthebest #amazonoutfit.”

Swason and Duggar got married on June 30, shocking fans and supporters because they had not confirmed their wedding date ahead of time.

The ceremony took place at John Brown University Cathedral of the Ozarks in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

It was officiated by Lauren’s father and the couple gushed afterward to People Magazine:

“What a joy it is to be husband and wife! Our wedding day was absolutely perfect!” 

And then Duggar on his own stated:

“What was even more perfect was to see my beautiful bride walking down the aisle.

“We are so thankful the Lord has brought us to this place and we can’t wait to begin our journey as husband and wife!”

Ever since their big day, there’s been speculation that Swanson is pregnant, which would explain why the stars moved so quickly to exchange their vows.

This speculation has not been verified, however.

But while having sex and getting pregnant before marriage would be the ultimate in Duggar family rule-breaking, Swanson’s ensemble in the photo far above isn’t that far off.

(Okay, fine. It’s pretty far off from premarital sex. But it’s still very very frowned upon by Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar.)

According to TLC.com:

“You won’t catch any of the Duggar girls in trendy crop tops or mini skirts. Instead, they practice modest dress, which means keeping shoulders, thighs, and cleavage covered.

“Not only does it prevent distractions while dating, but it also ‘keeps the relationship pure’ according to Michelle.”

Is Swanson exposing any cleavage in the photo in question? No.

But she’s coming close to a dress that goes above the knee and some might label those “f-ck me heels” and she also shared the image directly above on Instagram.

It features her and Josiah making out in the dark — and while some may interpret it as sweet and artistic, the elder Duggars may interpret it as akin to pornography.

We’re not kidding.

And neither was Josiah when he said THIS about marriage, keeping it as real as one can about this blessed union.

Check out pictures from Duggar and Swanson’s wedding below, including the very first look at their very first kiss:

View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Relive Their Whirlwind Courtship on Counting On!

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Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson: Look at Us On Our Honeymoon!

Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson are currently in their honeymoon phase of marriage.

And we mean this literally:

The newlyweds are actively in Vienna, Austria, having the time of their lives after making the romantic committment of their lives.

Duggar and Swanson shared the snapshot above of themselves on this special vacation, with Josiah adding in an extended comment to Us Weekly:

“We’re so excited to be in Vienna on our honeymoon and spending this time together!

“It’s a beautiful place, with a beautiful wife. What more could a guy ask for than that?

“We are loving every minute of it. It’s still mind-blowing to think that we have the rest of our lives together. God’s goodness is overwhelming!”

Swanson also chimed in with a glowing remark about her husband and their trip.

She even included a note about why the couple selected Austria for their destination.

“We chose Austria for our honeymoon because The Sound of Music,” Swanson told the aforementioned tabloid, adding in more detail:

“I’ve always wanted to come here and I’m loving all the scenery and traditional Austrian clothing. I am also loving the people and the culture.

“Travel like this reminds me that people everywhere are really the same, even if the culture and some experiences are different. People everywhere want joy, happiness and good things for their children and so much more.

“This trip makes me love people and desire to deliver God’s love and care to people more than ever before.”

The Counting On cast member and his life partner exchanged vows on June 30 at John Brown University Cathedral in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

The nuptials came as a surprise to even the most ardent of TLC viewers, considering Josiah and Lauren had not revealed their wedding date ahead of time.

There was even chatter that the ceremony would take place closer to the end of the year, causing some to speculate over why the wedding was moved up.

Specifically, did the pair get married in a pinch because Swanson is pregnant?

Josiah, often considered the most rebellious of Jim Bob and Michelle’s children, had previously dated Marjorie Jackson in 2015.

It then took him over two years to find someone else to court.

Eventually, though, he settled on Swanson, who has been known to wear shorts that stop above the knee, which is equivalent to starring in an adult film when it comes to the Duggars.

These crazy kids are clearly meant for each other.

“What a joy it is to be husband and wife! Our wedding day was absolutely perfect!” Duggar and Swanson said about becoming husband and wife.

“What was even more perfect was to see my beautiful bride walking down the aisle.

“We are so thankful the Lord has brought us to this place and we can’t wait to begin our journey as husband and wife.”

As for those curious for a look at the couple’s wedding and their first kiss?

Wait no further! Just click down below!

View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Relive Their Whirlwind Courtship on Counting On!

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Marjorie Jackson: Josiah Duggar"s Ex Shocks Fans With Scandalous Pics!

Back in June, Josiah Duggar married Lauren Swanson in the sort of massively-attended wedding his family has become known for.

In many ways, it was the typical Duggar nuptial event.

But there were several important differences.

For one thing, Josiah and Lauren’s wedding was even more well-documented than the usual Duggar wedding, with TLC crafting the big day into a Counting On season premiere event that ran for longer than two hours.

On top of that, Josiah’s not your typical Duggar.

He’s often regarded as the family’s resident rebel, and that’s especially apparent in his love life.

You see, unlike his other married siblings, Lauren is not Josiah’s first love interest. 

If you’re a longtime Duggar aficionado, you might remember Marjorie Jackson from Josiah Duggar’s first courtship.

Their relationship came to an end abruptly and for reasons that remain mysterious.

Of course, folks who have paid close attention to Marjorie’s Instagram page in recent weeks think they may have solved the mystery.

Marjorie recently posted the above pic on Instagram.

“Knocked out a little worldwide travel within a few blocks over the weekend…” she captioned the photo.

“Now I’m ready for a trip to the REAL Trevi fountain, NYC, and Eiffel Tower. Anyone up for a weekend trip?” 

Now that may not seem very scandalous — and it’s not — but it would certainly be enough to shock the Duggar clan.

Las Vegas? Shorts on an unmarried woman?! 

Why doesn’t she just slaughter a goat and take the carcass to a Marilyn Manson concert as her date?!

Marjorie doubled-down on her scantily clad attire with the above photo of herself in Arches National Park.

“The arches in Moab were bea(Utah)ful!! #offthebucketlist #roadtrip,” she captioned the pic.

Yes, folks were less shocked by Marjorie’s horrendous pun than by her exposed calves.

After all, that sort of thing is a major violation of the Duggar dress code.

All this willfulness has left fans wondering — was Marjorie 86’ed because she refused to comply with the rules of Josiah’s family?

Or is she celebrating the fact that with Josiah off the market, her connection to reality TV’s most conservative clan is well and truly severed?

Either way, it looks as though Marjorie is thoroughly enjoying life post-Duggar!

View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Relive Their Whirlwind Courtship on Counting On!

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Josiah Duggar & Lauren Swanson Relive Their Whirlwind Courtship on Counting On!

A new season of Counting On debuted on TLC Monday night, and we think it"s safe to say the premiere delivered everything that fans have come to expect from the Duggar clan.

The episode centered around the wedding of Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson.

Not only did fans get their first look at the couple"s massively-attended ceremony, we also got to circle back and relive Lauren and Josiah"s courtship.

As we"ve known for months, Lauren and Josiah are not your typical Duggar couple.

And last night"s two-hour-plus mega-episode was not your typical season premiere.

Check out some highlights from Josiah and Lauren"s big day in the gallery below:

1. The Happy Couple

Josiah and Lauren have been head-over-heels for one another from the moment their courtship began. On this week’s episode of Counting On they relived their whirlwind romance.

2. Starting at the End

The episode kicked off at the conclusion of Josiah and Lauren’s courtship, as the excited couple put the finishing touches on their wedding preparations. It then circled back to fill fans in on their brief bur passionate romance.

3. They DO Have a Sense of Humor!

“I can’t wait to meet you at the altar and marry you,” Josiah tells Lauren early in the episode. The comment prompts a Counting On producer to joking suggest that the couple “get a room.”

4. Meet Josiah

At one point, the episode throws it waaaay back to Josiah’s childhood, as his siblings lovingly recount their memories of the family’s resident prankster.

5. Meet Lauren

From there, Lauren was introduced to viewers, and the Duggars spoke just as lovingly about their new sister-in-law. “Lauren is already one of the sisters,” Jessa Duggar remarked.

6. A Courtship Begins

Both Lauren and Josiah can barely contain their joy while discussing the early days of their relationship and the manner in which he proposed.

View Slideshow
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Josiah Duggar Reveals What Marriage is Really Like

The truth has finally come out.

In an exclusive interview with Josiah Duggar, the 21-year comes clean about what it’s like to live life as a married man.

He and new wife Lauren Swanson surprised fans late last month by getting married in Arkanas, not long after we were led to believe that the ceremony would be delayed until December.

So, is this union everything Josiah thought and hoped it would be?

Yes, he tells the aforementioned tabloid.

Interviewed together for one of the first times as husband and wife, Lauren and Josiah say they are “loving every minute” of wedded bliss, adding simply:

“Time has flown by.”

That must mean they’re having fun, based on a certain classic saying.

Duggar and Swanson exchanged vows at at John Brown University Cathedral of the Ozarks in Siloam Springs.

Unlike other members of Josiah’s famous family, he didn’t reveal the wedding date ahead of time, leaving followers guessing and wondering just when the twosome would make their romance official.

That is, when they would kiss for the first time, per Duggar family dating rules.

“What a joy it is to be husband and wife!” Josiah and Lauren told People Magzine at the time, adding to this publication:

“We are so thankful the Lord has brought us to this place and we can’t wait to begin our journey as husband and wife!”

The wedding was actually officiated by Lauren’s father, Dwain Swanson, while Lauren was accompanied by eight bridesmaids.

It was a beautiful scene, said everyone in attendance on this special day.

For weeks prior to their wedding, rumors circulated that Swanson might be pregnant.

This would a bit scandalous under any circumstance, to be expecting prior to tying the knot…, but for the Duggars?!? 

Engaging in premarital sex is basically the biggest sin one can commit.

As of this writing, however, neither Lauren nor Josiah has confirmed (or denied) this pressing piece of chatter.

Lauren and Josiah started courting in January and got engaged in March, at the exact spot where her parents were engaged, interestingly enough.

Since their nuptials, the famous pair have turned its attention to making plans for the future.

One has to imagine that an impending baby will be announced some time very soon, perhaps as soon as you read this.

“It’s been especially fun to simply work on setting up our house together and just settle into life,” the couple told Us, concluding:

“We’re enjoying dreaming and thinking of the future together.”

The new season of Counting On premieres on TLC Monday, July 30th at 9/8c. Will you be tuning in?

View Slideshow: Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson Wedding Pics: See Their First Kiss… EVER!

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Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson: See Their First Kiss... EVER!

As of late June 2018, Josiah Duggar and Lauren Swanson are husband and wife.

The young couple got married in Arkansas in front of over 1,000 guests, exchanging vows in front of friends, family members and and an officient who knew the twosome well:

Swanson"s father!

For the first time, TLC has released images from the couple"s wedding, which was especially notable because it featured Josiah and Lauren"s first kiss.

As husband and wife? Yes.

But also just their first kiss… period!

Check out the romantic snapshots below…

1. There is the Bride!

Here comes the bride? There is the bride! What a lovely image of Josiah and Lauren holding hands at the altar.

2. Lost in Each Other’s Eyes

Cue the Debbie Gibson, folks! Lauren and Josiah are clearly lost in each other’s eyes while getting married in this photo.

3. The Parental Walk

Lauren’s father walked his daughter down the aisle and then officiated the ceremony. That’s pretty darn special, wouldn’t you say?

4. Here Come the Tears

The waterworks are underway! Josiah simply could not hold them back while the ceremony got underway.

5. The Vow Recital

Josiah breaks out a piece of paper and recites his vows to his soon-to-be-wife here. How very romantic, right?

6. Lauren on the Mic

When you have over 1,000 people at your wedding, you need a microphone to be heard. She’s reciting her romantic vows in this picture.

View Slideshow
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