Rare Duggar PDA Moments Caught On Camera
The Duggars of "19 Kids and Counting" and "Counting On" fame are known for many things, like their religious beliefs, their conservative values, and their many, many children (whose names all start with the same letter). But lots of families have strong religious beliefs and conservative values, and there are, amazingly, other families like the Duggars with tons and tons of children. One thing that sets the Duggars apart is their unique and strict boundaries around dating, particularly in terms of physical contact. "As far as our kids dating, we believe a lot of times if you're alone with the person, it can create desires that can kind of get stirred up, and you don't have any accountability, and [that] can kind of lead to some hanky panky," Jim Bob Duggar, the family's patriarch, said on an episode of "19 Kids and Counting," as recapped by Us Weekly.
That "hanky panky" that Jim Bob mentioned, in his and his wife Michelle Duggar's eyes, means anything more than a side hug. Most — if not all — of the Duggar kids have abided by these terms set by their parents, and the adherence has made public displays of affection in the Duggar household a rarity, even from Jim Bob and Michelle. The important distinction here is that it's a rarity — not something that never occurs. Some moments of PDA have been caught on camera, and we've rounded them up for the world, specifically TLC fans, to see.
Jill and Derick Dillard on their wedding day
One of the first of the Duggar children to carry out their parents' wishes of waiting until marriage to engage in nearly any physical contact with their significant other, Jill Dillard (née Duggar) shared her first kiss with her husband Derick Dillard after officially becoming husband and wife. What's more, their first kiss was in front of all of their wedding guests. "It was worth the wait," Jill told People of her first time smooching her husband. And she and Derick weren't just abstaining from kissing each other before marriage to appease her parents. It's a belief the two shared, as well. "I think it is safer and makes it more special to wait to kiss until your wedding day. ... To save the physical side of your marriage for your wedding day and not going further than you should — we want to have no regrets," Jill said ahead of their engagement.
Jill and Derick have been married for over nine years now, and they've certainly engaged in more physical contact since their first kiss. The Dillards have three sons, the youngest of whom was born in 2022. Beyond celebrating their ninth anniversary and the first birthday of their third son, 2023 was an eventful year for Jill and Derick as they participated in a documentary called "Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets" in which they gave insight into Jill's strict religious upbringing.
John-David and Abbie Duggar at the altar
Carrying out the Duggar family tradition of waiting until marriage for a first kiss, John-David and Abbie Duggar (née Burnett) kissed for the first time while standing at the altar on their wedding day. But unlike some other Duggar first kisses, which have been genuinely sweet, this one was a little ... uncomfortable. Instead of going right in for a kiss on the lips, John-David kissed both his bride's shoulders, then her forehead, then both her cheeks. After sufficiently kissing nearly every exposed body part of his wife, John-David finally kissed her on the mouth. "You're so silly," Abbie told John-David amid his kissing crusade. As long as they're happy, right?
And the couple still seems to be genuinely happy as husband and wife. Just two years after their first kiss, the pair posted a photo to Instagram celebrating the day. "No one else makes my heart as happy as you do. No one else makes me smile or feel so loved. I just want you to know that with you is where I always want to be. Happy 2nd anniversary, my love!" the caption read. John-David and Abbie now have two children together, a daughter and a son, and John-David works as a pilot. The couple and their children live in Springdale, Arkansas.
Josiah and Lauren Duggar at the end of the aisle
Another Duggar child to wait until marriage to have a first kiss, Josiah Duggar and his wife Lauren Duggar (née Swanson) couldn't have been more eager to smooch on their wedding day if they tried. Filmed for "Counting On," Josiah asked, "Can I kiss her dad?" as soon as he had the chance. "You may now kiss the bride," the officiant — Lauren's father — stated with amusement after Josiah's question. The couple shared a passionate kiss that garnered cheers from the wedding guests, and after descending the steps leading up to the altar, the couple stopped before walking back down the aisle to share another kiss. Josiah then picked up his bride and carried her down the aisle in a near sprint. Remember what we said about being eager?
While fans loved seeing the wedding-day moment between Josiah and Lauren, their access to the couple would soon be cut off. Since "Counting On" ended, most of the Duggars have been fairly active on social media, but in late 2022, followers noticed that Josiah and Lauren's Instagram page — their main source for updates — had gone dark. Fans speculated as to what might have caused the couple to remove their photos from their page and seemingly leave the platform for good, but their exact reasoning still remains a mystery. "Good for them," one supportive onlooker said of their decision, as reported by The Sun.
Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo on their wedding day
"First kiss was amazing," Jinger Vuolo (née Duggar) said on her wedding day to her husband Jeremy Vuolo. Jinger and Jeremy waited until they were married for nearly any physical contact, including kissing. The couple filmed their wedding for the Duggars' show "Counting On," making their first kiss a sight to behold for not just their friends and family, but a national audience, as well. "I'm so happy for you," Jinger's father, Jim Bob Duggar, said to his daughter on her wedding day. "This is something we prayed about your whole life," he added while shedding tears, undoubtedly happy his daughter had met the standards he and his wife had set for their children regarding behavior before marriage.
Waiting until marriage to so much as kiss is definitely uncommon, but, like many of the choices the Vuolos make, it's one they arrived at based on their religious beliefs. The Vuolos are confident in what they've chosen, though. As Jinger said on an episode of "Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey," "It's a beautiful thing to submit our lives to the word of God, to submit ourselves to a church and to the beauty of being in a place where you have accountability." Jeremy added, "To submit to our maker is to submit to his original plan for flourishing and for our enjoyment and satisfaction. ... It is freeing to be living your life according to the Bible, not according to a man's tradition."
Justin and Claire Duggar at their wedding
Not all Duggar first kisses were filmed for television, but that doesn't mean they weren't caught on camera. In 2021, Justin and Claire Duggar (née Spivey) got married, and though TLC didn't have the exclusive film rights to their first kiss, their wedding videographer captured the moment. "Justin, now is the time you've been waiting for. You may kiss your bride," the officiant said to the groom once the couple was married. Justin eagerly grabbed Claire's face and pulled her in for a sweet kiss. The couple embraced, and Claire wiped her lipstick off Justin's face before the two walked back down the aisle. "There is no greater joy than marrying your best friend. We are thankful for the prayers and support so many have shown us through our engagement and look forward to this new chapter of our lives together as husband and wife," Justin and Claire told People after their wedding day.
Less than a month after marrying, Claire looked back fondly on her wedding day. "Most breathtaking day ever! Over and over have we said how much it felt as if we were living out a fairytale on our wedding day!" she said on Instagram. While Justin and Claire have been married for over two years, they have yet to have any children. This decision has been questioned by many considering the Duggar family's stance on birth control, but other fans have praised the couple for their decision.
Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth after exchanging vows
Not long after getting engaged, Austin and Joy-Anna Forsyth (née Duggar) got married. The couple let "Counting On" cameras film their wedding, and like many of Joy-Anna's siblings, this meant that anyone with access to TLC also had a front-row seat to her and Austin's first kiss. After a playful pause from the minister who was well aware the couple had waited until marriage to kiss, Austin leaned in to kiss his bride. According to Joy-Anna, it was well worth the wait. "Austin and I's first kiss was amazing. ... He did a good job — he put his hand up to my face just in case he missed and nobody could see. ... It felt very natural. Throughout our relationship it's been 'Ok, this is the next step, this is what we need to do next,' and that was the way it was with our first kiss," Joy-Anna said on the show, as recapped by the Daily Mail.
While the Duggar weddings are major events for the couples who get to kiss for the first time, they're also incredibly emotional milestones for the entire family. "I just can't believe it's Joy's time to kiss. I still remember her as the little girl that I would help out with things ... it's crazy that it's her wedding day, but we're so excited for her," Jinger Vuolo said about her sister's nuptials, as reported by People.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar giving kissing lessons
Not all of the Duggar PDA moments have been quite so endearing. Some of them have been, well, kind of strange. It's hard to forget about Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar giving their daughter and her suitor kissing lessons. "Let me show y'all the best way to kiss here," Jim Bob said to his daughter Jessa Seewald (née Duggar) and her now-husband Ben Seewald ahead of their wedding, as recapped by Us Weekly.
"If you kiss straight on, your noses hit together ... she turns one way and I turn the other," Jim Bob added, kissing Michelle to give the young couple a full demonstration. But the Seewalds didn't seem to mind the instructions. "The counsel that my parents have been giving us has been very good, and I'm sure it'll be very helpful for Ben and I in our first years of marriage," Jessa said.
Many a Duggar has had their first kiss on their wedding day in front of their guests, but Jessa and Ben went a different route. Although they waited until they were married to kiss for the first time, they opted to kiss for the first time in private rather than for an audience. To ensure their demonstrative kiss wasn't in vain, Jim Bob and Michelle kissed at Jessa and Ben's wedding instead.
Joseph and Kendra Duggar after saying I do
When Joseph and Kendra Duggar (née Caldwell) got married, it seemed to fans of "Counting On" that it was just going to be another Duggar wedding with a potentially awkward first kiss. And while it is a tad uncomfortable watching two people kiss knowing they never have before, Joseph and Kendra's was kind of magical. After Kendra's father, the officiant at their wedding, declared the two husband and wife and permitted them to seal the deal, flower petals fell from the ceiling, giving the two a picture-perfect first kiss. "When I kissed Kendra, it was everything I had ever hoped and more," Joseph said while reflecting on his wedding day. "Because we waited to kiss, I think it made it so much greater than anything in the world," he added.
Two years later, the Duggars celebrated their wedding anniversary on Instagram by sharing a photo of the two of them kissing once again. "Happy 2nd anniversary to you baby!!! I'm so blessed to call you my husband. The more I get to know you I fall in love with you in a deeper way. You are such a wonderful spiritual encourager always pushing me towards Christ. ... I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store in the years ahead!" Kendra wrote to Joseph.
Jedidiah and Katey Duggar after becoming husband and wife
Growing up surrounded by cameras, it can be difficult to keep some things private. But Jedidiah Duggar and wife Katey Duggar (née Nakatsu) proved they are capable of doing just that when they surprised the internet with their wedding announcement. "We have enjoyed quietly developing our relationship over the past year and every moment together has been amazing! I'm so grateful God brought Katey into my life and excited to share with you all that today she became my wife!" Jedidiah shared on Instagram in the spring of 2021. Just a few months later, the couple's wedding video was shared on YouTube, showing highlights from the day, including Jedidiah and Katey's first kiss as a married couple.
As seems to be a tradition for the Duggars, Jedidiah paid tribute to his wife on Instagram on their first anniversary. "It's crazy to think that it has already been one year since we said 'I do!' Katey, you have been the greatest blessing in my life! I'm so grateful for God's faithfulness to us. You are such an amazing wife and soon to be mother. I love you with all my heart!" he said. The couple now have two children — a boy they welcomed in 2022 shortly after their first anniversary, and a girl they welcomed in 2023 shortly after their second anniversary.
Jeremiah and Hannah Duggar on their big day
"Counting On" ended in 2021, and therefore subsequent Duggar weddings weren't filmed for TLC. But thanks to the pair's YouTube channel, we were still able to see Jeremiah and Hannah Duggar's (née Wissmann) first kiss as husband and wife. Though we're inclined to believe it was, we can't say for sure that this was Jeremiah and Hannah's first kiss ever. But whether or not that's the case, their kiss at the altar after exchanging vows was full of fanfare and handheld confetti cannons. The Duggars are getting better and better at making first kisses as man and wife more spectacular and less awkward.
Just days after her wedding, Kendra took to Instagram to reflect on the day. "Still can't believe how absolutely perfect our wedding day was!! I'm literally getting tears just looking through the pictures. God answered so many prayers!! I just wish I could relive every single moment over again," she said. Her sentiment seemed to be just as enthusiastic as it was on the day of their wedding. "It was such a beautiful culmination of so many prayers, dreams & desires! ... We are looking forward to sharing our married journey with you. Thank you for sharing our joy!" the couple shared with Us Weekly. We imagine at least some of their excitement had to do with their kiss.