The Surprising Family Member Who Attended Justin Duggar's Wedding
Everyone's favorite reality-TV megafamily just gained another member. Just three months after announcing their engagement, Justin Duggar and Claire Spivey tied the knot. Posting wedding photos to his Instagram account, Justin said simply, "2.26.21" with a heart emoji. Two days later, he shared more photos along with a birthday wish for his new bride. As with past Duggar weddings, family members were there to share in the joyous day. Sister Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth wrote, "It was such a gorgeous wedding! Love you both very much and am SO happy for you guys!" Sister-in-law Anna chimed in, "Such a lovely wedding! So thrilled for you both!"
Weddings are nothing new for the 19 Kids and Counting cast; eight of Justin's siblings have already married, and all have at least one child. But there were some surprising things about these nuptials in particular. Justin is only 18, and Claire just turned 20, which left some viewers wondering whether they were making a hasty commitment. Then there was the issue of their wedding registry. Both Justin and Claire shared the link to the Amazon gift list, which cited an April 16 date. Could it have been a red herring to help ensure that their real ceremony wasn't overshadowed by paparazzi? (Whatever the reason, they've already received almost everything on the list; a rifle safe is among the unpurchased items.)
The other big surprise of the day had to do with the guest list, which included a couple of members who might have been expected to sit out the occasion.
Jill Duggar came to celebrate with her brother
Jill Duggar Dillard and her husband, Derick, shared an Instagram pic of their own, a selfie taken in front of what appeared to be a hotel elevator. "Congrats Justin & Claire!" she wrote. "Derick & I got to make a quick date trip to the wedding! The boys had fun playing with Mima while our new puppy played with some new friends." For the occasion, Derick wore a dark suit while Jill stunned in a crocheted lace dress.
Fans following the series know that Jill has been on shaky terms with her clan in recent years. The couple stepped away from the Counting On spinoff show two years ago, which created tensions with certain family members. She recently told Us Weekly that she and Derick have been in couples therapy to work through their feelings about the fallout. Insta followers are also noting that Derick has been "liking" fan comments referring to Jill as a victim of abuse and exploitation.
Their appearance at Justin's wedding would indicate that Jill and Derick have no beef with her younger brother, and fans praised Jill for coming to support him (and for wearing a mask to the event). It seems, though, that none of her siblings have posted a comment on her page as yet, which suggests that the family drama may be far from over.