Jana Duggar Reflects on Getting Married Later in Life: Asked Herself ‘Do I Have a Problem?’

Jana Duggar reflected on getting married later in life after of tying the knot with Stephen Wissmann on Thursday, August 15.

The Counting On alum, 34, watched as many of her younger siblings wed while she tried dating without finding Mr. Right. “I’m just like, ‘What is it? Is it me? Do I have a problem?'” Jana told People she asked herself.

“I know I’ve prayed for this for years and years and yeah, definitely been like, ‘What’s the matter? Why can’t I just…’ All of my siblings, most of them have been married in their early 20s,” she continued. Eleven of Jana’s 18 brothers and sisters said their “I Do’s” before she did.

While the 19 Kids and Counting alum said her journey to marriage had been “disheartening at times,” she tried to look at the bright side.

“I’ve been able to connect with so many of my other siblings, or friends, or do things that a lot of married people have not been able to do as they’ve gotten married young,” Jana explained to the outlet. “I’ve tried to look at the positive, yet you long for that person, that someone that you can spend life with. It has been hard, but it has been good and God’s taught me a lot through it all.”

She added, “I haven’t always understood what the bigger picture is, but I know that God knows what is best for all of us. And so, for me, it’s getting married later. Each of our stories will be written differently. If we were all the exact same, it would be a boring life. So I think it’s neat how God orchestrates.”

Jana married Stephen, 31, in front of 500 family members and friends at The Grand at Willow Springs in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Her father, Jim Bob Duggar, walked his eldest daughter down the aisle to “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and gave her away to Stephen.

According to People, Jessa Duggar-Seewald served as Jana’s maid of honor while her sister-in-law Abbie Duggar and sisters Joy-Anna Forsyth, Johanna Duggar, Jordyn Duggar and Jinger Vuolo served as bridesmaids.

Jana and Steven dated briefly in 2021, when the pair attended a 4th of July holiday together in Seward, Nebraska. His family’s musical act, The Wissmanns, was performing. However, Stephen was seen square dancing at a party in September 2021 without Jana, as rumors of a romance fizzled out.

Like Jana, Stephen comes from a large family and has 12 siblings. The Duggars and Wissmanns have known each other for years and are friendly. Jana’s brother Jeremiah Duggar married Hannah Wissmann in 2022, so Jana and Stephen are the second pairing of family members to tie the knot.

Jana said that while she and Stephen “talked to each other on and off over the years,” things didn’t become serious until early 2024, when they reconnected and fell for one another.

“It was like, ‘What are we doing? We still enjoy each other. We still really appreciate each other,'” she told People about their feelings. Stephen proposed on June 15, although fans weren’t aware Jana was involved with anyone until she was spotted wearing what appeared to be a diamond engagement ring during a July trip to South Carolina with her twin brother, John David Duggar, and his wife, Abbie Duggar.