Jana Duggar Reveals How She Realized New Husband Stephen Wissmann Was ‘the One’

Jana Duggar officially tied the knot with Stephen Wissmann , and the former reality star opened up about their relationship and explained how she knew he was “the one.”

While some people may be able to pinpoint one exact moment when they realized they were dating the person they would eventually marry, Jana, 34, revealed that it was a series of things Stephen, 31, did.

"I think it's just been over time, his character, his coming back, still loving me no matter what," Jana told People in an article published on Friday, August 16. "I know we have a big crazy family and [that requires] still kind of putting up with a lot of things. I'm like, my goodness, there are not too many people that do that. He must really, I guess, genuinely care about me, and I haven't seen that."

Stephen and Jana have known each other for several years, and her brother Jeremiah Duggar actually married Stephen’s sister Hannah Duggar (née Wissmann) in 2022. The two even dated for a brief time in the past, but eventually broke things off. However, Jana and Stephen’s spark never fully died, and the couple remained friendly after their split.

Earlier this year, the pair rekindled their romance when Stephen asked Jana on a date via a handwritten letter.

"I think people would probably seem like it's very weird, but I thought it was so sweet,” the former 19 Kids and Counting star told the publication. “Honestly, I think if he would've texted me, I would've been more like, 'Hey, dude, kind of get lost ... I'm not really interested.'"

Jana continued, "But I don't know, something about it really hit me. And I was like, he's so sweet. He really has been there, and how had I not noticed it and realized he is great, and I do love him, and I need to be willing to open up and to allow that?"

Stephen and Jana exchanged "two, three letters back and forth” before “they started texting again, and just kind of on a basic friendship level there."

The Counting On alum also admitted that she sometimes has a hard time “open[ing] up” to people, but there was something different about Stephen. Describing the furniture maker, Jana said that Stephen had always been "a good friend over the years and has continued to be that through ups and downs and not pressuring me in a lot of ways."

Jana got married later than most of her brothers and sisters , something she’s confessed to receiving criticism for in the past. As she watched some of her younger siblings walk down the aisle, Jana even began to question if there was “something wrong” with her.

“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,” Jana told People .

She continued, “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.”

Stephen popped the question in June , and the couple married on Thursday, August 15, in Prairie Grove, Arkansas.