Jed Duggar Shocks The Internet With Wedding Announcement

The Duggar family has expanded yet again! In a surprising development, Jedidiah "Jed" Duggar of the famous 19 Kids and Counting family announced his marriage to Katey Nakatsu on April 3, the day before Easter. Late that evening, he posted a charming photo to his Instagram account, showing the couple sharing a tender face-to-face moment. Jed wore a navy blue suit and tie, while Katey stunned in a lace dress with elbow-length sleeves. 

According to Hello!, the ceremony took place in their home state of Arkansas, with many guests in attendance. His twin brother, Jeremiah, was best man, while his niece Felicity Vuolo — daughter of sister Jinger — was a flower girl. The vows included Katey's promise, "I will submit to your authority as you submit to Christ."

Jed explained in the post that his prayers for a "future spouse" had been answered more than he could have imagined. "We have enjoyed quietly developing our relationship over the past year and every moment together has been amazing!" he wrote. "I'm so grateful God brought Katey into my life and excited to share with you all that today she became my wife!" 

Jed, 22, is the fourth son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and the 10th of their 19 children (via their website). He's also one of the couple's two sets of twins. He made an unsuccessful run for the Arkansas House of Representatives last fall (via Showbiz Cheat Sheet), but now reportedly is pursuing a real estate career.

The news was surprising to even devoted Duggar fans, for a couple of reasons. On Feb. 26, Jed's 18-year-old brother Justin married Claire Spivey after a brief engagement. Most families find it hard enough to plan one wedding, especially in the midst of a pandemic, but two in the course of five weeks? Then again, these are the Duggars we're talking about. The family has made a career out of showing the world how they efficiently run a huge household while also honoring their Christian faith and creating special family traditions. They're also known for finding spouses through mutual family connections or through their church, and for marrying soon after a supervised "courtship" process.

Also of note is that, unlike his siblings, Jed Duggar chose to keep his relationship with Katey Nakatsu under wraps. But despite his best efforts, the U.S. edition of the British tab The Sun leaked private photos of Jed proposing in a candlelit log cabin. 

The paper also reports that in addition to his parents and Jinger's family, sister Joy-Anna Forsyth and her husband were there to witness the union. No word yet on other family attendees, though Jed did receive congratulatory messages from siblings and in-laws. Jill Duggar Dillard wrote, "Yay! So excited for y'all!" Jessa Duggar Seewald added, "It was a beautiful wedding! We are so excited for you both!" Younger brother Jason cheered, "Congrats, bro!! You two are so great together and we couldn't be happier for you!"