Chelsy and John's Wedding and the Aftermath

[Bethella]

3 hours ago, kpmom said:

Does her family still update their blog?  As i recall they started getting away from some of the extreme fundy stuff shortly after Elizabeth broke up with Joe.  I wonder what they're up to lately?

No, they haven't updated the blog since January 2015- shortly after the twins were born. They've been pretty busy with weddings- Amanda got married in April 2013 but Madison got married in November 2016 and Elizabeth and Rebekah got married two weeks apart in February 2017.

[LurkerOverThePond]

The wedding will be at 10 pm my local time (aren't the Bontragers -6 GMT?) and I'm extremely tempted to live-watch it. The Maxwells have been my "favorite" fundies for years, and I somehow missed Pristopher's wedding of death livestream. I just have to think of a reasonably sane explanation when Mr. Lurker asks what I am doing...

[lilith]

For any Australian viewers - it’s 7am the next calendar day (so the morning of the 31st).

[nastyhobbitses]

10 hours ago, johnhugh said:

Stevie is trying to get us off the sent:

Fess up to who is pointing his finger into Terris'ssss pussy.

We will find out Stevie - I've already bought the grape juice.....

 

That guy's expression is the expression I have when I try to read bad fan fiction. 

 

Also, my Maxwell ladies wedding dress rankings:

1. Melanie. A little late 90s, but the fit is great on her, and the simplicity of the dress lets her beauty shine. Do not understand the scarf things on the bridesmaids, but it was 2002 and we all did weird things with fashion back then. 

2. Elissa. I am pretty against tiaras as wedding headpieces unless you're Meghan Markle (speaking of which, I hope she gets either the Oriental Circlet or the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland to wear on her big day); the tiara just makes it look like you're playing dress-up. The dress is alright, if a little prom -- I'm willing to give some slack on that because most fundie girls don't get to go to a prom, so this is their one chance to wear such a dress. But the whole look feels a little "little girl playing princess", not "grown woman getting married". The lime green satin for the bridesmaids was an....interesting choice, but could I please have Mary's hair? 

3. Anna Marie. She really is such a pretty woman (I said in another thread that I think she looks like Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway), and this dress just doesn't do anything for her. I wish the updo was just a touch softer too. Everything is just too heavy and harsh. She would have looked gorgeous in a more Victorian-y dress -- something like this. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

8 hours ago, naatashamaru said:

this is really interesting these families are so different but yet the same. I hope Chelsy is happy with the Maxwells.

What's funny is that you can say that about so many fundie families on FJ. That's why I said marriages in fundie land are so interesting. Because although these families often have similar beliefs, many do things completely different. The Bontragers are Wissmans are friends. The Wissmans wear pants all the time and don't have a Mennonite/Amish background. The Maxwells are friends with the Duggars. They are SO DIFFERENT. I'm always amazed at their friendship to be honest. I wouldn't be surprised if Steve refuses to visit the Duggar home. It's probably too chaotic, loud and disorderly. With children walking on countertops and acting rather wild.  I can now see why the Duggars amd Bates are such good friends. They really do have a lot in common besides fundie beliefs. 

[Captain Obvious]

3 hours ago, lilith said:

For any Australian viewers - it’s 7am the next calendar day (so the morning of the 31st).

See, this is where it gets awkward. My family has no idea of my fundie-watching hobby, and the idea of me getting up at 7am on a Sunday for anything would be viewed as highly suspicious... doubly so if I’m swigging booze at regular intervals. I’ll have to say it’s something more socially acceptable such as live streaming of naked Jon Hamm.

[elliha]

45 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I can now see why the Duggars amd Bates are such good friends. They really do have a lot in common besides fundie beliefs. 

In part I think it might also have to do with practicality. Even for a "normal sized" fundie family of 7-8 the Duggars are mass invasion of kids. If both have 19 kids they better get along because who else would be able to stand that mass of people? I have to be honest and say that I do believe a large part of why they are friends is that there are few families even in the fundie world that they can relate to the same way so they can't be that picky. 

[HereticHick]

57 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

. I'm always amazed at their friendship to be honest. I wouldn't be surprised if Steve refuses to visit the Duggar home. It's probably too chaotic, loud and disorderly. With children walking on countertops and acting rather wild.  I can now see why the Duggars amd Bates are such good friends. They really do have a lot in common besides fundie beliefs. 

I thought Steveo was spotted a few years ago in the Duggar living room attending a "graduation" ceremony--perhaps Josiah's?

[JermajestyDuggar]

16 minutes ago, HereticHick said:

I thought Steveo was spotted a few years ago in the Duggar living room attending a "graduation" ceremony--perhaps Josiah's?

It's possible. I think Josiah invited everyone he knew so the Maxwells were probably on the guest list. Steve can probably deal with largesocial functions like weddings and graduation parties. But I can't see him just hanging out at the Duggar home like the Bates family does. 

[Palimpsest]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

What's funny is that you can say that about so many fundie families on FJ. That's why I said marriages in fundie land are so interesting. Because although these families often have similar beliefs, many do things completely different.

A lot of the things they do differently come down to "personal conviction" (see the endless discussions about skirts-only NOT being an essential issue or a defining quality of Gothardism or Fundamentalism.)  There is actually a fair amount of leeway there.  

However, the core beliefs are the same:  Christian Patriarchy, female submission, Biblical inerrancy, saving unborn babieeeees, and hating teh gays.  

Chelsy Bontrager's beliefs in those areas are just as repugnant as the Maxwells.  John and Chelsy are a match made in heaven. 

It bears repeating:  The Bontragers are more dangerous than the Maxwells because they seem mainstream, charming, and out-going.  Chelsy and Allison may show some sparks of thinking the SAHD twiddling her fingers for years waiting for Prince Charming is stupid.  They may dress modern-modest instead of full-blown frumper.  It doesn't alter the fact that the Bont unmarried women still primarily work for Daddy and other family business, just like the Maxwell young women.  Allison living at the Inn temporarily isn't really that mind-blowingly independent.  She is still under Daddy's umbrella of protection.

Over the years we have observed a few Fundie engagements broken off because fathers sussed out "serious" doctrinal differences, or someone having been been found unworthy, after agreeing to courtship and engagement.  Steve reportedly publicly denounced the Muncks for "misrepresenting" Elizabeth at conferences after she called the wedding off.  The Muncks announcement was more than gracious towards Joseph in contrast to that.

1 hour ago, HereticHick said:

I thought Steveo was spotted a few years ago in the Duggar living room attending a "graduation" ceremony--perhaps Josiah's?

Yes, the Maxwells have visited the Duggar home several times and attended more than one graduation and wedding.  We have photographic evidence.  Steve and JB also have a business relationship, as in JB wrote a foreword to Raising Sons and the Duggars promoted Mawellian chore charts on 19K&C.  Steve was challenged about the foreword after the Josh scandal and defended JB as a Godly man.  

[Loveday]

6 hours ago, nastyhobbitses said:

 2. Elissa. I am pretty against tiaras as wedding headpieces unless you're Meghan Markle (speaking of which, I hope she gets either the Oriental Circlet or the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland to wear on her big day); the tiara just makes it look like you're playing dress-up. The dress is alright, if a little prom -- I'm willing to give some slack on that because most fundie girls don't get to go to a prom, so this is their one chance to wear such a dress. But the whole look feels a little "little girl playing princess", not "grown woman getting married". The lime green satin for the bridesmaids was an....interesting choice, but could I please have Mary's hair? 

 

My vote goes to the Oriental Circlet. It's stunning. Well, they both are, but the detail in the circlet is exquisite. 

I can't even begin to imagine being able to wear jewels like that. 

[VGL]

48 minutes ago, Loveday said:

My vote goes to the Oriental Circlet. It's stunning. Well, they both are, but the detail in the circlet is exquisite. 

I can't even begin to imagine being able to wear jewels like that. 

I don't see Meghan getting either the Oriental Circlet or the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland to use on her wedding day.  She'll wear something that's been in the Queen's vault for ages or something made out of pieces from the vault.  Possibly something purchased for her.

I don't think she will wear a tiara larger/grander than the tiara Kate wore at her wedding.

[Loveday]

7 minutes ago, VGL said:

I don't see Meghan getting either the Oriental Circlet or the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland to use on her wedding day.  She'll wear something that's been in the Queen's vault for ages or something made out of pieces from the vault.  Possibly something purchased for her.

I don't think she will wear a tiara larger/grander than the tiara Kate wore at her wedding.

Whatever she wears, I'm sure she'll look gorgeous.

[VGL]

3 minutes ago, Loveday said:

Whatever she wears, I'm sure she'll look gorgeous.

absolutely!  I can't wait till May 19th!

[sleepy_doggos]

I am fully planning to post in this thread without frequent disclaimers about actually hating fundamentalist beliefs. I'm going to take the religious criticism hat off and put the fun back in F*n! I get on here to snark as a hobby and that includes lighthearted wedding talk as well as serious discussions about religious differences.
One of the very interesting things about Free Jinger is that it brings us together to criticize the various aspects of a belief system but also brings us in very close contact (albeit through the internet) to the humanity of people who believe very differently than each of us do. It makes us consider these people who believe different things (often things we collectively view as misguided, hateful, or destructive) as humans instead of an unknown 'enemy'. I would hope in some ways that brings out our compassion for and identification with other human beings while simultaneously being aware of our general criticism of a lifestyle. Weddings are an interesting place for that compassion/criticism dichotomy to play out.

I love reading everyone's wedding experiences by the way! It is so fascinating to hear how you all preferred this important ritual and how it actually happened for you. Much love and appreciation everyone!

[VBOY9977]

Jeans under skirts for Chelsy and Elizabeth. I Personally think it looks ridiculous, but I bet it still made Steve lose his mind lol

[Triplet3]

36 minutes ago, sleepy_doggos said:

One of the very interesting things about Free Jinger is that it brings us together to criticize the various aspects of a belief system but also brings us in very close contact (albeit through the internet) to the humanity of people who believe very differently than each of us do. It makes us consider these people who believe different things (often things we collectively view as misguided, hateful, or destructive) as humans instead of an unknown 'enemy'. I would hope in some ways that brings out our compassion for and identification with other human beings while simultaneously being aware of our general criticism of a lifestyle.

(In reply to the bolded section) It absolutely does. Take Zsu, for instance - one of the most actively malicious fundie bloggers snarked on by FJ. Her hateful words, beliefs and actions are quite rightly the subject of snark, yet when she had a miscarriage, there was plenty of compassion for her expressed on FJ. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

Menu on a wood pallet. Pinteresting AF

1 hour ago, VBOY9977 said:

Jeans under skirts for Chelsy and Elizabeth. I Personally think it looks ridiculous, but I bet it still made Steve lose his mind lol

I see a maroon ribbon on the floor there so one of her colors is probably maroon. I prefer a bold Christmas red but maroon isn't too bad. 

[fundiefollower]

It's going to be a COLD wedding.... temp forecasted for overnight tonight is -4F, high temp tomorrow of 0, and low of -10.  I used the location of their hotel to get the temps.   So maybe it does take hell freezing over for Stevie to let his son marry a Bontrager!  I thought that would happen when one of his daughters starts courting, ha!

 

(It's going to be much colder where I live in North Dakota, -30F air temp {-34C} on Saturday night.)

[ViolaSebastian]

The (I'm going to assume here...) rehearsal dinner is just taco soup? That strikes me as a weird and paltry choice.

[fundiefollower]

11 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

The (I'm going to assume here...) rehearsal dinner is just taco soup? That strikes me as a weird and paltry choice.

If I had to guess, I'd say that is the wedding meal.  I don't think a lot of people make signs like that for the rehearsal dinner.  I wouldn't want to eat taco soup in my wedding dress, but I do love it!

[Palimpsest]

35 minutes ago, Triplet3 said:

yet when she had a miscarriage, there was plenty of compassion for her expressed on FJ.

Also for Nicole Naugler when she had a still birth.  And for Nathan and Melanie Maxwell when they lost a child.  And for many others.   We've demonstrated a lot more compassion towards the Fundies we snark on than the vast majority of them would ever express towards any of us.  

15 minutes ago, fundiefollower said:

It's going to be a COLD wedding.... temp forecasted for overnight tonight is -4F, high temp tomorrow of 0, and low of -10.  I used the location of their hotel to get the temps.   

 Blimey, that is cold.  -4 F = -20 C.  -10F = -23 C .  Chelsy will need Wellies with furry linings as well as woolly socks!  

21 minutes ago, fundiefollower said:

So maybe it does take hell freezing over for Stevie to let his son marry a Bontrager!  I thought that would happen when one of his daughters starts courting, ha!

6 minutes ago, ViolaSebastian said:

The (I'm going to assume here...) rehearsal dinner is just taco soup? That strikes me as a weird and paltry choice.I don't think so

Anna Maxwell was smoking meatballs for the rehearsal dinner so I hope they get more than soup.  Also Mary is certainly doing the signage for that bash.  Bless her heart.

The Bonts really like their food.  Probably that menu is for one of several stations at the wedding reception.

[HarleyQuinn]

I love tacos but tacos in soup form sounds so gross. #BEC

[JermajestyDuggar]

Compared to some fundie weddings, taco soup is a feast :-/

[fundiefollower]

Chelsy has a new blog post up with a funky picture of John and her.   She says there is a story behind it but doesn't tell what it is.  I'm guessing he joined the family on a singing trip to Alaska and it was a surprise to her.... they picked him up on the side of the road or something.  I think an Alaska trip was mentioned in one of her brothers love stories on the family blog.

 

Also, I hope Mary prepared a sufficient number of meatballs for the guests and not 2 per person or something like the animal crackers.