Justin and Claire: Woe Is Me

[indianabones]

10 minutes ago, Idlewild said:

@indianabones that was a good spot! So they’ve been courting for longer than they said and they have waited until his birthday to announce an engagement that’s already happened. Why do they do this? Can’t they just be honest? 

No, because announcing that your 16 year old son is dating an adult and then that your 17 year old son is getting married to that adult only leads to bad press. The Duggars are more PR-savvy than that, especially after the Marjorie Jackson situation. If it weren't for Hilary and Claire stepping out of line and posting stuff on social media that veers from the official narrative people would be none the wiser.

Edited November 16, 2020 by indianabones

[Bluebirdbluebell]

51 minutes ago, indianabones said:

I was referring to the other pictures on the Instagram post- don't worry, I can distinguish between a 40  42 year old and a 19 year old ?

Sorry I was confused. 

[VeryNikeSeamstress]

I realize these two are really young, but the ring pic really accentuates that. Their hands look so small and bear no signs of age/wear and tear.

[nst]

for a moment there I forgot we have a pandemic 

Thank you Justin 

anyway - I still predict a Christmas wedding - they might be able to get away with it. 

[nsgoblue]

I hope they don't have 1000+ people like the other wedding dus to the pandemic....but since they are probably thinking they won't get covid it will probably still be a HUGE Duggar wedding.

[wendy-sparkles]

2 hours ago, nst said:

well if whoever this Hilary is she  has been planning this for a while the last 20 years at least, that means 2 years before justin was conceived she was planning on having the 2 year old marry the next duggar.

sounds contrived and insane and just like a Jill thing

woah, ouch. sorry, i wasn't being particularly serious and clearly could have worded myself much better. Just to be clear - I absolutely don't think Hilary had some grand 20 year conspiracy (I think the Spiveys and the Duggars were more likely much closer to acquaintances than friends). But we know a small amount of matchmaking goes on, and I think that Hilary can be interpreted as seeming pleased not just with Justin but the fact that he's a Duggar. The most likely scenario is obviously that she just likes Claire's future husband, and that Justin and Claire are wild about each other, but I don't think it's particularly extreme to speculate or joke about parental involvement when we know that it happens.

[Nefernandes15]

The Duggars posted about it! Oh my!! People are saying it's crazy, they look so young, he's just a kid, etc...

[AmericanRose]

I'm just trying to imagine a newly-turned 18-year-old as a "headship", and... nope. I just can't do it.

Edited November 16, 2020 by AmericanRose

[nst]

42 minutes ago, wendy-sparkles said:

woah, ouch. sorry, i wasn't being particularly serious and clearly could have worded myself much better. Just to be clear - I absolutely don't think Hilary had some grand 20 year conspiracy (I think the Spiveys and the Duggars were more likely much closer to acquaintances than friends). But we know a small amount of matchmaking goes on, and I think that Hilary can be interpreted as seeming pleased not just with Justin but the fact that he's a Duggar. The most likely scenario is obviously that she just likes Claire's future husband, and that Justin and Claire are wild about each other, but I don't think it's particularly extreme to speculate or joke about parental involvement when we know that it happens.

Well I am being totally serious - it's twenty years in the making...

[indianabones]

1 hour ago, nst said:

Well I am being totally serious - it's twenty years in the making...

I don't know if it helps or hurts your theory that Hilary Spivey denied it being an arranged marriage... 

[Maggie Mae]

4 hours ago, Mama Mia said:

Not to idly speculate too much, but maybe they haven’t done so well on the nothing physical rules, so are speeding it up. 

I honestly would be surprised if it took this long. I just don't understand how that many teenagers are told to not have sex and then not having sex. Especially when they talk about sex so much. The easiest way to get a teenager to do something is to tell them not to do it, but not give them reasons why not. Combine that with the hormones and weird environment, it seems like an easy way to get teens who can figure out how to have sex in two minutes, while fully dressed, while at a purity conference or something. 

[nst]

25 minutes ago, indianabones said:

I don't know if it helps or hurts your theory that Hilary Spivey denied it being an arranged marriage... 

well she is gonna admit it . 

how would that look to Ma and Pa Duggar who have their own agenda

[Idlewild]

Looking at Justin’s Instagram- he’s wearing the same shirt on his 21 September post so it may be he considers that his ‘good’ shirt (that’s not a snark - ime common with teenage boys). It’s less likely Claire would wear exactly the same outfit to pose with his brother then fir engagement 6 days later.

Also on his Instagram is him finishing a ‘fixer upper’ house so that may be for them to live in. 

[nst]

so with a pandemic raging and Justin's quivering needs raging. 

Can we predict next week the announcement that it is happening on Christmas day 

Come on I need this.

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by nst

[Pleiades_06]

I’m wondering how-or if-Covid will affect when they marry. Will they have a huge super spreader event or wait until things are better?

[ADoyle90815]

I was close as I was expecting the engagement to be announced at Thanksgiving. Maybe a New Year's Day wedding at the earliest.

[JordynDarby5]

I don't doubt they will. I wonder if TLC will try to make it look like there's fewer people there or hold it outdoors so a thousand people can spread out. TLC already tried to show them social distancing when we knew that was crap thanks to them posting pictures of them not doing it.

[Bluebirdbluebell]

2 hours ago, indianabones said:

I don't know if it helps or hurts your theory that Hilary Spivey denied it being an arranged marriage... 

"me thinks she doth protest too much"

I'm confused as to when the wedding will be. Maybe it won't be filmed. TLC spent like two minutes, if that much, on this courtship last season. (Literally announced within the last two minutes of the episode.) Maybe TLC doesn't want to film a barely legal teen wedding amid a pandemic. So they'll get married fast and pack them off to Texas with very little on the show. 

Or they'll have a minimalistic ceremony for television. (Second ceremony elsewhere?)

Or big fundie wedding not filmed with vow renewal for television at later time.

Or TLC will decide fuck it and put the wedding on television in hope the rancor will add to ratings. 

(Of course they have a big wedding and several family members catch COVID that won't look good.)

[indianabones]

Just now, Bluebirdbluebell said:

"me thinks she doth protest too much"

I'm confused as to when the wedding will be. Maybe it won't be filmed. TLC spent like two minutes, if that much, on this courtship last season. (Literally announced within the last two minutes of the episode.) Maybe TLC doesn't want to film a barely legal teen wedding amid a pandemic. So they'll get married fast and pack them off to Texas with very little on the show. 

Or they'll have a minimalistic ceremony for television. (Second ceremony elsewhere?)

Or big fundie wedding not filmed with vow renewal for television at later time.

Or TLC will decide fuck it and put the wedding on television in hope the rancor will add to ratings. 

(Of course they have a big wedding and several family members catch COVID that won't look good.)

I suspect that the producers are debating these exact points amongst themselves right now. Viewership versus good PR... I think the wedding we'll be shown will confirm exactly how much JB is under TLC's thumb.

[OrchidBlossom]

And the award for least surprising news of 2020 goes to... Justin and Claire! Well done you guys, you truly, really, in no way exceeded our expectations. 

[Idlewild]

The Duggar fan blog has a photo of the couple wearing the same outfits together with JB & Michelle. Now we know it’s Justin’s go to shirt but I wonder if they got engaged after the family camp thing (wasn’t that in Texas?). We know JB & M were at home for election night and Joy has put on her instastory about being at family night last night (to put to bed any thoughts the Duggars give a shit about social distancing and mixing multiple households).

It’s a dilemma about the wedding- my guess is they want it quickly and they want it televised but there’s no way they’ll obey any COVID rules.

[SorenaJ]

What are the covid rules for weddings in Arkansas and Texas? If a normal couple were to have a normal wedding following the rules, what would be allowed? 

[AussieKrissy]

9 hours ago, indianabones said:

Someone on the Duggar Snark subreddit pointed out that Hilary posted a photo from the day of the actual engagement on Instagram, based on Claire and Justin's clothes.

So engaged before he was 18? Her cardigan looks a different colour but that could be a filter. 

[indianabones]

55 minutes ago, SorenaJ said:

What are the covid rules for weddings in Arkansas and Texas? If a normal couple were to have a normal wedding following the rules, what would be allowed? 

100 people in Arkansas, 75% capacity in Texas. Looks like we know where they'll be getting married, then!

TLC posted their engagement announcement video. It sounds like they're reading off of cue cards.

[SorenaJ]

28 minutes ago, indianabones said:

100 people in Arkansas, 75% capacity in Texas. Looks like we know where they'll be getting married, then

Is that true for receptions as well? I could see an early wedding then, if they stick to the rules, TLC could film it and just emphasize that they were just following the rules and regulations in place in that state. Are things likely to change after 20 January or does the president have no influence over the regulations in the different states? If the rules are likely to get stricter after 20 January, I could see them having the wedding before that.