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Duggar weddings are always secretive affairs, and it’s not hard to see why the family keeps certain details concealed from their fans.

After all, these aren’t your typical small-town soirees.

Josiah Duggar, Lauren Swanson Pic
(TLC)

There are often more than 1,000 invited guests in attendance, which means a Duggar reception would be an easy party to crash.

But many fans believe the clandestine planning process sometimes has a more insidious motivation than simply keeping out vagrants.

If you’re a follower of the family, then by now, you’ve likely heard the news that Josiah Duggar is engaged to Lauren Swanson.

The young, smiling, betrothed couple is seen above.

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Josiah and Lauren courted for just a few weeks before taking the next step, but that’s not uncommon in the Duggars’ world.

From a young age, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s offspring are taught that they’ve been put on this earth for two reasons:

1. To praise God.

2. To procreate.

So it should come as no surprise that Josiah and Lauren decided to rush past the usual relationship milestones at breakneck speed.

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What is surprising, however, is the fact that they’ve now chosen to push their scheduled wedding date by six whole months.

Without any warning or reason, no less.

Last week, insiders claimed that Josiah and Lauren would marry on June 30. That was fast, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Now, several media outlets are claiming that the nuptials have been postponed, and will now take place on New Year’s Eve.

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Needless to say, fans were floored by the revelation.

This is literally the exact opposite of the shady pre-wedding shenanigans that we’ve come to expect from the Duggars.

It’s not uncommon for the family to reschedule a wedding, but usually, the date is shifted in the opposite direction. 

As in, they cannot wait to get to the altar.

For example, when Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth changed their wedding date, they moved it up several months.

Josiah Duggar, Lauren Swanson Picture
(TLC)

Depending on whom you ask, and believe, this maneuver was one of three things in the case of Joy-Anna and Austin:

1. A pre-emptive move motivated by the couple’s inability to adhere to the rules of courtship, so they could bone faster;

2. Joy was already pregnant with Austin’s baby at the time, so they needed to get the shotgun wedding over with.

In either instance, there was an obvious incentive behind Jim Bob and Michelle’s executive decision to get ‘er done.

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The Josiah case, however, is much more mysterious.

That doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of fan theories circulating on social media. In fact, that mystery just breeds speculation.

The most common belief is that Josiah simply came down with a chronic case of cold feet, which isn’t entirely out of the question.

After all, Josiah is the first Duggar of his generation to enter a courtship that didn’t result in marriage, so maybe he’s just more cautious.

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Josiah courted Marjorie Jackson (above) in 2015, and the couple broke it off for reasons that still haven’t been fully explained.

Combine that with Josiah’s rebellious reputation and it’s not hard to see why fans are convinced he’s chosen to buck tradition.

By that, we mean that perhaps, just maybe, he’s chosen to date his future wife like a regular guy on a more normal timeline.

Who knows. But here’s hoping. As always, you can watch Counting On online for more from the controversial TLC family.