Quick answer: Jessa Duggar, who now goes by her married name, Jessa Seewald, and her husband Ben Seewald saved their first kiss for marriage, but they didn't share it at the altar. On The Unplanned Podcast in October 2026, Jessa said she didn't want "that pressure of our special moment being in front of 2,000 people," so they left the ceremony and kissed in private. Ben added, "We did kiss at the reception after we practiced a little bit."
Source episode: "Jessa Duggar Tell All: Leaving the IBLP & Saving Kissing for Marriage w/ Ben Seewald," The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby, watch the full episode.
Jessa Duggar's name: Duggar to Seewald
Jessa became known as Jessa Duggar on TLC's 19 Kids and Counting. She married Ben Seewald in Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 (ABC News), and now goes by Jessa Seewald. The podcast lists her Instagram as @jessaseewald (episode page).
What they said on The Unplanned Podcast
When host Matt Howard asked whether their first kiss came the second the pastor finished, Jessa said: "Well, no, we actually didn't kiss on stage. We waited. We left the ceremony."
She explained: "I don't want that pressure of our special moment being in front of 2,000 people." Ben recalled that after they were introduced as a married couple, "we just walk out and I think people were like, what's going on here? Cause you know, when you're at a wedding, that's what you're waiting for." Then he added: "We did kiss at the reception after we practiced a little bit" (episode transcript).
They also talked about the TV cameras at their wedding. Ben said filming was "normal for her" but new for him.
How it was reported in 2014
At the time, officiant Pastor Mike Schadt told People magazine: "They wanted their very first kiss ever to be in private. It was important to the both of them." To satisfy the crowd, he asked the heads of the Duggar family, Jessa's parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, to kiss instead, and said, "So, now you've seen a Duggar kiss." The couple then spent some time alone and kissed publicly later at the reception (ABC News).
FAQ
Did Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald kiss at their wedding? Not at the altar. They shared their first kiss in private after the ceremony and kissed publicly at the reception.
What is Jessa Duggar's married name? Jessa Seewald.
When did Jessa and Ben get married? Nov. 1, 2014, in Arkansas.
Where did they talk about it? On The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby, in an episode released in October 2026.