Kade Smith at 3 Months Old

Photos of Kade are few and far between, and he has not yet appeared on Bringing Up Bates, so we know you will enjoy this new snapshot of him. He is now three months old.

The Bates are all in Rocky Top this weekend for their annual I Love You Day celebration. Last year the theme was "growing old together," and this year they all dressed in medieval costumes.

Kade Smith and Lawson Bates

Photo courtesy of lawsonbates.com

Bobby Turns 24

Wishing Bobby Smith a very happy 24th birthday!

Bobby Smith and his mom with newborn Kade Smith, November 2018

 

Evan Stewart, Carlin Bates, Tori Smith, Bobby Smith

April 2018

 

Josie Bates, Kelton Balka, Bobby Smith

Bringing Up Bates season 6

 

Tori and Bobby Smith, honeymoon

December 2017

Tori Bates and Bobby Smith start their official courtship

Bringing Up Bates season 5

Photos courtesy of Tori and Bobby Smith, Carlin Bates/thebatesfamily.com, UPtv

Couples Dinner 2019

The Bates' annual Valentine's Day (aka I Love You Day) celebration has begun! The family is gathered at the homestead in Rocky Top, Tennessee, and everyone is elated to spend the weekend together. Tonight is the couples' dinner.

Remember last year, when Nathan and Lawson "crashed" the couples' dinner? They said they were bringing dates, but those dates ended up being each other. Well they are joking about bringing dates again this year, but they have made it clear that they aren't in relationships. Stay tuned to find out if they try to play another joke.

Whitney Bates, Carlin Bates, Erin Paine,

Tori Smith, Alyssa Webster

Photo courtesy of Alyssa and John Webster

Crazy Love

"One long-standing tradition is [Lawson] finishes the song about, maybe an hour before the wedding, maybe two if he's lucky."
-Jackson Bates

For her wedding ceremony, Josie asked Lawson to write a song that is different than any of his other original songs. He came up with "Crazy Love," and it turned out great, although he was still adding the finishing touches just before the ceremony began. Check out our recap of last night's episode, and watch the video below for a snippet of the song.

Photo/video courtesy of UPtv

'A Bride, A Groom, and a Love That's True' Recap

Bringing Up Bates "A Bride, A Groom, and a Love That's True"

• Three days before the wedding, the Bates still have a lot to do. Renee arrives with the completed dress, and it’s time for the final fitting. “I was so excited to see Josie try on her wedding dress,” says Callie. “I was actually really sad also because your older sister’s getting married and stuff, so.”
• Josie still thinks her hips look too big, but Kelly says they don’t. “Guys like that,” says Kelly, using her hands to emphasize big hips.
• Ellie, Addallee, and Callie head outside to spray paint lanterns left over from Tori’s wedding. The girls are excited to be able to help with wedding preparations.
• Gil and Lawson visit a friend who is a metal fabricator to pick up a metal hoop that will be covered in greenery and flowers and be the backdrop for the ceremony. Strapping it down in the back of the pickup truck is a challenge, so Lawson sits in the bed with it while they drive through town. “Somebody is going to have to ride back there with it, and I am not riding back there if Lawson’s driving,” says Gil.
• “Lawson, if you fall out, just don’t let the thing fall out,” jokes Gil. “Josie can get married without you, I guess. She can’t get married without this.”
• It’s the day before the wedding, and the Balkas as setting up for the rehearsal dinner. The Bates offer to help, but Kelton’s father assures them that he has plenty of assistance from the females in his family. “Our heart went out to Mr. Balka because with his wife being in heaven, he is left with planning this entire event,” says Kelly.
• All the family members and close friend gather together to eat and hear speeches. Alyssa, matron of honor and Josie’s “partner” growing up, kicks it off. “Josie, I love you, and I am so proud of you,” she says.
• Next, it’s time for best man Bobby to say a few words. For the first time, he shares what Kelton told him on the phone a few years ago afterthe Bates decided it was time for Kelton and Josie to stop talking to eachother. “Kelton called me on the phone, absolutely crushed and in tears, and I’ll never forget what he said to me. He said, ‘This hurts as bad as anything I’ve felt in my life, but if God made me get close to Josie just so you could meet Tori, that’s okay with me.’”
• That evening, Kelton and the groomsmen hang out at Frank’s Barbershop. When Evan decides to get his nose hairs waxed, all the guys gather around to watch. Bobby and Kelton have the honor of yanking the wax sticks out. Evan says it doesn’t hurt as bad as he had imagined. Meanwhile, Kelly and the bridesmaids have their nails done.
• On the morning of the wedding, all the bridesmaids and flower girls do their hair and makeup at a rental house. Even the little girls get all dolled up. Kelton and the guys get dressed at the Balkas’ new apartment.
• Kelton gets a call from Kelly, who shares some bad news: traffic on the interstate is at a standstill due to a wreck, and some of the guests are going to be late. The decision is made to postpone the wedding one hour.
• The wedding finally starts, and the family members, bridesmaids, and groomsmen begin walking down the aisle. “I had emotion building in me throughout the entire day,” says Kelton. “When I saw my father walking up to the front by himself, that was the first time that it really hit me, and I was struggling a lot with that. Bobby knew exactly what was going on, and he pulled me over and started praying with me right there."
• When Josie and Gil begin walking towards Kelton, the groom starts bawling.
• Gil leads the couple in their vows, which are traditional ones. “One of the sweetest things about our ceremony was that my dad could officiate it for us,” says Josie. Lawson performs an original song that he wrote for the bride and groom. “We’ve got crazy love, crazy dreams. Might not be millionaires, but you’re all I need.”
• The ceremony is just about over, which means it’s time for the first kiss. “To kiss in front of 400 plus people is a lot of pressure, and it’s a little scary,” Josie says looking back. Kelton says he wanted a kiss that “looked sweet” and wasn’t too long because he knew he would be “fussed at” by both sides of the family if it was.
• “You can see just the joy in both of their faces,” says Kelly. “I think that picture will be in my mind forever.”
• Afterwards, the Bates and Balkas take family pictures, and then everyone heads inside to cool off. Even though it’s October, it’s very hot. At the reception, Josie smashes cake in Kelton’s face.
• The couple’s getaway car is Kelton’s SUV. Next stop, the Bahamas!