Who Is Attending Nathan Bates' Wedding?

Nathan Bates and Esther Keyes got married on October 22, 2021, at the Star Barn in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The couple first met in June 2018 and started dating in October 2020. Nathan proposed to Esther in May 2021, and they announced their wedding date in August 2021. The ceremony and reception took place in front of around 350 guests, and the couple shared their first kiss at the altar.

Nathan Bates and Esther Keyes's wedding date and location

On October 22, 2021, Nathan Bates and Esther Keyes tied the knot at The Star Barn in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. The couple shared their first kiss at the altar, in front of around 350 guests. The wedding was officiated by Dean Miller, with Nathan's father, Gil, acting as best man. The ceremony included a number of musical performances, including a song written and performed by Nathan's brother, Lawson, and a duet by the couple. The groomsmen, which included Nathan's brothers and friends, arrived by skydiving into the ceremony, while Esther arrived in a horse-drawn carriage.

The couple's wedding registry instructed invitees to send gifts to Rocky Top, Tennessee, where the Bates family lives, leading some to believe the wedding would take place in Tennessee. However, in an Instagram Live Q&A, Esther revealed that she would be leaving her home state of Pennsylvania after the wedding, suggesting that the couple would not be settling in Pennsylvania or Tennessee.

The couple's first kiss

The moment that Nathan and Esther had been waiting for had finally arrived. It was the 22nd of October 2021, and the couple was about to exchange their vows and share their first kiss as husband and wife. The ceremony took place at the StarBarn in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, with around 350 guests in attendance.

As Esther walked down the aisle, her heart raced with excitement and anticipation. She couldn't wait to be standing by Nathan's side, ready to begin their new life together. The couple's wedding ceremony was filled with love and joy, and as they exchanged their vows, their voices were steady and full of emotion.

When the time came for the first kiss, Nathan took Esther gently in his arms. Their lips met, and for a moment, everything around them faded away. It was as if they were the only two people in the world. The kiss was soft and tender, a perfect reflection of the love they shared.

As they parted, they looked into each other's eyes, and in that moment, they knew that their lives had changed forever. They were no longer two individuals but a team, ready to take on the world together as husband and wife. The guests erupted into cheers and applause, celebrating the union of two people deeply in love.

The first kiss between Nathan and Esther was a special moment, a memory they would cherish forever. It marked the beginning of their journey as a married couple, and the joy and love they felt in that instant would carry them through the many adventures that lay ahead.

Bates' previous relationship with Ashley Salyer

Kenneth Nathaniel "Nathan" Bates, the fifth child of Gil and Kelly Bates, was previously in a relationship with Ashley Salyer. On March 31, 2016, an episode of 'Bringing Up Bates' revealed that Nathan was courting Ashley. Prior to the episode's filming, the couple had already been talking and hanging out for six months.

On the next episode, which aired on April 7, 2016, Nathan and his brother Lawson were seen taking in the sights of New York City with Ashley and her sister Anastasia. Before this trip, Nathan asked Ashley's father for permission to court his daughter, and then he asked Ashley to be his girlfriend.

However, on June 16, 2016, another episode of 'Bringing Up Bates' showed Nathan and Ashley discussing the struggles in their relationship. Nathan expressed his love for Ashley but also his concerns about their future together, stating that they had "a lot of conflict" and that he was unsure if they were meant to get married.

Ultimately, on June 30, 2016, Nathan revealed on 'Bringing Up Bates' that he had ended his courtship with Ashley. Despite their relationship not working out, Nathan and Ashley demonstrated impressive communication skills and maturity in the way they handled their differences.

Following his relationship with Ashley, Nathan went on to marry Esther Keyes on October 22, 2021, at The Star Barn in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. They have one daughter, Kenna, and are expecting their second child, a boy, in October 2024.

Bates' wedding proposal

Bates Wedding Proposal

The Romantic Three-City Journey

On May 22, 2021, Nathan Bates proposed to his girlfriend, Esther Keyes, at the end of a three-day celebration of their relationship. The couple embarked on a romantic three-city journey that brought them to both of their home states. The proposal took place at the home of a family friend in Orlando, Florida, but the trip began in Welcome Lake, Pennsylvania, and then took them to Norris Lake in Rocky Top, Tennessee.

The Big Moment

When the couple arrived in Orlando, they were greeted by a backdrop lined with marquee letters spelling "marry me". After Bates popped the question, and Keyes said yes, they enjoyed a special dinner, danced, and watched fireworks. Bates, who is one of 19 siblings, had help from his sisters and friends in planning the perfect proposal.

The Happy Couple

Nathan Bates, born on August 29, 1993, is the fifth oldest of the 19 Bates children. He works as an EMT and has appeared on reality TV shows such as "19 Kids and Counting", "United Bates of America", and "Bringing Up Bates".

Esther Keyes, who is 23 years old, became Instagram official with Bates in December 2020. She said she was excited to start making wedding plans but wanted to "soak in all the joys of being Nathan's fiancé" first.

The Bates Family

The Bates family has strong religious beliefs and is well-known for their reality TV show "Bringing Up Bates". The family consists of Gil and Kelly Bates and their 19 children. The children were homeschooled and raised as active participants of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles. The family has strong ties to the Duggar family, who also have their own reality TV show.

Bates' career and hobbies

Kenneth Nathaniel "Nathan" Bates, born on 29 August 1993, is the fifth of Gil and Kelly Bates' nineteen children. He is a reality TV star, featuring in TLC's "19 Kids and Counting", "United Bates of America", and "Bringing Up Bates". He is also an EMR and a reserved deputy sheriff with the Anderson County Sheriff's Department. He has also earned a private pilot's license and is working towards a commercial license.

Nathan has a heart for missions and has been on several mission trips, including a ten-day trip to Guatemala in 2011 to help a local orphanage, and a trip to the Philippines in 2014 to provide medical assistance after a massive storm. He volunteers for MEDIC Corps, helping people around the world affected by natural disasters.

As a child, Nathan was homeschooled and raised as an active participant in Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles. From a young age, he wanted to be a preacher. He completed his first responder training and worked as a volunteer fireman for the Medford Fire Department before becoming a reserved deputy sheriff.

Nathan enjoys water sports and, alongside his brothers Zach, Lawson, Trace, Jackson, Warden, and Isaiah, sometimes works for his father Gil's tree-excavating company, Bates Tree Service, in Rocky Top, Tennessee.

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