A Complete ‘Bringing Up Bates’ Family Guide: Meet Their Spouses & Kids
Bringing Up Bates may have ended its run in 2022, but that hasn’t stopped the Bates family from sharing updates with the public. Gil and Kelly Bates, who became famous for documenting their lives with their 19 kids, have welcomed dozens of new additions to their family over the years, including their children’s partners and their kids. In fact, they went into 2026 welcoming their 38th grandchild.
A few weeks later, a member of the Bates clan made headlines when her husband revealed that he’d cheated on her. Katie, the 11th-oldest Bates sibling, addressed her husband’s infidelity in a January 20 Instagram post. “As many now know, our marriage has been deeply hurt and my trust has been broken,” she wrote, explaining that they would determine the best path forward together and that she hoped to preserve their marriage.
It got us thinking about the relationship statuses of the rest of the Bateses. Scroll for all the latest updates on Gil and Kelly’s marriage, as well as their kids’ partners and families.
Gil & Kelly Bates
Of course, we have to start with the Bates family members who started it all. Gil and Kelly met in college, and they married right before graduation, aged 22 and 21. They’ve had 19 kids, of course, in the years since, and they’re still going strong in 2026.
Zachary Bates
Whitney Perkins caught Zachary’s eye while she was working at Sonic, and they went on to court for two months in 2013. That’s all the time Zachary needed to propose to his future wife. After marrying in December 2013, the oldest Bates son has welcomed five kids with Whitney: Bradley (born in October 2014), Jayden (June 2021), Kaci (June 2016), Khloé (November 2019), and Lily Jo (August 2023). A sixth baby will come along in 2026.
Michaela Bates Keilen
Brandon Keilen and Michaela courted for two years until he proposed in April 2015. Per the Bates Family Blog, the couple began fostering two brothers in 2025. “We’ve been praying for years that God would provide a way for us to have children, and neither of us saw this coming. All of a sudden, we’re a family of four,” Brandon told People.
Erin Bates Paine
Erin and her husband, Charles “Chad” Stephen Paine III, have been married since 2013. They had several miscarriages before they had their seven kids. They welcomed Carson in May 2015, then Brooklyn the following year, Everly in May 2018, Holland in November 2019, and Finley in January 2022. William came alone in October 2023, and then Henry in August 2025. After Henry’s birth, Erin experienced severe health complications that led to septic shock, per People, and she’s been recovering in the months since.
Lawson Bates
Lawson has been in a relationship with Tiffany Espensen since 2020, tying the knot in May 2022. They have been documenting their lives on YouTube for years. Their first son, William, joined them in July 2024, and his brother, Theodore, was born in December 2025.
Nate Bates
Nate proposed and said “I do” to Esther Keyes in 2021. Their daughter, Kenna, arrived the next year, with their son, Graham, following in October 2024.
Alyssa Bates Webster
Alyssa met her future husband, John Webster, while working on his father’s campaign for the United States House of Representatives. After an engagement and wedding in 2014, the couple welcomed five additions to their family. Alli was born in April 2015, Lexi in January 2017, Zoey in March 2018, Maci in February 2021, and Rhett in March 2023.
Tori Bates Smith
Tori met Bobby Smith in 2016, and their ensuing romance made its way into her family’s reality show. After a few months of being engaged, they married in December 2017. In October 2025, the couple announced that their sixth child was on the way, following Robert IV (November 2018), Kolter (May 2020), Charlotte (June 2021), Cambree (August 2022), and Weston (May 2024).
Trace Bates
Two babies have come along since Trace married Lydia Romeike. They met through Trace’s sister, Josie, before getting engaged in March 2022. Months later, they said “I do.” Exactly a year later, they had a baby boy, Ryker. In June 2025, daughter Kaia joined the family.
Carlin Bates Stewart
Carlin has her sister, Erin, to thank for introducing her to her future husband, Evan Stewart. The couple got engaged in September 2018, with their wedding in May 2019. Bringing Up Bates viewers may recall that they welcomed their first daughter, Layla, in January 2020. March 2022 saw the arrival of their son, Zade. Daughter Navy Kate came along in September 2025.
Josie Bates Balka
Josie and her future husband, Kelton Balka, started their romance in 2017, though they met three years earlier. Kelton’s proposal was captured in an episode of Bringing Up Bates, as was their wedding a few months later in October 2018.
The couple has been growing their family ever since. Willow was born in July 2019, Hazel in June 2021, Miles in February 2024, and Brooks in December 2025.
Katie Bates Clark
Katie and Travis met in 2019 and started courting the following year. Travis got down on one knee in April 2021, and their wedding took place that December. Two years later, the couple welcomed daughter Hailey James, as well as son Harvey Gray in September 2024.
In January 2026, Travis revealed on social media that he’d cheated on his wife, who later responded that they were working on finding the best way forward. On Instagram, Katie expressed her desire to preserve their marriage.
Jackson Bates
After meeting at a Florida rodeo, Jackson started a relationship with Emerson Wells, getting engaged in March 2023 and tying the knot that October. Their son, David, came along in July 2025.
