Bringing Up Bates "A Wedding Worth the Wait"
- The wedding is almost here! Carlin and Evan are practicing their first dance, to a song that Lawson wrote. “I had never imagined that this could just get this complicated,” Lawson says of the dance steps.
- “I’m thinking y’all are going to need a lot more practice before Saturday,” says Trace, chuckling.
- “I feel like, if you stumble and mess up the whole dance but you get the ending right, it’s okay,” says Carlin.
Carlin arrives at the nail salon with her best friend, Joy (Duggar) Forsyth. “My friendship with Joy is just such a treasure to me,” says Carlin. “So for her to be here is just so sweet, to spend that last bit of time single with your best friend.”Erin and Tori, who are also bridesmaids, arrive soon after.
“Carlin is so sweet,” says Erin. “I think she’s pretty much asked my opinion about every little detail about her wedding, which makes me feel so honored and special. I feel like, ‘Wow, I’m getting to kind of redo my wedding in a way and change up all my choices.’” Chad laughs. - It’s 94 degrees during the rehearsal. Carlin’s wedding Bates party is the largest so far, with 12 bridesmaids and 12 groomsmen.
- As the couple stands before Gil, one of the two officiants, he encourages them to stand close. Carlin puts her arm around Evan’s neck, but Gil puts the kibosh on that. “Hey, hey, woah, no, we’re not into that!” he exclaims. “You’ve got 23 more hours and 27 minutes.”
- After the rehearsal, everyone is eager to get to the rehearsal dinner, which is in an air-conditioned building. The Stewarts have done an amazing job. Carlin stands up and shares heart-felt words of gratitude with her parents and siblings. Evan does the same. “I thought Carlin’s speech was wonderful,” says Lawson. “…It really just shows how close everybody is and how many memories there are.”
- On the day of the wedding, all the ladies get ready together, while the groomsmen quickly put their clothes on and then enjoy refreshments and games in a room at the venue.
- During pictures, Callie breaks down. “On the day of the wedding, it just starts dawning on me that they’re leaving for good,” says Callie. Carlin gives her a big hug.
- Another emotional moment comes when Gil sees Carlin in her dress for the first time. The bride gives her dad a tie with the inscription, ‘I’ll always be your little girl.’
- Just before Carlin walks down the aisle, Erin and Whitney pray with her. “I don’t thing [Carlin] could have picked a more perfect place for her and Evan to have their day at,” says Lawson.
- Evan sees the dress for the first time when Carlin walks down the aisle, and he gets quite emotional.
- “It’s a hot day, so I have been informed that my charge needs to be short and sweet,” says Gil during the ceremony. At the altar, he reminds Carlin and Evan to cherish each other and not to let anything come between them. “Carlin, you treat this man like he’s Superman, and he will be Superman,” encourages Gil. “The more you brag on him, they better he’ll get. It just works for all guys. You tell them they’re good, even if they can’t fix anything…they’ll find out how to do it. They want to be your hero.”
- The couple exchanges traditional vows. When it’s time to sing the duet, they pull it off beautifully. “Baby I’m going to show you, with every step that I take, all of my ‘I dos,’ vows that I make.”
- When it’s supposed to be time for the kiss, Evan’s pastor says, “Let us pray,” which is apparently something that he has done during past weddings. After the prayer comes the kiss.
- Carlin and Evan run down the aisle and disappear. They arrive at the reception a short while later. The guests have been fed, and it’s time to cut the cake, made by Kelly’s sister Kay. Carlin and Evan do end up rubbing cake on each other’s faces.
- Ethan, Whitney, and Erin give speeches. During hers, Erin makes a cryptic announcement: “So it’s my bet that out of all of Mom and Dad’s children that you will be the best to have the most children. Me personally, I’ve made my contribution, contributions. Four is getting close.”
- The guests look around, wondering why Erin said four instead of three. “Oh, sorry, four,” says Erin. “Yes, I’m pregnant, for everybody that didn’t get that.” Everyone cheers.
- “I accidentally slipped,” says Erin later. “I was not planning on that. I think it’s just cause it’s on my mind. Like I’m so shocked at myself for having four children. I mean, that’s a huge feat.”
- After the speeches, everyone gathers around the outdoor dance floor and watches the couple share their first dance. Then comes the daddy-daughter dance. “Just watching Carlin enjoy that time with Dad, knowing the effort that Dad put into it--because he doesn’t dance--they did a beautiful job together, and it was just a really sweet time knowing how much it meant to her and knowing that he was willing to do anything to make her day special,” says Michael.
- The episode ends with the sparkler send-off, and the couple drives away in a green sports car.