Nathan & Esther 5: No Room for the Holy Spirit Between Nathan and the Wedding Square

[nelliebelle1197]

On 4/24/2021 at 2:59 PM, rebeccawriter01 said:

She was 25? I think.

I'm curious how Kelly Jo will behave with prospective daughters-in-law. With Chaney some of the sisters (Erin and Carlin) were particularly pushy. 

I think you have the order right. I do wonder if she might start pushing for Jackson or even Warden who will be 18 next month to find someone. May just be for television but they seem to think Trace is a bit of a late bloomer and will concentrate on the others coming behind him. What they showed of him and Chaney was a guy who wants to be viewed as grown and independent but had no idea what to actually do with his life or with a girl. 

What did they do to Chaney? I am curious!

[rebeccawriter01]

1 hour ago, nelliebelle1197 said:

What did they do to Chaney? I am curious!

She was modeling for the boutique and they were basically wanting her to tell them how serious things were and talking about pet names, etc. She was modeling and Erin and Whitney were saying how lucky Trace was since she was so pretty in the pics. Then Kelly Jo facetimed Trace to show off Chaney. Erin is asking why wasn't he calling her babe. Chaney is clearly uncomfortable. She was even covering her ears at o e point. 

 

It wasn't as bad as they get with boyfriends but still awkward and cringey. 

[artdecades]

Esther just announced she got a summer job at a cafe in Pennsylvania. Seems like she isn’t anticipating a summer engagement or wedding. 

[CaptainFunderpants]

41 minutes ago, artdecades said:

Esther just announced she got a summer job at a cafe in Pennsylvania. Seems like she isn’t anticipating a summer engagement or wedding. 

Maybe working this Summer to save up for a Fall or late Fall wedding? As much as we mock Jessa and her ice cream-in-the-parking-lot wedding, getting married in the wedding off-season does save a lot of money.

[Melissa1977]

Working in Pennsilvania? Where does she live? I wonder if Nathan will travel uummhhh unchaperoned to deliver pieces of his heart around the USA.

[OHFL2009]

6 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

Working in Pennsilvania? Where does she live? I wonder if Nathan will travel uummhhh unchaperoned to deliver pieces of his heart around the USA.

She lives in Pennsylvania. It looks like Nathan has traveled there several times to visit her family; I'm assuming he would fly up by himself and they would use her siblings as chaperones if they have chaperones. Bobby/Evan/Travis would travel seemingly alone to Knoxville and then have Bates siblings as chaperones, at least from what it looked like on social media. 

[HereticHick]

7 hours ago, Melissa1977 said:

Working in Pennsilvania? Where does she live? I wonder if Nathan will travel uummhhh unchaperoned to deliver pieces of his heart around the USA.

According to her Instagram, she goes to Mt Zion Baptist Church of Denver, PA. Denver is in Lancaster County, which is south central county of  Pennsylvania famous for its large Anabaptist communities, and a big tourist area.  Its about a hour west of Philadelphia. Interestingly, Ashley Sayler, Nathan's ex, has a sister, Nomi, who lives in Lancaster.

[fluffernutter]

Well crap. That's where I live. I kinda thought she might be from around here. ?

[VBOY9977]

Nathan said on today’s episode that he wanted to getting engaged on the spring in the Bahamas. Way to keep a surprise lol. Esther posted pictures at the beach today, no idea if they’re in the Bahamas so maybe they’re getting engaged as we speak 

Edited May 14, 2021 by VBOY9977

[rebeccawriter01]

10 hours ago, VBOY9977 said:

Nathan said on today’s episode that he wanted to getting engaged on the spring in the Bahamas. Way to keep a surprise lol. Esther posted pictures at the beach today, no idea if they’re in the Bahamas so maybe they’re getting engaged as we speak 

If not, I feel bad for her. It would suck to hear his "plans" on television and then nothing happen. 

[llucie]

They are not in the Bahamas. She is with her family in Myrtle beach, South Carolina, and he doesnt seem to be there.

[raayx01]

So in one of the upcoming episode descriptions, it says that Esther and Nathan go ring shopping and then in one of the previous episodes Nathan talks about proposing in spring in the Bahamas. It May 21, Springs all most up and he wants a early fall wedding. When is this thing going to happen

[kmachete14]

Anyone think they're already engaged? And keeping it a secret? 

[Oh_Dear!]

Normally the Bates announce stuff as soon as it happens, tabloid announcement style.  But, if I remember correctly, when Nathan was with Ashley, he waited for the show to officially announce courting and the subsequent breakup. I think that they are doing the same thing here, perhaps. 

[CanadianMamam]

5 hours ago, Oh_Dear! said:

Normally the Bates announce stuff as soon as it happens, tabloid announcement style.  But, if I remember correctly, when Nathan was with Ashley, he waited for the show to officially announce courting and the subsequent breakup. I think that they are doing the same thing here, perhaps. 

I am of two minds. The really cynical part is that they know that due to the Duggar scandal, they are the more palatable fundies and are being more selective to increase value. But that only works if this is a newish change. Second, is that with three proposals/weddings all in a row, they are trying to time announcements and time weddings to get maximium interest. 
 

or possibly both, that they originally intended to spread them out to not overlap the multiple engagements too much but they could now also be playing smart because they feel like there will be more interest in their family. 

Edited May 22, 2021 by CanadianMamam

[Mom to Nell]

On 5/21/2021 at 3:49 PM, kmachete14 said:

Anyone think they're already engaged? And keeping it a secret? 

I do. I think I said it on the Bates Fam thread a while ago. Nathan is the least active on SM and UP will finally be able to show something that hasn't been plastered all over SM for days and days and months and months (looking at you Carlin!).

[VBOY9977]

Officially engaged per F*x News, so I’m not posting the link, but here are pics. Per the article they got engaged in Florida on May 22nd. 

Edited May 24, 2021 by VBOY9977

[front hugs > duggs]

I most surprised that they weren't engaged already.

[rebeccawriter01]

I admit I am sleep deprived and a little punchy at the moment. However, three things stood out to me on the pics. 

1. The lights? or whatever they are in the glasses looked like glasses of water. My first thought was that he was thirsty. 
2. In the spirit of his comments about his sisters' hair and potential wedding dresses, I am going to go all Nathan and said..."that suit is not your best look, nor is getting down on one knee."
3. The giant letters spelling out marry me would have been very sad if she said no. They also seem a bit extra since apparently he asked her in the daylight. Why would you waste so much time on special decorative lighting with the sun still out?

[OHFL2009]

12 minutes ago, rebeccawriter01 said:

1. The lights? or whatever they are in the glasses looked like glasses of water. My first thought was that he was thirsty. 

I think the glass cylinders along the edge of the pool have floating candles in them. It's hard to see in the photo but I've seen it as a poolside decoration before. I think it would've looked better if he put flower petals or colored glass beads or something in the bottom of the glass to give some color. 

[rebeccawriter01]

14 minutes ago, OHFL2009 said:

I think the glass cylinders along the edge of the pool have floating candles in them. It's hard to see in the photo but I've seen it as a poolside decoration before. I think it would've looked better if he put flower petals or colored glass beads or something in the bottom of the glass to give some color. 

Makes sense. I only saw the one at first. It just made me laugh with the image of him drinking water and then thinking oh yeah I'm supposed to propose. 

[Coconut Flan]

There is no reason not to spell out Fox News or post the link:

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bringing-up-bates-nathan-bates-engaged-esther-keyes-lavish-3-day-proposal

Yes, I call it Faux News for a reason, but this is a legitimate story.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Coconut Flan

[lumpentheologie]

Apparently it was a “lavish, three-day proposal.” 
 

Here’s the text of the article:

Fox News can exclusively reveal that Nathan popped the question on May 22 in Florida after a three-day celebration of their relationship that spanned three different cities. The proposal, which comes after he had been courting her for the past year, marks the first man in the large Bates family to get engaged in roughly eight years. 

The big moment took place in Orlando, Fla. after the couple visited their respective hometowns earlier that same weekend. The actual moment Nathan got down on one knee happened at family friends Dan and Janie Drummond’s home in Mandalay shores on Lake Conway. Nathan noted that being lake-adjacent was a big part of his plan to give Esther a memorable weekend before asking her to be his wife.

"I planned three days of events to celebrate our relationship that would begin in PA (where Esther is from), move to TN (where I am from), and finally end in Orlando with the proposal. Each day was a surprise and centered around a different lake, and each one built in splendor," he said. "The proposal decorations, the backdrop against Conway Lake, and Esther’s excitement and smile all made this day the best memory that we’ve both ever experienced! We’ve already started talking about wedding dates and can’t quit laughing and crying as we think back over the emotions we’ve shared together these past few days."

As with most things in the Bates household, the proposal was a family affair. Nathan’s sister Erin helped decorate their romantic site in Tennessee while his other sisters, Carlin and Alyssa, helped decorate the Florida location, which included a backdrop lined with 4-ft marquee letters that read "Marry Me" along with votives with floating candles lighting their pathway. 

After Esther said "yes," the duo enjoyed a steak dinner, watched the sunset over the lake and concluded the evening with a special dance and a fireworks display. 

"I couldn’t believe all of the preparation and planning that Nathan put into making this proposal such an incredible weekend," Esther said. "I still can’t believe it has finally happened! It has truly been the most special few days I’ve ever had! I’m feeling so many emotions right now, but mostly just excitement and thankfulness that God has allowed us to experience so much together!"

While no official date for the wedding has been set, "Bringing Up Bates" is currently on Season 10, meaning all of the wedding action leading up to and through the proposal will likely be featured during upcoming episodes.

[HereticHick]

So glad that my Mr. Possum just proposed to me on a street corner after a nice dinner like normal adults.

I just cringe at all this expense and what the money could have been used for instead. Like health insurance. Or donating to a charity. Or starting a college/trade school fund for your future eleventy children.

[Markie]

What do Nathan and Esther both do for a living? Did Esther go to college? I’m surprised. I assumed they had been engaged for quite awhile.