Thursday, February 9, 2017

Official Courtship

"Our courtship is officially official! We’re beyond excited and can’t wait to see what God has in store for our future. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and support; it means the world!"
-Tori Bates and Bobby Smith

Tori met Bobby through a mutual friend over fall break in 2015, and the two started courting during a family Florida vacation over fall break in 2016 (shown on tonight's episode). Tori is attending The Crown College of the Bible near Knoxville, Tennessee, and has three more semesters left in her education degree, while Bobby is a senior at Pensacola Christian in Pensacola, Florida.

The courtship became official during a sunset dinner on the beach. Scroll down to see a snapshot, and visit the gallery on the UP website for more.



Photo courtesy of UP

32 comments:

  1. They're so cute, it really looks like they got engaged(minus a ring of course). That was the fanciest courtship request I've seen.

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  2. So excited for for them!

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  3. Aw they make a cute couple. He's so tall! Reminds me of me and my husband. He's way tall and I'm very short.

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  4. I'm just really curious if Bobby has special permission from the college to record the show and be all touchy-touchy while he's a student there! I graduated from the same college, and there was definitely a no-touching rule, both on and off campus!

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    1. Does a college seriously have rules like that? These are adults we are talking about! Let them do what they want.

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    2. Yes, some colleges do.

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    3. They are not adults tell you finish college.

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    4. A college can set whatever rules its board of directors chooses. Adults can choose where they apply to college. They should choose one that has requirements that they are willing and able to abide by - whether it is in regards to relationships, course requirements, other required activities, etc.

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    5. Why should colleges have rules about touching? I mean, we're talking about hugs and touching each other's arms, it's not pda...

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    6. @ 11:07

      You become an adult when you turn 18. It has nothing to do with school.

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    7. Colleges can't tell you what to do outside of campus or a school sponsored event.

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    8. @12:22,
      I think that was a joke, about the college remark!!!!

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    9. I've heard that PCC (Bobby's college) has lessened their tight reign over the years. They used to be a legalistic ultra, ultra, ULTRA conservative Christian school.

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    10. Pcc used to have a rule in 2003 that boys and girls couldn't ride in same elevator, touch, etc. No joke.I attended briefly.

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  5. Congrats Tori and Bobby! You make a cute couple! Courting definitely suits you both. Who but GOD knows what the future holds, but I hope it's an engagement in the not so distant future. Maybe winter of this year! December at the latest!

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    1. She still has three semesters in college, why the rush?

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  6. Congratulations! You sure make a gorgeous looking couple! Enjoy your courtship. God Bless

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  7. Kelly Jo & Gil, Bobby & Tori - Life's path is paved with wonderful events and hopefully someone special to share each and every one. And also any tribulation along the way. Congratulations to both the Bates & Smith family on this courtship.

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  8. They both seem like nice young adults. Hope they both finish college and then have a lovely life together.

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  9. I can't understand why everyone always acts so surprised. Tori said she knew Bobby was going to make their unofficially dating year into an official courtship that day. She even called it their anniversary of ..I don't know...the d.a.t.i.n.g. word that seems to send them all into a frenzy. I'm not familiar with these strict rules so is the girl supposed to pretend to always be surprised? Is it so the man feels empowered by thinking he's in control? Was Tori not allowed to ask Bobby to make it an official courtship? I'm happy for them. They appear to be a loving couple. Just someone unfamiliar with the rules trying to figure it out!

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    1. Yet she pretty much knew it was going to happen, the suprise was in his plans, and exactly when and how he asked. Tori is a very special young later. When we met her the first time, it was like she had known us her whole life. She is a beautiful, grounded young woman and we couldn't be happier for her in this next step in her life. She found a loving, romantic, Christian man to spend the rest of her life with. God Bless the Bates and Smith families.

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  10. They really should skip the courtship and go straight to (short) engagement and marriage. Official or not they have been dating a year, and really can't keep their hands off each other. The Word says if you lust in your heart you've committed adultery ---while I'm not accusing anyone of immortality why cause undue temptation for some silly "courtship " steps and a tv show.

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  11. What cuties, congratulations to them!

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  12. OH MY GOODNESS they are so freaking perfect for each other!
    I agree when Carlin said she couldn't have picked a better guy for Tori. I always wondered who she'd find:)

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  13. Congratulations Tori & Bobby. Tori still got 3 more semesters left in college.

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  14. The dinner from Outback Steakhouse on the beach was what Zach and Whitney did for their engagement, and this was only for a courtship!!!! Wonder how big Bobby is going to go for the actual engagement.

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  15. What is Bobby studying in college? :)

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  16. Sooooo cute!!! Loved this episode!

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  17. Too too cute. Blessings to this darling couple.does anyone else think that Bobby and John Webster look a.little alike? Tori and Bobby will have a great wedding I'm sure.

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  18. OK, so they dated a year and courting since last fall (and we know that the Bates don't do long courtships). So I would think he'll propose this spring with a summer wedding or wait until he graduates to propose and then an early to mid fall wedding.

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  19. When exactly did they begin their courtship?

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  20. When exactly did they begin their courtship?

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