When Did Carlin Bates Get Married? The Reality Star Is Expecting Her First Child

How many kids can the Bates bring up? As it turns out, there's always room for one more. Case in point: Carlin Bates is expecting her first child with her husband, Evan Stewart. And given the exciting nature of their news, it's no surprise some people are wondering: When did Carlin Bates get married?

To catch you up to speed, the two tied the knot this past May during a romantic ceremony in Tennessee, according to People. Bates first shared a glimpse of the special day on her Instagram with a black-and-white photo of her and Evan kissing, calling the moment "extraordinarily magical."

"It’s impossible to take a deep breath and soak in every moment when every moment is taking your breath away," Bates added.

Bates also spoke out about the quickness of their special day, telling the Knoxville News Sentinel: "Today happened so fast. I feel like it was a blink of an eye, and all of a sudden I have this husband that's wonderful, and I feel like I'm in a piece of heaven for sure."

Her husband agreed, telling the outlet: "Today's definitely crept up like she said."

The two first began their courtship on Season 7 of the show, and they were engaged in September 2018 during a surprise trip to Maine, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported. The proposal featured a symphony musician, dancing, and a live lighthouse backdrop, according to the outlet.

Furthermore, Bates and Stewart's love story has humble beginnings. Bates wrote on her wedding website that the two met in fall of 2016, when Bates' mother was asked to speak at a Ladies' Conference at the church Stewart attended. "I noticed he was nervous and eventually said, 'Well aren't you going to say, 'Hi'?'" Bates recounted. "He blushed and we chatted briefly."

The following day, the Stewart family invited Carlin and the Bates clan over for lunch, which is when the two love birds really hit it off. She revealed that Evan's "respect," "forgiveness," and "his values," among other things, were what eventually won her over into spending forever with her "best friend."

The two held their wedding shower this past April, and then they tied the knot on May 25.

Now that the two are expecting their first child, there will be undeniably many blessings and challenges ahead, and one has already cropped up.

Along with their pregnancy announcement, Bates detailed that she "received some fearful news at [her] first appointment," according to an exclusive with PEOPLE. Her blood tests revealed that she has the same clotting disorder that her sister Erin has.

"Evan had to learn to give me two shots daily," Bates explained. “We have had a lot of opportunity to pray and to try to trust God, as we have researched the different side effects and concerns. So although it has been a learning experience, we know we have an even bigger reason to be thankful that the baby is doing well.”

Although this issue isn't ideal, it's clear Bates has the support of her loving husband to see her through this rough patch. Congrats again to this mama-to-be!