Tori Layne Smith (née Bates) (born December 20, 1995) is the seventh child and fourth daughter of Gil Bates and Kelly Bates.
She is the sister of Zachary Bates, Michaela Keilen, Erin Paine, Lawson Bates, Nathan Bates, Alyssa Webster, Trace Bates, Carlin Stewart, Josie Balka, Katie Clark, Jackson Bates, Warden Bates, Isaiah Bates, Addallee Bates, Ellie Bates, Callie-Anna Bates, Judson Bates, and Jeb Bates.
She is the wife of Bobby Smith and the mother of their children, Kade, Kolter, Charlotte, Cambree and Weston.
Early life[]
Tori as a baby
Tori Layne Bates was born on December 20, 1995, in Tennessee, to Gil Bates and Kelly Bates. She was the couple's seventh child, and they went on to have twelve more children after her.
Along with her siblings, Tori was homeschooled growing up. She and her siblings were raised as active participants of Bill Gothard's Institute in Basic Life Principles, and regularly attended the yearly Advanced Training Institute conferences in Big Sandy, Texas.
At some point as a child, Tori began taking violin lessons.
Tori is said to have always had a bubbly personality.
Personal life[]
Courting
Courtship[]
Bobby Smith asked Tori to begin dating on February 14, 2016, at her family's "I Love You Day" party.
On February 9, 2017, an episode of the UpTV show Bringing Up Bates featured Bobby asking Tori to enter an official courtship with him. The two met through a mutual friend in 2015 and officially began courting in November 2016.
Engaged
Engagement[]
On September 21, 2017, Tori and Bobby announced that they were engaged. He proposed to her at Wiseman's View, a scenic overlook in Marion, North Carolina.
Just married
Marriage[]
On December 16, 2017, Tori married Robert "Bobby" Ellis Smith III at Calvary Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. The couple shared their first kiss at the altar. The wedding was officiated by Tori's father, Gil Bates. Tori's matron of honor was her sister Erin and her maid of honor was her sister Carlin. Her bridesmaids were her sisters Michaela, Alyssa, Josie, and Katie, her sister-in-law Whitney, Bobby's sister Catherine, and her friends Devonna Killin and Abigail Paine. The flower girls were Tori's sister Callie, Tori's cousin Charlotte Bates, and Bobby's cousin Grace Renner. Bobby's best man was his best friend Kelton Balka. His groomsmen were Tori's brothers Zach, Lawson, Nathan, and Trace, Tori's brother-in-law Chad, and his friends Samuel Fuller, Johnathan Rasmussen, Dillon Richards, and Evan Stewart. The ring bearers were Tori's brothers Judson and Jeb and Bobby's cousin Cole Renner. Her brother Lawson wrote a song titled "One Plus One" for the wedding. Her dress was designed by Renee Miller of Renee's Bridal.
For their honeymoon, Tori and Bobby spent two nights in Gatlinburg before flying out to California. While there, they drove down the Pacific Coast Highway, visited Monterey Bay, and stayed in a cabin at Yosemite National Park.
Baby Kade
Motherhood[]
On May 10, 2018, Tori and Bobby announced that they were expecting their first child, due November 2018. On June 21, 2018, they revealed that they were expecting a boy to be named Robert Ellis Smith IV and called Kade. Robert "Kade" Ellis IV was born at 7:45 a.m. on November 9, 2018, at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. He weighed 6 pounds and 1 ounce, and was 18 inches long.
Baby Kolter
On October 18, 2019, Tori and Bobby announced that they were expecting their second child, a boy to be named Kolter Grey Smith, due April 2020. Kolter Gray was born at 4:17 p.m. on March 25, 2020, in Knoxville, Tennessee. He weighed 6 pounds and 6 ounces, and was 20 inches long. They decided to change the spelling of his middle name from "Grey" to "Gray" when filling out his birth certificate.
Baby Charlotte
On January 19, 2021, Tori and Bobby announced that they were expecting their third child, a girl to be named Charlotte Raine Smith, due June 2021. Charlotte Raine was born at 5:35 a.m. on June 24, 2021, in Knoxville, Tennessee. She weighed 5 pounds and 11 ounces, and was 19 inches long.
Baby Cambree
On May 8, 2022, Tori and Bobby announced that they were expecting their fourth child, a girl, due August 2022. Cambree Layne was born at 5:54 p.m. on August 2, 2022, in Knoxville, Tennessee. She weighed 5 pounds and 2 ounces.
On October 12, 2023, Kelly Bates announced that Tori and Bobby were expecting their fifth child. Their oldest son Kade had made a drawing of his family in which his mother was pregnant. Their son, Weston Slade, was born on May 29, 2024, at 5:55 p.m., weighing 6 pounds and 9 ounces, and was 19.75 inches long.
Career[]
Tori had a part-time job, but it is unknown what she did.
Education[]
Tori studied education at Crown College of the Bible. On May 7, 2018, she graduated magna cum laude with her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education.
Television[]
Tori appeared on the TLC show 19 Kids and Counting many times as a teenager.
In 2012, TLC aired one season of the show United Bates of America, which focused on Tori's family.
In 2015, UpTV began airing a similar show, Bringing Up Bates. Tori was regularly featured on both shows.
Wedding involvement[]
Tori was the maid of honor at her sister Erin's wedding to Chad Paine on November 2, 2013.
She was the fiddle player at her brother Zach's wedding to Whitney Perkins on December 14, 2013.
She was a bridesmaid at her sister Alyssa's wedding to John Webster on May 24, 2014.
She was a bridesmaid at her sister Michaela's wedding to Brandon Keilen on August 15, 2015.
She was the violinist at her sister Josie's wedding to Kelton Balka on October 5, 2018.
She was a bridesmaid at her sister Carlin's wedding to Evan Stewart on May 25, 2019.
She was a bridesmaid at her friend Devonna Killin's wedding to Warren Gallatin on July 18, 2020.
She was the violinist at her brother Nathan's wedding to Esther Keyes on October 22, 2021.
She was the violinist at her brother Trace's wedding to Lydia Romeike on October 1, 2022.
