It’s not suprising that when the MAFS experiment asks two strangers to agree to meet and marry on the same say that there are some less than lovely wedding days.
It’s fair to say that all of the newlyweds experience some awkwardness, even if they like each other. Imagine delivering vows to someone moments after you learned their name and laid eyes on them for the first time, all in front of their friends and family - oh and TV cameras.
Season 12 of MAFS Aus began in the UK earlier this week with two of the most dramatic weddings the show has ever seen. There seemed to be chemistry between Carina and Paul at the altar, but after her ceremony she then asked the producers if she could have another match because she had dated Paul previously and he had ghosted her.
Then, there was Eliot and Lauren. She said she wanted a husband she could “serve”, while he said he had a very long list of requirements and would walk out of his wedding if every box wasn’t ticked. Their wedding day did go ahead as they said they had a mutual attraction, but then her sister Tamara caused drama by looking miserable throughout and making repeated digs at her sibling.
As the season 12 weddings continue, we take a look back at some of the most awkward MAFS Aus weddings from all the other seasons.
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- Married at First Sight Australia: 8 most shocking moments from the show's most controversial brides and grooms
- 4 Married at First Sight Australia stars with criminal charges against them - and why they were arrested
1. Ines Basic and Bronson Norrish
Ines and Bronson's marriage seemed doomed from the moment they met on season 6 in 2019. Once they met, she expressed her disapproval at his face jewellery. "Hi Bronson. Can we get rid of your eyebrow ring please?" she asked him. Then, Bronson got her name wrong which only made her more annoyed. "You know if you're marrying someone the first thing you should be concentrating on is the name," she said. Then, somehow things got even worse. Bronson revealed he was an ex-stripper and Ines was mortified and made her strong views very clear. "The fact that he was a stripper. That was purely disgusting to me. An ex-stripper is not supporting my future babies. I will never have a family with him.," she said. "I will never get past this. This is pure bottom of the barrel." Unsurprisingly, their marriage didn't last long. | Channel Nine
2. Rebecca 'Beck' Zemek and Jake Edwards
Things didn't get off to the best start for Rebecca and Jake on their wedding day in season 8. She took issue with the way that he looked at her as they met at the altar, saying "he's looking at me like I'm sex on a stick". He told her she looked "beautiful", but she told producers "I definitely feel like I was looked at like a piece of meat". The couple did manage to turn things around somewhat, but then they were involved in one of show's most shocking moments when Rebecca cheated on Jake by kissing another man - but then tried to pretend that man was her brother when she got caught with him. The couple split after her infidelity was revealed. | Channel Nine
3. Bronte Schofield and Harrison Boon
There seemed to be an instant spark between Bronte and Harrison when they met during season 10 in 2023. The problem came, however, during the reception when one of the bride's friends pulled her to one side and told her she had been told that her new groom had a girlfriend out in the real world. She confronted Harrison at her wedding reception, but he denied the accusation. The couple stayed together throughout most of the experiment, though they had a tumultuous marriage and broke-up at the final dinner party. | Channel Nine
4. Melinda Willis and Layton Mills
Melinda and Layton were another 2023 couple who didn't have the best start on their wedding day. It was clear from their body language when they met that they didn't have the same first thoughts on each other. Layton was clearly pleased with his new bride, whereas Melinda was not so keen. She told producers: "First impressions. . . he may be punching just a little. I'm a nine and a half, on a bad day." She then described their first kiss as "wet and sloppy". But, seeing how much her family and friends like her new husband she decided to give him a chance and by the reception her opinion on him started to change. Though they faced many challenges throughout the experiment, the couple actually made it to the end of the process and were one of the strongest pairings of season 10. They decided to continue their relatonship in the real world and were together for a year before they split. | Channel Nine