George Boyle
The reality TV show Married at First Sight has sparked curiosity among fans about the authenticity of its weddings and marriages. The show's premise revolves around singles participating in a social experiment by marrying a stranger, raising questions about the legality and genuineness of these unions. While the participants are real, the marriages are not legally binding, as they don't fulfil the requirements of the Australian Marriage Act, which mandates a one-month and one-day notification before a legal marriage. This means that couples on the show don't need to go through a legal divorce process if they decide to separate.
Are MAFS Weddings Real?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legally Binding | No |
| Ceremonies | Real |
| Participants | Real |
| Prenuptial Agreements | Yes |
| Divorce | Not required |
| Emotions | Manipulated by producers |
| Scripted | No |
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What You'll Learn
MAFS weddings are not legally binding
The marriages on the reality TV show "Married at First Sight" (MAFS) are not legally binding. While the participants are real, the marriages are described as a "social experiment". A Nine Network representative confirmed that each participant commits to the union for the duration of the experiment and can choose to continue the relationship or separate at the end of the show. This means that the couples do not have to go through a legal divorce if they break up.
The Australian version of the show, "Married at First Sight Australia", features ceremonies in front of friends and family. However, these ceremonies do not include any legally required phrases, and no paperwork is submitted. The show also does not comply with the Australian Marriage Act (1961), which requires couples to notify the court one month and one day in advance of their wedding.
The UK version of MAFS initially featured real marriages, but this may have changed due to the two-year legal separation rule in the country. In New Zealand, the marriages on the show were legally binding, but it is unclear if this is still the case.
Despite the show's premise of singles looking for love, some fans suspect that the show is not as genuine as it claims. Former contestants have revealed that producers "play with your emotions" and create situations to stir up drama. For example, one contestant mentioned that they had to wait alone in a tent for hours before a dinner party scene, which likely contributed to the intense arguments that occurred during those scenes.
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Couples have the option to continue their relationship after the show
The marriages on *Married at First Sight* are not legally binding. In Australia, the ceremonies do not include any of the legally required phrases, and no paperwork is submitted. The Australian Marriage Act (1961) requires couples to notify the court one month and one day ahead of their wedding, which does not happen on the show.
Despite the marriages not being legally binding, some couples have chosen to continue their relationships after the show. For example, Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant from the 2019 season of the Australian version of the show decided to get officially married after the series ended.
In contrast, other couples have separated during or after the show. Sean Thomsen, a contestant on the 2018 season, wrote in his memoir, *Married Lies…Secrets Behind Reality TV*, that he realised "how manipulated and storyboarded the whole thing is".
The show has been criticised for being scripted and producer-driven. Contestants have claimed that producers "play with your emotions" by making them "sit alone and think about everything for hours". However, some contestants have denied that the show is scripted, stating that they were never told what to say.
The lack of legal binding in the marriages on *Married at First Sight* means that couples who decide to separate do not have to go through a legal divorce. This is in contrast to the UK version of the show, where couples who married in the first season had to wait two years before they could move forward with their divorce.
To protect the contestants, pre-nuptial agreements are prepared for each couple on the show to safeguard their assets. This ensures that both parties know their assets are protected and that there will be a provision for them if the marriage does not work out.
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MAFS Australia fans suspect the show is scripted
Fans of the Australian version of "Married at First Sight" (MAFS) have long suspected that the show is not as genuine as it claims to be and that it is, in fact, scripted. While the participants are real, with varying motives for signing up, the marriages are not legally binding. This means that if the couples break up, they won't have to go through a legal divorce process.
A Nine Network spokesperson confirmed that the show is a "commitment ceremony" and an "experiment," stating that:
> "Each participant embarked on a commitment ceremony with a wedding celebrant with all due intention to commit fully to this union for the duration of the experiment. At the end of the experiment, they are given the option to continue with the relationship or go their separate ways."
Despite this confirmation, fans have pointed to several signs that indicate a level of producer involvement and manipulation. For example, in his tell-all memoir, "Married Lies… Secrets Behind Reality TV," 2018 star Sean Thomsen revealed that the hardest part about being on the show was "having the expectations of getting treated a certain way" and realizing how "manipulated and storyboarded the whole thing is."
Similarly, 2018 bride Tracey Jewel disclosed that producers would "play with your emotions" by making stars "sit alone and think about everything for hours." She also claimed that for dinner party scenes, they had to arrive at noon and sit in a tent alone until 4 pm, which often resulted in intense arguments during the dinner scenes.
Another indication of potential scripting was the different door numbers editing fail, which led people to believe that Sam and Ines's affair was orchestrated by producers. However, season eight groom Russell Duance denied claims of scripting, stating that he was never told what to say. His viewpoint was supported by co-stars Sam Carraro and Brett Helling.
While the Australian version of MAFS does not result in legal marriages, other variants of the show do. The UK version initially featured legally married couples, and the New Zealand version also had legally binding weddings, although it is unclear if this is still the case.
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Contestants have confirmed the show is manipulated and storyboarded
While the marriages on MAFS are not legally binding, the contestants are real, although not all of them apply for the show. Former MAFS grooms Jono Pitman and Ryan Gallagher were both headhunted for the series, and Dino and Jessika even appeared in an ad together before MAFS aired.
However, there are rumours that producers hire actors to help amp up the drama. Former groom Telv Williams wrote on Instagram when discussing the 2019 cast: "I wonder how many paid actors they've hired this year? I know most were actors in our season. I can't believe it hasn't come out yet." Some of the 2019 cast, including Billy Vincent, Susie Bradley, Mike Gunner, Sam Ball, and Dino Hira, were revealed to have backgrounds in acting, while Jessika Power and Melissa Lucarelli had modelling experience.
MAFS has been accused of using sneaky editing tricks to dial up the drama. One of the easiest ways to spot editing in shows like MAFS is to look for inconsistencies in lighting, time of day, and location. For example, footage of Anthony arriving late to the first MAFS dinner party shows him sitting in a car during the day, but when he walks in to meet the other contestants, it's nighttime. Reports suggest he was held back by producers to make his entrance more dramatic.
Contestants have also confirmed that the show is manipulated and storyboarded. 2018 star Sean Thomsen wrote in his tell-all memoir, "Married Lies… Secrets Behind Reality TV," that the hardest thing about being on MAFS was "having the expectations of getting treated a certain way." He added, "They can't really edit it badly if you go in there with the right intentions and then realizing how manipulated and storyboarded the whole thing is." 2018 bride Tracey Jewel revealed that producers "play with your emotions" by making stars "sit alone and think about everything for hours." For example, she said that for dinner party scenes, contestants had to "rock up at noon and sit in a tent until 4 pm on your own and you have all these emotions bubbling to the surface and seething before you walk in."
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Pre-nuptial agreements are prepared for each couple
The marriages on Married at First Sight are not legally binding. The couples are given the option to continue their relationship after the show or go their separate ways. While the marriages are not real, pre-nuptial agreements are prepared for each couple to protect their assets. A pre-nuptial agreement, also known as a prenup, is a contract between couples before they get married. It records the ownership of assets and details the division of these assets in the event of a divorce.
In the Australian version of the show, the ceremonies do not include any of the legally required phrases, and no paperwork is submitted. The production team also does not comply with the Australian Marriage Act (1961), which requires one month and one day notification.
In the UK version, the marriages were initially legally binding, but it is unclear if this is still the case. The New Zealand version also previously conducted legal marriages, but this may have changed due to the country's two-year legal separation rule.
Despite the marriages not being legally binding, some couples from the show have chosen to officially marry after the show. For example, Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant from the 2019 season of the Australian version of the show got married after their season ended.
To prevent any details from getting out, everyone who attends a MAFS wedding, as well as the contestants themselves, must sign a non-disclosure agreement.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the weddings on MAFS are not real and legally binding. The marriages are part of the show's premise of a "social experiment", and the participants are all aware of the nature of the show.
Yes, the people who take part in the show are all real, despite their varying motives for signing up. Some contestants have revealed that producers "play with your emotions" and that the show is ""manipulated and storyboarded".
Yes, there have been instances of couples from MAFS who have gotten married in real life after the show. For example, Jules Robinson and Cam Merchant from the 2019 season of MAFS Australia decided to officially get married after the show.
