| Based On: | Gift Ved Første Blik (Danish TV series) |
| Genre: | Reality television |
| Company: | Kinetic Content |
| Opentheme: | "All or Nothing" by Louise Dowd, Jason Tarver & Marc Williams |
| Endtheme: | "All or Nothing" by Louise Dowd, Jason Tarver & Marc Williams |
| Country: | Australia |
| Language: | English |
| Num Seasons: | 17 |
| Num Episodes: | 209 |
| Runtime: | 42 minutes |
| Network: | FYI (2014–16) Lifetime (2015–present) |
| Last Aired: | present |
Married at First Sight is an American reality television series that first aired on July 8, 2014, on FYI (and later, Lifetime).
The series is based on a Danish series titled Gift ved første blik[1] that first aired on September 4, 2013, on DR3. The original Danish series format has been sold to broadcasters throughout the world.
The series first aired in the United States on FYI. Beginning with season two, it aired in simulcast on sister network A&E. In 2017, for its fifth season, the show moved to sister network Lifetime. The following year, two spinoffs were announced to premiere that October, Married at First Sight: Honeymoon Island and Married at First Sight: Happily Ever After.[2]
The series features three to five couples, paired up by relationship experts, who agree to marry when they first meet. For the first three seasons, the experts were clinical psychologist Dr. Joseph Cilona, sexologist Dr. Logan Levkoff, sociologist Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and humanist chaplain Greg Epstein. Starting with the fourth season, the experts were Schwartz, pastor and marriage counselor Calvin Roberson, and communication and relationship expert Rachel DeAlto.[3] Rachel DeAlto was replaced with Dr. Jessica Griffin beginning with the sixth season. Dr. Griffin stayed until the ninth season and was replaced by Dr. Viviana Coles in seasons ten and eleven.[4]
The couples spend their wedding night in a hotel before leaving for a honeymoon. Upon returning home, they live together as a married couple for the remainder of the eight weeks. Thereafter, they must choose to divorce or stay married.
Over the sixteen completed seasons of MAFS, 64 couples have been matched. 37 of them (58%) mutually chose to stay married on Decision Day, out of which over two-thirds have since divorced, filed for divorce, or announced their divorce. As of August 2023, this left only 11 couples married, making for a current overall success rate of 17%.
The first season took place in New York City and northern New Jersey. This season premiered July 8, 2014.[5] The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | New marriage (nm) / new relationship (nr) | Children in nm / nr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamie Otis-Hehner | 27 | Nurse | Yes | Married | 2, expecting twin boys | ||
| Doug Hehner | 31 | Software salesman | ||||||
| 2 | Cortney Hendrix | 26 | Make-up artist | Yes | Divorced | - | yes (nm) | 2 |
| Jason Carrion | 27 | EMT | yes (nm) | 1 | ||||
| 3 | Monet Bell | 33 | Product development manager | No | Divorced | |||
| Vaughn Copeland | 30 | Field service technician |
Jamie and Doug are now a family of four. The couple lost their first son, Jonathan Edward, at 17 weeks gestation in July 2016,[13] before going on to have daughter Henley Grace in August 2017.[14] They have spoken about subsequent struggles to conceive, experiencing a chemical pregnancy in 2018 and a miscarriage at 10 weeks along in 2019. Their son, Hendrix Douglas, was born in May 2020.[15] In February 2024, they announced that they were expecting their third child.[16]
The second season, just like the first, took place in New York City and Northern New Jersey. This season premiered March 17, 2015. The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | New marriage (nm) / new relationship (nr) | Children in nm / nr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaclyn Methuen | 30 | Vodka saleswoman | Yes | Divorced | - | yes | 2 |
| Ryan Ranellone | 28 | Real estate agent | ||||||
| 2 | Davina Kullar (now Davis) | 34 | Pharmaceutical saleswoman | No | Divorced | - | yes (nm) | 2 |
| Sean Varricchio | 35 | Trauma nurse | yes | 1 | ||||
| 3 | Jessica Castro | 30 | Receptionist | Yes | Divorced | - | yes | 1 |
| Ryan DeNino/Oehl | 29 | Businessman |
Concluding Jaclyn's and Ryan's marriage, Jaclyn entered into another relationship in 2018 and announced she was expecting a child in 2019.[17] She had a daughter in November 2019. As of 2021, Ryan is still single.[18]
Davina is now married with a son named Hudson.[19] As of 2021, Sean is married with a daughter.[20]
Jessica Castro and Ryan DeNino had a contentious relationship, with Ryan threatening to harm Jessica on multiple occasions.[21] Jessica filed a restraining order against him in June 2015. As of 2021, Jessica Castro is in a relationship and has a son with him. As of 2021, Ryan's status is unknown.[22]
The third season took place in Atlanta, Georgia. This season premiered on December 1, 2015. The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | New marriage (nm)/ new relationship (nr) | Children in nm / nr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanessa Nelson | 26 | Event manager | Yes | Divorced | - | ||
| Tres Russell | 27 | Luxury car salesman | ||||||
| 2 | Ashley Doherty | 30 | Nursing student | No | Divorced | - | yes (nm) | 1 |
| David Norton | 29 | Software account executive | Yes | |||||
| 3 | Samantha Role | 30 | Bank manager | Yes | Divorced | - | yes (nm) | 3 |
| Neil Bowlus | 31 | Compliance specialist | No |
After divorcing David, Ashley learned that he had a history of misdemeanors.[25] In 2019, Ashley shared a photo from her wedding. In 2020, Ashley announced that she was pregnant and gave birth to a son in April 2021.
In April 2018, Samantha married Chris Wise and in September gave birth to a daughter.[26] In March 2022 Samantha gave birth to twins. Samantha and Neil are still friends. In April 2020, Neil revealed that he is in a relationship.
The fourth season of Married at First Sight premiered on Tuesday, July 26, 2016. The setting was South Florida (particularly Miami) and in this season, two new specialists joined along with sociologist Dr. Pepper Schwartz: communication and relationship expert Rachel DeAlto, and marriage counselor Pastor Calvin Roberson. Doctors Joseph Cilona and Logan Levkoff exited the series after season three.[27] The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | New marriage (nm) / new relationship (nr) | Children in nm / nr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sonia Granados | 33 | Social worker | Yes | Divorced | - | yes (nr) | |
| Nick Pendergrast | 32 | Vacation rental manager | yes | 2 (twins) | ||||
| 2 | Heather Seidel | 32 | Flight attendant | No1 | Divorced | - | yes | 1 |
| Derek Schwartz | 35 | Account executive | ||||||
| 3 | Lillian Vilchez | 24 | Realtor | Yes | Divorced | - | ||
| Tom Wilson | 29 | Boat interior designer | yes |
1 Heather and Derek left in the middle of the experiment.
Sonia and Nick divorced after about a year of marriage.[28] That same year, Nick announced that he was in a relationship and they were expecting twins. In 2019, Nick was in a work accident that left him partially paralyzed. He has recovered from the incident. Sonia has started a podcast and as of 2021 is still single.[29]
Heather and Derek left the show ten days after they were married.[30]
Tom and Lillian announced their divorce in May 2017.[31] As of 2021, Lillian was single.[32] In 2019, Tom announced that he was engaged to Michelle, and they were married three months later.[33] Tom is a step-father to Michelle's two children from a previous marriage.
The fifth season of Married at First Sight was renewed on October 25, 2016. For this season, the show moved to the Lifetime channel. The first episode aired on April 20, 2017, and featured couples in Chicago.[34] The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | New marriage (nm) / new relationship (nr) | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Danielle DeGroot | 30 | Dietician | Yes | Divorced | - | no | ? |
| Cody Knapek | 26 | Trainer / gym owner | yes | |||||
| 2 | Sheila Downs | 31 | School district facility director | Yes | Divorced | - | ||
| Nate Duhon | 26 | Branch manager of a car rental company | yes | |||||
| 3 | Ashley Petta | 30 | Manager of family-owned bar & grill | Yes | Married | 2 | ||
| Anthony D'Amico | 33 | Sale account executive |
Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico are now a family of four. They announced they were expecting their first child in August 2018.[35] They welcomed their first child, daughter Mila Rose, in January 2019.[36] In July 2020, they announced they were expecting their second child, which was later revealed to be another girl.[37] In February 2021, their second daughter, Vaeda Marie, was born.[38]
As of October 2021, Cody is in a relationship. Danielle is still single.[39]
As of October 2021, Nate is in a relationship, and has his own business.[40] Sheila's status is unknown.
The sixth season of Married at First Sight was renewed on the Lifetime channel. The first of the episodes aired on January 2, 2018, and featured couples in Boston.[41] Relationship expert Dr. Jessica Griffin joined the show as a specialist,[42] replacing Rachel DeAlto who left after Season 5. The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | New marriage (nm) / new relationship (nr) | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shawniece Jackson | 29 | Cosmetologist | Yes | Married | 1 | ||
| Jephte Pierre | 26 | 2nd grade school teacher | ||||||
| 2 | Molly Duff | 25 | Commercial insurance adjuster | No | Divorced | - | ||
| Jonathan Francetic | 28 | Financial associate | yes (engaged) | |||||
| 3 | Jaclyn Schwartzberg | 29 | Technical sales representative | Yes | Divorced | - | yes (nm) | 1 |
| Ryan Buckley | 29 | Firefighter |
Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre welcomed their first child, a baby girl named Laura Denise Pierre, in August 2018.[43]
Jonathan Francetic and relationship expert Dr. Jessica Griffin revealed they had struck up a romance following his time on the show when Griffin announced she would not be returning to Married At First Sight as an expert for Season 9. They began dating more than five months after the season wrapped.[44] The pair became engaged in April 2019.[45] Their original wedding date was set for October 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[46] As of October 18, 2022, Fracentic and Griffin are officially married.[47]
In September 2020, Jaclyn married Dane, with whom she had been in a relationship with since late 2018.[48] As of 2021, Ryan is still single.[49]
The seventh season of Married at First Sight was renewed on the Lifetime channel, and featured couples from Dallas, with the first episode airing on July 10, 2018. The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | Remarried / new relationship | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mia Bally | 29 | International recruiter of an airline | Yes | Divorced | - | ? | ? |
| Tristan Thompson | 29 | Tutoring club owner | yes | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Danielle Bergman-Dodd | 30 | Software saleswoman | Yes | Married | 3 | ||
| Bobby Dodd | 27 | Construction project manager | ||||||
| 3 | Amber Martorana | 36 | Senior title analyst | Yes | Divorced | - | ? | ? |
| Dave Flaherty | 37 | High yield bond trader | ? | ? |
Danielle Bergman-Dodd and Bobby Dodd have three children together. Their first child, Olivia Nicole, was born in February 2019.[50] Their second child, Bobby Dodd IV, was born in December 2020.[51] Their third child and second daughter, Savannah Ann, was born in September 2023.[52]
In July 2020, Tristan married Rachel, who he had been in a relationship with since early 2019.[53] In March 2021, they welcomed their first child together, a baby boy named Phoenix.[54] As of 2021, Mia is still single.[55]
As of 2021, both Dave and Amber are still single.[56] [57]
The eighth season of Married at First Sight featured couples from Philadelphia, was the first season that a fourth couple were added, and premiered on January 1, 2019. The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | Remarried / new relationship | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stephanie Sersen | 35 | Financial consultant | Yes | Married | - | ||
| AJ Vollmoeller | 37 | President & CEO of a staffing & recruiting company | ||||||
| 2 | Jasmine McGriff | 30 | Assistant director | Yes | Divorced | - | yes | 1 |
| Will Guess | 37 | Financial analyst | No | |||||
| 3 | Kate Sisk | 28 | Hotel marketing specialist | No | Divorced | - | ? | ? |
| Luke Cuccurullo | 31 | Civil and environmental engineer | yes (nr) | |||||
| 4 | Kristine Killingsworth | 29 | Residential real estate agent | Yes | Married | - | ||
| Keith Dewar | 29 | Kidney dialysis patient care technician |
Kristine and Keith are still married. In April 2019, after 8 months of marriage, the couple bought a house.[59]
Jasmine is now in a relationship, though her marital status in unknown.[60] She welcomed her first child, a son, in December 2020.[61] As of 2021, Will is still single.[62]
As of 2021, Kate is still single.[63] In early 2021, Luke was in a relationship,[64] however, due to lack of social media posts in recent months, the status of that relationship is currently unknown.
The ninth season of Married at First Sight featured couples from Charlotte, North Carolina and premiered on June 12, 2019. Dr. Jessica Griffin did not return after revealing she was in a relationship with Season 6 cast member Jon Francetic,[65] with the couple later getting engaged[66] and going into business together.[67] She was replaced by relationship expert Dr. Viviana Coles.[68] The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | Remarried / new relationship | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iris Caldwell | 27 | Non-profit program coordinator | Yes | Divorced | - | ? | ? |
| Keith Manley | 27 | Mentor/coach | No | ? | ? | |||
| 2 | Elizabeth Bice | 29 | Account executive | Yes | Divorcing | - | ||
| Jamie Thompson | 35 | Financial technician | ||||||
| 3 | Deonna McNeill Okotie | 30 | Operations manager | Yes | Married | 1 | ||
| Gregory Okotie | 32 | Math learning center owner | ||||||
| 4 | Amber Bowles | 27 | Middle school teacher | No | Divorced | - | ? | ? |
| Matthew Gwynne | 31 | Ex-professional basketball player | ? | ? |
Elizabeth Bice and Jamie Thompson have separated shortly before their 4th anniversary and announced their upcoming divorce.[71]
The tenth season of Married at First Sight featured couples from the suburbs outside of Washington, D.C., particularly Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. This was the first season that a fifth couple was added. The first episode aired on January 1, 2020. The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | Remarried / new relationship | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Katie Conrad | 25 | Mental health professional | Yes | Divorced | - | yes | |
| Derek Sherman | 26 | Cyber security engineer | ? | ? | ||||
| 2 | Jessica Studer Hurd | 31 | Nurse manager | Yes | Married | 1 | ||
| Austin Hurd | 31 | Network technician | ||||||
| 3 | Taylor Dunklin | 27 | Research scientist | No | Annulled | - | ? | ? |
| Brandon Reid | 34 | Sales manager | ? | ? | ||||
| 4 | Meka Jones | 25 | Category analyst | No | Annulled | - | ? | ? |
| Michael Watson | 31 | Education director | yes | |||||
| 5 | Mindy Shiben | 34 | Figure skating coach | No | Divorced | - | ? | ? |
| Zach Justice | 32 | Fitness professional | ? | ? |
In July 2021, Austin and Jessica revealed that they are expecting their first child, due in November 2021.[72] In October 2021, Austin and Jessica revealed that their first child would be a boy.[73] Their son, Westin Paul, was born in November 2021.[74]
While the season is marketed as taking place in DC and features shots in the tourist-heavy sections of the District, the majority of the show takes place in Northern Virginia with some areas in Montgomery County, Maryland. However, the weddings take place in the District neighborhood of Georgetown.
The eleventh season of Married at First Sight featured couples from New Orleans. The first episode premiered on July 15, 2020.[75] The couples were:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | Remarried (RM) / new relationship (NR) | Children in new marriage / relationship | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amelia Fatsi | 27 | Physician | Yes | Divorced | - | NR | |
| Bennett Kirschner | 28 | Artistic director of a theater company | ||||||
| 2 | Olivia Cornu | 30 | Nurse practitioner | No | Divorced | - | ||
| Brett Lindsey | 35 | Certified AWS cloud practitioner | ||||||
| 3 | Karen Landry | 30 | Human resources consultant | Yes | Divorcing | - | ||
| Miles Williams | 26 | Children & youth educator | ||||||
| 4 | Amani Smith | 29 | Nonprofit field | Yes | Married | 2 | ||
| Woody Randall | 30 | Teacher and coach/mentor | ||||||
| 5 | Christina Croce | 30 | Flight attendant | No | Divorced | - | ||
| Henry Rodriguez | 35 | Clinical recruiter | Yes (NR) |
Miles and Woody made Married At First Sight history by being the first best friends to apply together and be selected at the same time.
Amani and Woody welcomed their first child, a boy named Reign, in June 2022.[76] They currently are expecting their second child, due in November 2023.[77] In November 2023, their second child and second son, Rai, was born.[78]
The twelfth season of Married at First Sight takes place in Atlanta.[79] It is the first to feature a divorced candidate.[80] The first episode premiered January 13, 2021. The couples are:
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haley Harris | 28 | Account Executive | No | Divorced |
| Jacob Harter | 38 | Senior IT Analyst | |||
| 2 | Paige Banks | 25 | Accountant | No | Divorced |
| Chris Williams | 27 | Finance Manager & Entrepreneur | Yes | ||
| 3 | Briana Myles | 28 | Engineer | Yes | Married |
| Vincent Morales | 28 | Auto Broker | |||
| 4 | Clara Berghaus | 27 | Flight Attendant | Yes | Divorced |
| Ryan Oubré | 29 | Project Manager | |||
| 5 | Virginia Coombs | 26 | Account Coordinator | Yes | Divorced |
| Erik Lake | 33 | Pilot |
Another first occurred in this season when Chris' former fiancée contacted him while he was on his honeymoon to let him know she was pregnant.
In July 2022, Briana and Vincent announced that they were expecting their first child.[81] In August 2022, they revealed that their first child would be a girl.[82] Their daughter, Aury Bella, was born in January 2023.[83]
The thirteenth season of Married at First Sight featured couples from Houston and was first aired on July 21, 2021.[79]
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michaela Clark | 30 | Realtor | Yes | Divorced |
| Zack Freeman | 27 | Finance | No | ||
| 2 | Rachel Gordillo | 33 | Special Education Evaluator | Yes | Divorced |
| Jose San Miguel | 35 | Mission Flight Specialist | |||
| 3 | Bao Huong Hoang | 35 | Research Administrative Director | No | Divorced |
| Johnny Lam | 35 | IT Project Manager | Yes | ||
| 4 | Myrla Féria | 34 | Leadership coach | Yes | Divorced |
| Gil Cuero | 35 | Firefighter | |||
| 5 | Brett Layton | 33 | Teacher & Volleyball Coach | No | Divorced |
| Ryan Ignasiak | 35 | Oil & Gas Liaison |
The fourteenth season of Married at First Sight featured couples from Boston.[84]
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasmina Outar | 29 | Early Childhood Educator | Yes | Divorced |
| Michael Morency | 28 | Personal Trainer | |||
| 2 | Katina Goode | 29 | Benefit Calculation Analyst | Yes | Divorced[85] |
| Olajuwon Dickerson | 29 | Municipal Wastewater Operator | |||
| 3 | Lindsey Gergoulis | 34 | Healthcare Project Manager | Yes | Divorced |
| Mark Maher | 37 | Regional Sales Director | |||
| 4 | Noi Phommasak | 33 | Talent Acquisition Coordinator | Yes | Divorced |
| Steve Moy | 38 | Former Sales Engineer | |||
| 5 | Alyssa Ellman | 30 | Social Media Manager | No1 | Divorced |
| Chris Collette | 35 | Realtor |
1 Alyssa and Chris left in the middle of the experiment.
The fifteenth season of Married at First Sight featured couples from San Diego, which premiered on July 6, 2022 on Lifetime.
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | Children | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stacia Karcher | 37 | Accountant | Yes | Divorced | - |
| Nate Barnes | 34 | Day trader | ||||
| 2 | Alexis Williams | 29 | Logistic specialist | Yes, then No the day after | Divorced | - |
| Justin Hall | 33 | Digital Marketing Specialist | ||||
| 3 | Lindy Elloway | 29 | Physical therapy doctor | Yes | Divorced | - |
| Miguel Santiago | 35 | Medical technical writer | ||||
| 4 | Morgan Bell | 29 | Registered nurse | No1 | Divorced | - |
| Binh Trinh | 29 | Engineer | ||||
| 5 | Krysten Collins | 32 | Sales representative | No | Divorced | - |
| Mitch Silverstein | 41 | Environmental policy advocate |
1 Morgan and Binh left in the middle of the experiment.
The sixteenth season of Married at First Sight will feature couples from Nashville and which premiered on January 4, 2023 on Lifetime.[86]
| Couple | Age | Occupation | Final Decision | Current Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasmine Secrest | 32 | Competitive cheerleading coach | No | Divorced |
| Airris Williams | 39 | Software engineer instructor | |||
| 2 | Nicole Lilienthal | 32 | Senior marketing advisor | Yes | Married |
| Christopher Thielk | 36 | Business coach | |||
| 3 | Gina Micheletti | 35 | Hairstylist & salon owner | No | Divorced |
| Clint Webb | 40 | Account executive | |||
| 4 | Domynique Kloss | 25 | Associate sales broker | No1 | Divorced |
| Mackinley Gilbert | 34 | Director of operations | |||
| 5 | Kirsten Grimes | 32 | Real estate agent | Yes | Divorced |
| Shaquille Dillon | 31 | Executive director | No | ||
The seventeenth season of Married at First Sight premiered in October, 2023 and featured couples from Denver.[87]
| 1 | Emily Balch[88] | 30 | Senior NetSuite Consultant |
| Brennan Shoykhet[89] | 28 | Senior Account Management Specialist in B2B Sales and Marketing | |
| 2 | Clare Kerr https://gossipnextdoor.com/clare-kerr-bio-age-job-parents-instagram-mafs-denver/ | 28 | Therapist |
| Cameron Frazer [90] | 33 | Co-Founder, Broken Carbon | |
| 3 | Becca Haley | 32 | Photographer |
| Austin Reed | 32 | Business Development Representative, Solar Power Pros Inc. | |
| 4 | Orion Martzloff | 27 | Independent Contractor |
| Lauren Goodger | 31 | Federal Budget Officer | |
| 5 | Michael Shiakallis[91] | 39 | Head of SMS Digital Experience, Lumen Technologies |
| Chloe Brown[92] | 40 | Senior Director at the American Heart Association |
The eighteenth season of Married at First Sight will feature couples from Chicago.[93]
The nineteenth season of Married at First Sight will feature couples from Austin.[94]