Original subtitles

WOMAN: What would complete me is finding my person.

NARRATOR: 16 singles from across Australia...

All I want is love and to love someone.

..put their hearts on the line to find true love.

She looked breathtaking.

Some found an instant spark.

Will you marry me?

You're actually way too hot.

Yes!

Others found a familiar face.

But for Katie...

Oh, wow!

Oh, wow!

..her worst fear came true.

KATIE: I took that as a bit of rejection.

The honeymoons saw love blossom.

Last night in the bedroom was good.

It just keeps getting better and better.

Let's say that we are compatible.

(GROANS)

But the rigid groom, Eliot...

We're not right for each other.

..left Lauren two days into their marriage.

A grown man throwing a tantrum because he didn't

get exactly what he wanted.

And Tim's lack of spark...

And Tim's lack of spark...

He's not into me because of what I am, physically.

..left Katie in tears.

Oh, this is a disaster. (SOBS)

Tonight... (CHEERS)

It's 'My Big Fat MAFS Wedding.'

We go crazy. Drink rakija.

(INDISTINCT SINGING)

We got some. Don't worry about that.

We got your back, baby.

You're invited to the loudest... (CHEERS)

..and most heartwarming...

..and most heartwarming...

Treat our mum as the queen she is.

..party of the year.

Opa!

RYAN: Where have all the warriors gone?

Where are all the knights gone?

We meet Ryan the warrior.

He's trained his whole life for this very moment.

But has he met his match with his new bride...

Divorce is the most expensive decision you can make in your life.

..who is expecting nothing short of perfection?

..who is expecting nothing short of perfection?

Can this groom rise to the occasion?

I have a warrior's mentality.

Or will he...

(ALL EXCLAIM)

drop the ball?

Oh my god! He just ruined everything!

After tens of thousands of applications

from all around Australia,

we're down to the last two couples to enter

we're down to the last two couples to enter

this year's Married At First Sight experiment.

And following a rigorous matching process,

the experts are ready to unveil their next match...

this year's oldest groom, Tony.

Can I talk?

Oh, I was just going to make you another cup of tea.

That's what I was going to say.

I'm Tony, I'm 53.

I'm from Wollongong.

One of the most beautiful places down here in New South Wales.

Welcome, welcome.

My mum and dad migrated here from Macedonia

back in the '60s, and they passed away about a year and a half ago,

and left me this house here that I was born and raised in.

It's perfectly preserved.

Like, still got the chickens in the backyard my mum left me.

Like, still got the chickens in the backyard my mum left me.

The chicken's older than me, man!

Life is, um... It's beautiful.

The only thing that bothers me, I'd like to have someone

to share that happiness with me.

I forgot what it was like to have a woman

and hang out every day and scream at me and yell at me.

Of course I'll let her put her touch to it.

It'll be nice.

It needs that.

I'm ready for change.

Do you want to see what I do? I'll show you what I do.

Do you want to see what I do? I'll show you what I do.

PRODUCER: Tony, we're not here. To talk?

Yeah.

I've been married before.

I met her when I was 20. Lovely woman,

I have no complaints about her,

but I think it was too young at heart.

I just wasn't ready to get married.

When you get married, you're supposed to be together forever.

So it's kind of a little bit heartbreaking for me

that I'm by myself at my age.

I thought I'd end up like my parents.

The relationship my mum and dad had

was they were together for life.

I miss my parents a lot.

Your parents are the most beautiful people in the world.

So...

(VOICE BREAKS) One second.

My dad told me, he goes,

"I saw her in the garden.

"I picked her up and said 'this one's my wife.'"

"I picked her up and said 'this one's my wife.'"

And took her home.

That's how they used to do it in the old days, man.

That's actually, that's what's happening to me right now.

It's this experiment. Just go get married.

That's what marriage is about is growing old together.

Should I say growing young together.

Who's that guy over there? What's going on here?

Woo!

That's the one, Tone.

So, my perfect woman,

she's got to be young at heart.

I like to go and have fun. Have a chat.

I like to go and have fun. Have a chat.

Do what you want to do. Let's get out there and do it.

If she's strong-minded and driven

and knows what she wants, I'll be behind her.

I'll be supporting her.

I'm Morena. I am a vivacious 57 year old.

All right, guys, come on, pick it up.

What have you done today to be proud?

I'm a fitness instructor and a rocking DJ.

But if you had told me seven years ago,

But if you had told me seven years ago,

"Morena, this is going to be your life,"

I would have said,

"No, I think you're talking about somebody else."

I'm from a traditional Italian background.

I was in a loveless marriage for 29 years.

I was suffocated.

He took control of everything and would tell me,

"You're nothing without me."

"You're nothing without me."

Absolutely.

29 years of someone saying that you're nothing.

That's why I stayed so long.

You had a very long marriage.

What was not working there?

What did you learn from that experience?

That last time I said, "I'm leaving,"

his reply was, "You said that the last time,

but you're still here."

Oh. "Not this time.

This one's it."

This one's it."

And it was game on.

I have made sure that I've got the best life in the world

for myself and my two gorgeous kids -

My son, Stefan, and my daughter, Olivia.

Oh, you are just delicious!

My son, Stefan, is a really special young man.

He's got a disability.

I'm a carer for my son, and I just built him

a self-contained apartment in my back yard.

a self-contained apartment in my back yard.

He just needs somebody to look out for him.

Hello. Hi, Mum. How are you?

Hi, darling. This is your?

My house.

It is so empowering that I've achieved this

on my own, but I don't want to grow old alone.

I still believe in love.

And I can't wait to feel loved and to love.

I want to meet somebody who wants to live.

I want him to match my energy.

I want him to match my energy.

I want to meet somebody that wakes up and just goes,

"I'm going to make your day so much better today."

And I want to do the same for them.

Age is just a number.

Age is nothing, man.

I just hope she's close to her family, her friends.

Because family is the most beautiful thing to me.

Was that a wet kiss? No!

It better not be.

Morena was married for 29 years.

And this was a marriage she felt very trapped in.

And this was a marriage she felt very trapped in.

She didn't feel like herself.

So she really wants to share her life with someone

who will embrace her for everything that she is.

Well, Tony talks about being a romantic

and being very gallant.

And that is something that Morena has never had.

And they both come from similar European backgrounds

and will very likely really enjoy that about one another.

NARRATOR: Next to enter the experiment are two singles

NARRATOR: Next to enter the experiment are two singles

who take themselves and this experiment very seriously.

They have dedicated their lives to personal

development and self-growth, and perfection is what they

expect from themselves and a potential partner.

One time, I was dating an investment banker

and he broke up with me and I was really distraught about this,

and I was like, how am I going to convince him

that we actually are a really good fit?

So I was like, maybe I should build a pitch deck.

So I was like, maybe I should build a pitch deck.

And just lay it out as if it was a business case.

But I ultimately was like, it's impossible to

find someone on my level.

My name is Jacqui, I'm 29, I live in Sydney

and I'm a consultant.

I think most guys first date me because I'm hot

and I'm fine with that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to just be the hot girl.

Um, but I actually do have a brain.

I went to university and did a very broad degree.

I did a Bachelor of Laws and Commerce,

conjoint with a major in finance with first class honours and law.

conjoint with a major in finance with first class honours and law.

But also, I'm not a boring girl.

I'm a lot of fun.

I used to be a model and was even Miss New Zealand.

I grew up as a dancer.

Ballet, tap and jazz, also grew up doing a lot of sport.

Netball, was a netball coach, netball umpire, volleyball,

tennis, was even in the cricket team.

So I usually run about 10 to 13km most days

and I've run a marathon.

I've read probably over 2000 books.

Every single business book there is on the planet,

Every single business book there is on the planet,

I've probably read it, and if it's not books,

I'll be listening to book summaries to remind myself

of what the books were about.

People sometimes bore me, so I just turn to books.

I'm crazy, but I've got a growth mindset.

I love perfecting myself into a diamond.

I've got high standards because I've had to overcome a lot of

challenges in my life.

I was bullied in high school, but I've worked very hard

to become the best version of myself, and so I expect

to become the best version of myself, and so I expect

a lot from my partner.

Putting your love life in the hands of experts

is a big risk, so to speak.

What was the trigger that got you to do that?

Yeah, I think I'm just a little bit frustrated

and disappointed with men in the dating scene

because I've got a lot to offer

and a lot of them don't take chances on me.

Why not?

I think they're intimidated.

I think they're intimidated.

I'm too ambitious.

I'm too much to handle, and maybe I should dial down myself.

Which is tough, because you want someone to

love the whole of you.

And when guys can't love the whole of you,

it makes you feel like no-one's going to love the whole of you.

I need someone who's just like,

'That is the woman I want to marry.'

Like, they have no doubts.

They're just like, 'She's beautiful, she's intelligent,

'she's ambitious, she's fit, she's healthy,

'she wants a family.'

They just see me and they're like,

They just see me and they're like,

'This is what I've been waiting for my whole life.'

I haven't met a man who feels like I'm his girl.

I think it's just a shame that there's, like,

a lack of real men out there.

I like guys who hold a lot of power.

Someone who likes to be the masculine energy

in the relationship and take the lead

and can have intellectual conversations.

Someone who sees the bigger picture of the world

Someone who sees the bigger picture of the world

and life in general.

Where have all the warriors gone?

Where have all the philosophers gone?

Where have all the poets gone?

Where are all the knights gone?

Men without these roles have lost their way.

So I consider myself a bit of a modern hybrid, really.

I have a warrior's mentality and modern self-awareness.

When I first walk into a room, my presence

is something special and clearly something that people

is something special and clearly something that people

gravitate towards, you know?

Because, like, I keep myself in really good shape.

I'm just someone who looks like he has the ability

to perform athletically.

I really value vitality.

I'm going to live to 110 easily. Easily?

Yep. Easily.

But there's a lot more to me than just pure physicality.

I'm a project manager.

I've had to forge my own career.

I've handled multi-million dollar contracts,

I've handled multi-million dollar contracts,

made presentations in front of boards of directors.

But there's men like me -

successful, strong or handsome dudes

who have good careers and good self-awareness and whatnot,

they're struggling to find a partner.

I have been in long-term relationships before,

and that was probably about five years ago.

That taught me a lot, but it was pure chaos

at the same time, you know, like it was so addictive

in its toxicity, you know, like, you knew it was

bad for you, but you just kept, you know,

rekindling it over and over.

rekindling it over and over.

I've been through the Shakespearean, like,

you know, disaster, but also amazing experience of love.

Grab a seat. Great to see you.

Yes. In person.

I love this part of the experiment.

So do I.

Wait 'til it gets you out of your comfort zone.

Oh, that's where I want to be, though.

Really? Yes.

Uh, have you always been like that?

Um, I think so, yes.

How would you describe yourself?

Well, I was, I was, I was a very angry young man

at one point.

Tell me about that.

Um, yeah, so I suffered a bit of mistreatment throughout

high school. Bullying and stuff?

Yeah. Definitely. Definitely.

And I was the trumpet playing, glasses wearing,

Harry Potter bowlcut looking dude.

I mean, I look at you now, I can't imagine that.

Yeah. But the people around you targeted you.

I didn't know what to do. Yeah.

So I started doing boxing,

and that's where I picked up my love for gym.

And that's when I realised I had that warrior mentality,

because I never wanted to be defenceless.

because I never wanted to be defenceless.

But I feel as if, as a man in this day and age,

you need those trials.

Otherwise you can't be the best man to a woman, I think.

I believe a woman shouldn't be afraid of her feminine energy,

but I love a woman with a career.

But I still have to be able to protect her.

That's my role as a warrior.

I do want to wear dresses, and I want to let him plan

the dates and me be excited about it and just do everything

the dates and me be excited about it and just do everything

I can to just be the woman that makes him feel like the man.

Some guy out there would love a wife who's interesting and got

a lot going for her, and always gets involved in crazy things.

I think I can be difficult to match with,

because who else out there can show intelligence

and also be as, as, as good looking as I want them to be?

It's almost unfair to ask that.

You just want to feel as if that who you are genuinely

is equivalent to someone else out there.

That's my unicorn.

Jacqui and Ryan are probably one of the most difficult

pairings that we've ever had to make on this experiment.

They have extremely high expectations for themselves

as well as the person they want to spend the rest of their life with.

I think they're two of the most confident

participants we've ever had.

They both consider themselves high value people

They both consider themselves high value people

and they have high expectations of their partner.

This could be a roller coaster, but it could also be

a situation where they balance each other out perfectly.

NARRATOR: The last two pairings of this season's experiment

have been unveiled -

Morena and Tony, and Jacqui and Ryan.

And soon they will meet for the very first time

when they marry at first sight.

It's the morning of Morena and Tony's wedding,

and Tony is waiting for his family to arrive to help him

celebrate his big day.

Hey! Here he is.

This morning, we've got my mate Danny, my cousin, Jason.

Congratulations.

And my first cousin, Zoran.

His head's not made for TV.

You'll understand.

Oh, no! And there's Zoran!

What are we drinking?

Hey!

We call it rakija.

Cheers to you and your beautiful wife.

It's just fire water. Rocket fuel.

We're going to be flying before we get there.

We go crazy and it's just drink, eat and dance.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(INDISTINCT)

As you can tell. As you can tell.

(EXCLAIMS)

Here we go!

And there's one more tradition Tony must complete...

Here we go.

..before he is ready to be married.

(SINGS IN LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

The grooming.

Could have brought...

Brought biggest thing we could find.

We show him. We prepare him for his big day.

Zoran, you should start singing the song now.

Which song? (INDISTINCT)

(ZORAN SINGS IN LANGUAGE UNKNOWN TO CAPTIONER)

Why? No-one knows, but they just do.

Now you're ready. Let's go get married.

NARRATOR: It's Morena and Tony's big day.

I'm just doing you up, bella. OK?

And Morena is getting a dress fitted by her friend, Josephine.

My dress is definitely a representation

of who I am today.

Beautiful.

My dress means everything to me.

Because the person I was would never have worn this dress.

My ex would never have allowed me this dress.

Because it's showing too much.

I was married for 29 years to somebody who was unkind.

I stayed because that's what good girls

from Italian background do. They stay.

Bellissima.

Now I'm ready to feel love and support.

Man, oh, man, you are hotter than hot, woman.

And Morena's children, Stefan and Olivia, are about to see

their mum for the first time before she walks down the aisle.

Oh, my god! You look amazing!

You're getting married!

You're queen. You're queen.

I can't wait for you to get married today.

For Mum to find her person, uh, would mean the world to us.

Just because she's been through so much,

she deserves to find love.

If he doesn't like the three of us, we're a package deal.

If he doesn't like the three of us, we're a package deal.

Yeah, we are. Yeah, we are.

Yes. Give me a spin.

My kids are my best friends.

They're my anchors.

My world.

And my kids want nothing more than to see me love.

And to see me be loved.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

This is beautiful.

Isn't this divine?

So, so appropriate for Morena. It is, isn't it?

Oh, this is just beautiful.

(OVERLAPPING GREETINGS)

Welcome.

Hello, everyone. Hi!

I'm the groomsman.

Oh! He'll be here shortly.

Oh! He'll be here shortly.

He's got red hair and a big afro.

Oh, he does not!

Is this gentleman the comedian of the family?

Wait 'til I get some grappa in me.

So, are you Italian?

No. Grappa?

We're Macedonian. Rakija.

Ah... Rakija.

'Tomato', 'tomahto' - it's all the same thing.

Rakia. That's what us Greeks have.

We tested it this morning. It works.

TONY: Everybody hopes to find somebody and live the rest

of their life with someone.

That's... That's what marriage is about,

is growing old together.

Like my parents. Doing everything you can together.

As much as you can together.

That's love. That's, that's forever.

Everybody wants that sort of life.

Everybody does.

I'm one of those people.

Hello, everybody.

(CHEERS)

(OVERLAPPING GREETINGS)

You look amazing.

So do you.

Yes.

I think she's gonna like you.

Yeah!

And I think you're going to love her.

Oh, good. You have a beautiful family.

We'll get to know each other throughout the night.

It'll be fun. We will.

Just watch this guy over here.

We already know. We've been introduced.

We know. Yeah.

The first impressions were actually great impressions

The first impressions were actually great impressions

for all of us.

He looks genuine.

Mm. Yeah.

He's perfect for Morena.

Absolutely perfect.

MORENA: I have never been loved.

I've never felt like the only woman in the world.

And just face me, please.

And I've decided it's time I now put myself first.

I've missed out for a very long time.

Being 57...

I don't want to grow old alone.

Wow!

Wow!

He's gorgeous.

Wow, man!

Hi. Well, she was smiling.

I couldn't stop smiling.

When you see that, you feel like just running out

and giving her a kiss before it all happens.

You know what I mean? It's just a beautiful feeling.

You're beautiful.

That smile absolutely melted my heart.

Those eyes.

The way he looked at me.

Wow.

Hello, I'm Stefan.

Stefan, Tony. Nice to meet you.

Hi, I'm Olivia. Nice to meet you.

My children. Nice to meet you.

And you are? I'm Morena.

Morena. I'm Tony. Nice to meet you.

Pleasure to meet you.

Mwah. Love you. Yes. Good luck.

I like your shoes, man.

Oh, thanks.

Thank you very much.

How are you? I'm good.

You? Are you nervous?

Not at all.

High-five.

We're on the same page.

We got this, man.

So perfect and so beautiful.

That's... That's my wife.

That's... That's the woman that I'm just about to marry.

Can we say our vows now?

Because I'm excited to marry this lady.

(LAUGHTER)

OK.

I stand before you today, not as someone who knows

all the answers, but as someone who's committed

to discovering them with you.

At the age of 50, I had to reconstruct my life,

learning to navigate the world independently.

But age is just a number.

Today I stand here, the best version of myself.

Proud of the journey and the vibrant life

that I have built.

I'm here because I'm looking for love.

I've never truly felt the warmth of being loved,

and I cannot wait to experience this with you.

The vows were spot on.

I mean, she spoke with her heart.

She's a very strong and beautiful woman.

She's a very strong and beautiful woman.

Wow. OK.

When I started this journey, I thought,

where in the world are they going to find someone for me?

But wow, they sent me an angel.

(GUESTS 'AW')

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,

the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.

The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes.

That is the doorway to her heart.

A place where love resides.

A place where love resides.

So from this moment on, I'll be looking for that,

where love resides, and hopefully earn the right

to have it with me.

I promise you'll always walk in front of me and fear nothing,

because you'll know exactly who is walking behind you.

It's lovely.

I promise to consistently evolve with you

and most importantly, to promise to always make you smile.

You have a beautiful smile. Thank you.

So do you. Wow!

In the Macedonian culture, the parents..

In the Macedonian culture, the parents..

..parents would present the bride with a gift.

And I know if my parents were here today...

..they'd welcome you with open arms.

Danny. This is my best mate, Danny.

Nice to meet you. Hi, darling.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Just hold that for me.

From my mum and dad and from my family.

From everybody you see, this is all my family.

I'm shaking.

This is always by your heart.

That's really sweet. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

I love it. It's gorgeous, I love it.

He obviously loved his parents, which is just beautiful.

That really shows that you love family and all those things

are really important to me.

Thank you for your beautiful words.

And your mum and dad are here.

Thank you. They are here.

They're up there with my parents.

Oh, really? Yeah.

Oh, wow. They're having a cheer together.

What's, what's...

I know my parents will be having a grappa.

I know my parents will be having a grappa.

We'll have to have a grappa together later.

We got some. Don't worry about that.

We got your back, baby.

Family and friends, I now declare Morena and Toni as husband and wife.

You may now share your first kiss.

(CHEERS)

Extremely happy. Look.

It's just a beautiful feeling.

The surroundings, the atmosphere.

The people, my family. Her family.

I got my queen, 100%.

Thank you, everybody.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you for coming.

Congratulations!

Thank you for coming.

I'm sure we're going to meet each other throughout the night.

Actually look good together.

I love the way he was looking into her eyes.

And holding her hands and just the vibe.

And holding her hands and just the vibe.

They've got a similar vibe.

I...Yeah. Look good.

They look good. We feel really good. Yes.

This is Tony. This is my husband.

And this is my wife.

Morena and Tony, if I can get you guys to keep walking

down the aisle. Sorry, sorry.

This is how we roll in our community.

This is what Europeans do.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

(SPEAKS ITALIAN)

(SPEAKS ITALIAN)

Ooh!

My mother brought me up... You say hello to everyone.

That's how we are. Absolutely.

And with a smile. Absolutely.

Coming up...

JACQUI: I'm scared that he's going to be really disappointing.

Will Ryan meet his new bride's extremely high expectations?

It's impossible to find someone on my level.

I'm not willing to lower my standards.

I'm not willing to lower my standards.

I was just hopeful that I would have a man

that's just like the male version of me,

is really what I was looking for.

NARRATOR: It's the morning of Jacqui and Ryan's wedding,

and this warrior groom is more than ready, as his lifelong quest

and this warrior groom is more than ready, as his lifelong quest

of self-empowerment has prepared his mind, his body,

and his soul for the biggest day of his entire life.

Nerves...

..got no use for 'em.

My brother.

I'm a risk taker. I'm a confronter.

Welcome to the circus.

I describe myself as a multi-dimensional mortal.

I describe myself as a multi-dimensional mortal.

Someone who has accepted that he's a mammal

on a flying rock in an infinite universe.

So everything that's within our perspective

is right here for the taking.

How are you?

Yeah, I'm ready, bro.

I've done a lot of self-development.

I'm very self-aware, and I've confronted

a lot of things which people are deathly afraid of. You know?

That's me. That's me.

So, for example, I know basic plumbing.

So, for example, I know basic plumbing.

I can change a tap, you know?

But I'm also quite strong.

I can carry heavy things, help you move and whatnot.

If you're in danger in a situation,

like a car accident, or if you're hanging over the edge

of a cliff, I can pick you up.

I feel like I can be a massive blessing and asset to someone.

My only fear in this world is sharks.

It's my only fear.

I don't fear anything else because I've done the work

and I've confronted it all.

Despite his warrior mentality, little does Ryan know that

Despite his warrior mentality, little does Ryan know that

his bride to be is expecting nothing short of perfection.

JACQUI: I've got a lot to offer, and it's impossible to

find someone on my level.

You guys don't know anything about each other.

I don't even know what colour hair he's got.

I come from a family of very good genetics,

so I'd really love to have a blonde family like mine.

And having children that are blonde would be great

because I'd be able to relate to them a lot more.

He has to have a desire to want to be a great man

He has to have a desire to want to be a great man

rather than a fragile boy.

I need a man who's going to take the lead and keep me safe,

warm and protected and dry.

Are you excited about doing a first dance?

What if he drops me?

Yeah.

And have a career and have goals.

I think I'll know straight away whether he's got potential.

I work on myself every day to make sure I'm the best

version of myself.

And that's what I need in a partner.

And that's what I need in a partner.

And I'm not willing to lower my standards.

I'm scared that he's going to be really disappointing.

Divorce is the most expensive decision

you can make in your life.

So if I can avoid that, that's what I'd love to do.

Wow, look at this.

It's amazing. That's beautiful.

Worth coming just for that.

Stunning.

After you, kind sir.

He's gonna be so fun to watch standing up there, right?

I can't, I can't wait for it.

Oh, shit!

This is real.

Let's go!

The man I'm going to be embodying at the altar

is one who's done a lot of growth.

I've done a lot of inner work.

You know, you're not going to get anyone different

when I'm up there.

It's just going to be a side to me that's the real deal.

So I'm ready to leave that single life behind and embrace

the new chapter and everything that comes with it.

And I want to immerse myself into it.

'Sup!

Never die wondering.

Never die wondering.

My people!

Handsome man.

My brothers!

Looking sharp, boys.

So are you, bro.

Look at you.

Getting married, bro.

Getting married, bro.

What the hell, man?

Big move. Big move.

He's not short.

He has hair.

The suspense.

I'm concerned that Ryan and his friends...

..have some...

I'm concerned that...

I love your socks, bro.

They do. Oh my god, they do.

The energy they come forward with is like

boy gang type energy.

They look like the type of guys that maybe

go out drinking...often.

Where is my sister?

Oh my gosh.

Remind me why I'm doing this.

Ryan, can I get you to face this way

as the bride arrives?

I'm so ready for this.

I've been ready for this for a very long time.

But my biggest challenge in past relationships was guys,

they would feel like they're not on my level.

And the truth is, it's impossible to find

And the truth is, it's impossible to find

someone on my level.

My priority is finding someone who understands

what it means to be great.

So I'm hoping the guy is nice and tall,

very successful and blonde.

So today's just that ball dropping moment

of is he great or is he not so great?

And if he's not, would definitely go down

as one of the worst moments of my life.

(ALL LAUGH, EXCLAIM)

Yeah, I'm a little bit disappointed he's not blonde.

Wow.

Hi. Hi.

And he hadn't shaved, which is a big turn off.

Great to finally meet you.

Thank you.

Um, just because it's more what it says about the guy,

obviously, he doesn't work in an office

where that's the respectable thing to do.

where that's the respectable thing to do.

I was just hopeful that I would, um...

I would have a man that's just like the male version of me

is really what I was looking for.

Such a build-up. And now get to see that person

you've been imagining, you know.

Yeah.

How is this woman single?

Wow. Not bad, eh?

Not bad.

I'm so ready.

Yeah.

I've been so excited.

Same.

I could tell just by looking in her eyes.

I felt so much genuine desire to be here.

I'm a big believer in that instinctive chemistry.

You look amazing. Thank you.

There was a lot of really natural eye contact.

There was a synchronicity there.

We're on the same level.

I like your dress. Do you like the...?

I like your dress. Do you like the...?

Yeah, it's good.

Got nice contrast. Yeah.

Yeah, we do.

Family and friends,

welcome to the wedding of Jacqui and Ryan.

Jacqui and Ryan will now share

their wedding vows.

I'm ready. Awesome.

(HEAVY EXHALE) Jacqui...

Can I draw everyone's attention to how absolutely incredible

my bride looks today?

(APPLAUSE, CHEERS) Come on, give it up.

Give it up.

Jacqui, you've knocked me out of the park.

Aw. You look amazing.

You'll be the wonderful surprise

I get to wake up to, hopefully for forever,

if we're very lucky.

Jacqui, I'll be honest.

The fact that you're standing here with me

already gives me hope.

The first thing you should know about this man

standing in front of you, he's ready to risk it all for us.

Ryan's vows...

They're so lovely.

But when I actually think about it, his vows were pre-written.

Honestly, I love the idea of being best friends with you.

I don't know if it's about me, or whether he was thinking

about some other image of some other girl he had in his mind.

Even when all these outfits and dressings are gone,

you'll still be just as gorgeous.

He didn't pay me many compliments

He didn't pay me many compliments

that came out of a place of genuine in the moment.

It sounded almost pre-planned.

I'm now your husband, and from the moment

I learned we were matched,

I've thought about you every single day.

It felt rehearsed.

If I'm being honest.

My life, my heart, and my identity as a man.

They're all yours now, Jacqui.

Yay!

Aw!

I can tell that she loved it.

That's a win. That's a win, baby.

That's a win. That's a win, baby.

There you go. OK.

Congratulations, Ryan.

As my friends would say, you hit the jackpot.

(LAUGHTER)

And yes, you can call me Jackpot, Jackaroo,

Jack in the box, Jaqs, babe, or whatever you like.

And I think I'm going to pick a nickname for you now.

Right now!

So I'm going to call you RyRy.

Um, so yeah, now a bit about me.

I'm highly educated, intelligent, hard working.

I'm a corporate professional.

I'm sporty. I love tennis, hiking, running.

I can surf, ski, mountain bike, run around a netball court.

I'm also a former model, a dancer and a certified

yoga instructor and an ex-cheerleader.

I will literally ask you a million questions

to get to know you.

Brutally honest.

When I feel like there's something that could

make you a better man.

Pressure.

You'll be required to take me on dates.

Give me your jacket when I'm cold.

Definitely. Buy me flowers at least once a month.

Bring me coffee in the morning. Tell me I'm gorgeous.

I'm hoping you'll surprise me with romantic trips

to the Hunter Valley.

And together, we could maybe afford

an eastern suburbs mortgage.

Buy a beach house, adopt a cocker spaniel puppy.

And I'd love to have a double his and her

vanity bathroom one day.

But hey, we're all going to die,

and no-one's going to remember us.

So let's just make the most of what we've been handed

So let's just make the most of what we've been handed

and shoot for the sun together.

Well done. That was amazing.

Thank you. (APPLAUSE, CHEERS)

And wild.

Thank you.

Mm. Interesting.

Ours were so different.

She's a burst of fresh energy.

She knows what she likes.

And I took note of all of them.

Nothing that she was saying

is things that are beyond me naturally.

Yeah. Like, let's see I'm the man to give those to her.

Yeah. Like, let's see I'm the man to give those to her.

Family and friends,

I now get to pronounce Ryan and Jacqui as husband and wife,

you may share your first kiss.

(APPLAUSE AND CHEERS)

Head on down the aisle, guys.

Yep, yep. Head down the aisle.

Yep, yep. Head down the aisle.

Oh.

But I was a bit concerned that he didn't take the lead

when we had to walk back down the aisle.

I was the one who ended up grabbing his hand and leading

him down, which I didn't want.

Like, that's the one thing I didn't want.

I wanted a man to take the lead.

Thanks, guys.

And... Don't trip on that step.

I think that would be the challenge is whether

he can step up into, like, be the man around me

and then let me be the woman.

and then let me be the woman.

Because I don't want to be the one, like...

(SOBS) Yeah.

Yeah, definitely. Yeah.

Just hang on to that light,

make sure it doesn't go up in the wind.

NARRATOR: It's been a blustery start to Jacqui and Ryan's wedding.

I know the wind's a pain.

And Jacqui is still struggling with Ryan,

after he has failed to live up to her high expectations.

I'm not happy. When we had to walk back down the aisle,

I was the one leading him down, which is not a good start.

And again, for me.

I wanted a man to take the lead because I'm a high value woman.

Looking towards me, guys. Thank you.

Are you cold? No.

I'm not, actually. Oh.

Three, two, one.

(SHIVERS) How could I be more clear?

Like, I made it very clear in my vows.

So you'll be required to give me your jacket when I'm cold.

Definitely.

Definitely want to keep you warm.

I hate girls getting cold.

I get super protective.

Yeah?

Mm-hm.

I hate seeing a woman cold.

I do.

Ideally, I would not have a winter wedding.

Yeah.

Something up here just triggers, you know?

Uh-oh, rain.

In terms of my identity as a warrior, instinctively,

I'm very protective, you know, shield from the cold.

I don't want to sound like a white knight or anything

like that, but honestly, instinctively, that's how I act.

I can't wait to just sit down and just talk.

You can give me your coat if you want to.

Can I give her my coat?

Cool. If you want.

You don't need to ask.

I was just hopeful that I would, um...

I would have a man that would give me his jacket.

You can have my James Bond poker coat.

You can put it on me.

I had to tell Ryan a few times, and I'm sorry, but,

like, I'm not going to be cold and he's going to be warm.

Like, I don't want to explain to anyone

that that's what they should do.

I want them to want it themselves.

I want them to want it themselves.

I can't make someone want to be a man.

You know, either he is a man or he's not.

And... God damn, it's cold!

There is, like, so many shit men out there.

And like, I'm so sick of being independent and single and,

like, I want someone, like, who can make sure

that they actually step up and, like...

I don't want to be the one taking the lead.

And it's hurtful when I have to do it.

And it's hurtful when I have to do it.

Hello. How are you?

I'm Steve, darling. Monica.

Good to meet you, Monica.

In the Southern Highlands, Tony and Morena's family

and friends are coming together to celebrate the new couple.

We'd like to welcome Morena and Tony and give them a big

round of applause, please.

(APPLAUSE, CHEERS)

Walking in, it was a very warm feeling.

I'm actually excited to see friends and family.

Hello!

Love you, brother.

And I'll shake all your hands as well.

Oh my god.

European background...

I didn't get to shake hands over here.

That's how we can bond and, you know, connect.

Pleasure to meet you.

Now I'm getting to know the family.

Wow. That was nice.

Wow. That was nice.

Hello. Nice to meet you again.

I like your jacket. Oh, thank you. You too.

Looking very sharp.

Now that's a gentleman, eh?

Thank you. Good?

I am super happy.

I love the way he engaged with everyone.

He's just divine.

A real gentleman. Cheers.

Cheers, everybody.

Cheers. Cheers.

Cheers.

So I can't wait to get to know him.

Like, 4:44 in the morning is the time I get up.

Like, 4:44 in the morning is the time I get up.

Is that the time you get up? Every morning.

Wow. You'll see, I get up...

Go for a run together.

Of course.

Mum, you like running. Go for a run.

Do you really? Yeah, I do.

Yeah? Yeah.

I have never met a man who has got energy to match mine.

But I think I've hit the jackpot today.

I teach, I teach group fitness.

Really? Yeah.

So you can train me every morning?

(CHEERS)

(CHEERS)

Tony and I are extremely close.

We're first cousins.

And I've known him my whole life, and it's not the sort of

woman that he usually dates.

So I teach classes during the week, and I normally

leave Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays for deejaying.

Wow. A DJ.

This is getting even better.

I think there needs to be chemistry and sexuality involved

right from the beginning.

I don't know if that's happened at the moment.

I would have probably tried to formulate him

with somebody potentially ten years younger than him.

When you get older, you get wiser.

You kind of think, you know, what am I attracted to?

You kind of think, you know, what am I attracted to?

What do I want in my life? What don't you want?

I'm at a stage of my life where I've wasted a lot of time.

I don't have time to waste.

She's sort of older than what I expected.

And if I was the one matchmaking, I don't know if

she would have been the right pick.

NARRATOR: Jacqui and Ryan's reception is about to kick off.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

With Ryan unaware that he is falling short

of his wife's high standards.

I'm feeling happy at this point.

Really nice little intimate little photo shoot.

It was like our first little cheeky,

kind of like interaction outside of the formalities there.

What's happening? Hi. Hi!

I'm Ryan. RyRy.

Nice to meet you.

She got freezing cold, so I gave her the jacket as well.

And, um, she thinks I'm really impressive.

We've been cold all day. Yeah, I was crying.

Put your heads closer together, guys.

(SHIVERS) That's great.

Just being together as humans.

Yeah, it's shared chemistry at this point.

Uh, not sure.

Look at this. Look how beautiful that is.

He failed to take the lead twice.

Mm.

Oh, that's good.

If it was me, I would just be thinking

this was so embarrassing.

Like, this is my big day, my chance to be a man.

Like, this is my big day, my chance to be a man.

And to be honest, he failed.

So we need to find more things in common.

Succulent.

What do you think? Do you think he's my vibe?

It depends what kind of dog he has.

Yeah, actually.

Ryan, what kind of dog do you have?

Um, I have a kelpie-cross-staffie.

She's beautiful, hey.

She's a, she's not a little girl.

Like, she's quite athletic and, well-built or whatever.

But, yeah, I found her after a year of searching.

But, yeah, I found her after a year of searching.

I was just looking for my dog because I had my house, and...

Yeah, like, it needs to be the right one. (VOICE FADES)

I didn't really like Ryan's choice of dog.

It's kind of a concern.

I don't really like staffies.

I would always prefer to go for a dog

whose instincts are to, like, go out and hunt for itself,

like hunt rabbits and stuff.

Which is why I like cocker spaniels and hunter dogs,

because I think those dogs are just a little bit more lovely.

And they never, ever, ever touch people.

She's just like huddling there, looking at me like that.

It's more what it says about the guy.

I need him to impress me.

And owning a staffie, it's just really unimpressive.

It's a huge red flag.

She's just really grown to love everything about life.

You know, like, she's so smart.

How do you know that?

Cause, like, she just doesn't act like other dogs.

So far, things aren't going well.

And the more I get to know Ryan,

the less we seem to have in common.

Which was very concerning.

Which was very concerning.

(GLASS CLINKING)

Over at Morena and Tony's wedding...

..Morena's children have prepared a speech in honour

of their beloved mum.

We are truly honoured to stand here today to speak

about someone incredibly special to us.

Our amazing mum, Morena.

Mum, you've been on a remarkable journey and we're so proud of

Mum, you've been on a remarkable journey and we're so proud of

everything you've accomplished.

And you're totally the coolest mum going around.

That's true.

Now to Tony.

Whoa!

Stefan.

We want to share a little advice.

Go, Stefan. Come on.

Treat our mum as the queen she is.

She's the heart and soul of our family.

She's the heart and soul of our family.

And she deserves to be pampered

and cherished every single day.

She is the most hard working woman I know.

You will be lucky to have her around

and deserves to be adored.

Here's to a wonderful journey ahead.

Congratulations to you both.

Congratulations to you both.

Cheers to Morena and Tony.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

Love you.

Family is extremely important to me.

Like, very close, very family orientated, you know?

And the kids are amazing.

I mean, she's very lucky to have beautiful kids like that.

She lives for those kids.

You know, they're my family now.

This experiment, they've become my family.

So I'm open arms, you know?

Do you want to go around? I'll introduce you.

Can I get a glass of white wine, please?

I want to meet your side.

Oh, OK.

She's obviously a fabulous woman,

and you can see it in her.

You can see it through her kids.

She's got fabulous children, but I don't know if she's going

to tick the boxes for him.

Hello. I'll just come and say hello.

(OVERLAPPING GREETINGS)

Ciao. Nice to meet you, darling.

Nice to meet you. I'm Tony's first cousin.

Nice to meet you. I'm Tony's first cousin.

Nice to meet you, Tony's first cousin.

I was the best man at his first wedding.

When I look at Tony, I see someone in his mid-50

53 or 54 years of age.

He still looks very, very good, you know.

He's got beautiful, natural teeth.

And, you know, he's tanned and he's got a full set of hair.

Proud of you.

And I think he would look very charismatic

with a younger woman.

Somebody potentially around 38 to 42.

I've never seen Steve so quiet!

I want to take you out because

I think I (BLEEP) needed to talk to you.

She 57?

NARRATOR: At Morena and Tony's wedding...

I'm good, yeah!

..Tony's cousin Steven has pulled him outside to address

his concerns about his new bride.

You still look very good.

Yeah, I'm getting old, too, you know.

Yeah, I'm getting old, too, you know.

But you're not.

Steve just hammered me, like he was just Steve.

Steve speaks his mind.

Steve will say anything.

He's direct. That's his style.

Listen, I do...

Do I take it in?

She's older than you are. She's got adult children.

He's like my brother.

But sometimes, you gotta take a step back and...

..and feel ways differently.

It's different, Steve.

It's different now. I'm older, Steve.

When you get older, you start thinking differently.

You start thinking wisely.

You know, you want to meet somebody that's on the same

wavelength, you know?

wavelength, you know?

I told you, I'm 53.

I'm no wall painting anymore.

Let's give her a shot, Steve.

The lady's nice, mate.

The whole day today has been unbelievable and beautiful.

How can you take that away from somebody?

So they did a good job, the experts, huh?

They actually did.

I look around and I look at her and I think to myself,

I look around and I look at her and I think to myself,

wow, man, she's a perfect person.

I think I have the most beautiful woman in the whole place here.

So... Hello.

Hello, sweetheart. How are you guys going tonight?

That's good.

Morena and I are a really good match.

We have similarities.

She's very family orientated, like me.

This is very important to me.

So that's what I like to see.

That's what I asked for.

She's been my number one because she's...

She's been my number one because she's...

She does everything for me.

She's supported me through everything

that she's done for me.

Like, look after me, and she built me a house.

Wow. Back at home, for my independence.

So I treat her like a queen.

I'm impressed.

I'm impressed.

The way he engaged with my kids.

He was gorgeous.

I think Stefan's got you on your jacket, mate.

I think Stefan's got you on your jacket, mate.

Oh, no, you killed me, Stefan.

Oh, I like your jacket.

No worries, Stefan, you can have it after this.

Red velvet. I got you, bro.

I got a similar jacket at home.

He loves jackets.

Stefan doesn't have that in his life.

So it's kind of really special.

The first day of my marriage with Tony

is looking better than good.

It's now time for the bride and groom's first dance.

It's now time for the bride and groom's first dance.

(CHEERS)

You are amazing.

I can't believe that somebody would be so perfect.

I'm so excited for the opportunity to actually have

a chance in falling in love, because I've not felt it before.

We've got one final song where everyone's going to get up

and have a dance. (CHEERS) Opa!

(CHEERS)

Next...

Need to experience both sides - being in the dirt

and being on the gold.

Where do you feel now?

I'm on the gold.

Can Ryan win over his new bride?

That's so impressive.

I'm definitely the type of man that she's looking for.

Or will his attempts fall flat?

(ALL EXCLAIM)

All right guys we're going to start speeches now.

NARRATOR: After a disappointing start to her day...

(CHEERS, APPLAUSE)

..Jacqui has almost given up hope on her new husband.

With only the speeches left to turn the night around.

Honoured guests,

ladies and gentlemen on both sides,

thank you eternally for being part of this day.

Thank you so much, guys.

Robert Frost said something very relevant to my life,

Robert Frost said something very relevant to my life,

"It's a funny thing that when a man hasn't anything

on earth to worry about, he goes off and gets married."

I also read this the other day.

"My wife always says I have two faults.

One, I don't listen. And two...something else."

(MUTED LAUGHTER)

I've rarely done things by the book, have taken many

different paths, and throughout my 20s and 30s,

I made a mission to face all my fears.

I made a mission to face all my fears.

Everything except sharks.

I don't want none of that smoke.

Do you like sharks? I don't like sharks.

I strongly believe in personal evolution.

I live it and breathe it every year that passes.

As I stand here in this auspicious moment,

vivid flashbacks spark off an echo in my thoughts,

the trials and challenges that compelled me to grow.

At age ten, my eyesight rapidly dimmed, needing glasses

combined with intellect, skinny build and nerdy tendencies.

combined with intellect, skinny build and nerdy tendencies.

Those formative teenage years of mine were rough.

I became a target in all the ways

that bullying can manifest.

My personality became fragmented from not fitting in.

Harbouring anger and confusion,

I felt like the world I knew was against me.

But now I'm thankful for those experiences.

Men need this pain to taste the harsh spectrum of humanity.

The eye-opening realities.

The eye-opening realities.

Throughout my 20s and 30s, I was able to process

all the negativity into tools that made me stronger.

Ryan's speech was very personal.

I learned a lot more about him.

He's gone through a lot.

I wasn't sure at the beginning, but I haven't ever met

someone that's been through as much as I have, and I see a lot

of hope through shared past experiences,

like we were both bullied in high school.

We've both gone through a lot of self development.

He's the kind of man that seems like if he makes a mistake,

He's the kind of man that seems like if he makes a mistake,

he's willing to grow from it.

So in terms of future potential, that gives me a lot of hope.

I made a mission to seek out extreme activities

that challenged me and conquer every bucket list item possible.

I've skydived, bungee jumped, whitewater rafted,

given presentations at huge conferences, expanded national

client contracts, eaten insane foods, been utterly heartbroken.

It's how I became passionate about training mental

clarity, health, vitality, wolves, dragons,

clarity, health, vitality, wolves, dragons,

dancing and personal evolution.

However, love in the past has not been enough.

The missing element was my true partner.

I know how to take care of a woman, while simultaneously

learning how to be her man at the same time.

(CHEERS)

That was really good.

He's not everything I asked for, to be honest.

Like, he's actually not.

First of all, um, he's not that much taller

than me, and he's not blonde.

But in saying that, he's definitely got

a similar life as mine.

It's so similar to my upbringing. And I feel like

the experts obviously took a lot of time to match us

based on our life experiences.

We're both deep thinkers, very intelligent, and the more

I get to know him, the more I'm starting to like him.

You need to experience both sides - being in the dirt

and being on the gold.

Where do you feel now?

I'm on the gold.

She's absolutely amazing, beautiful.

She's absolutely amazing, beautiful.

And we're on the same page about that.

You know, it's about growing.

It's about meeting someone like each other.

That's so impressive. I love it.

I'm definitely the type of man that she's looking for.

You can squat my whole bridal party.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Who can be protective.

And a lot of men can't walk it.

It's time for your first dance, guys.

(CHEERS)

She's seen who I am when it comes to being a man.

She's seen who I am when it comes to being a man.

Yeah, like, overall, it's a really optimistic feeling.

Yeah, I think I've found that unicorn.

I'm gonna dip you. Ready?

OK, what way? Left.

You're gonna have to catch me, though.

(ALL EXCLAIM)

Oh my god!

That did not just happen.

It's time for your first dance, guys.

(CHEERS)

All right, I'm gonna dip you. Ready?

OK, what way? Left.

You're gonna have to catch me, though.

(ALL EXCLAIM)

Oh my god! He just ruined everything.

Ryan, you're not meant to throw your bride on the ground!

Trod on the dress!

That did not just happen.

Did he let go? Everyone's laughing.

Oh, (BLEEP)! Nobody's going to remember this, right?

Oh, (BLEEP)! Nobody's going to remember this, right?

No one saw anything.

Just a small, intimate group.

I'm sorry. No, no, no.

It's good. I think it's funny.

I think it's funny. It's funny.

It was so good!

I swear you had some coordination.

Are you OK? Yeah, I'm fine.

I literally went down and I stepped on the dress,

and that was it.

You know that's going on TV, bro.

Like, straight up.

What kind of stupid question is that?

Yeah, yeah. I'm OK.

I was very close to the ground.

No.

Had such a big day.

In terms of my identity as a warrior,

instinctively, I'm very protective.

I think it's funny.

I'm more concerned about the whole how it's going

to present for her.

I'm a trooper.

She doesn't deserve that.

She just deserves a little bit more dignity,

I think, from that.

We were just trying to dance up to that point, and that was it.

When I think about how many people might see it,

When I think about how many people might see it,

um, I feel really...

I'm worried.

I'm just gonna have a quick discussion.

I'll be back. Go for it. Yeah.

Like, it's going in.

I'm gonna petition it goes in.

I think she loved it.

Because it made it, like, goofy and light hearted.

Can deadlift 220 but can't... pick her up!

Can't keep her off the floor.

Tomorrow night...

Well, Eliot, this is highly unusual.

Runaway groom, Eliot, makes a shock appearance.

I gave the honeymoon two days.

But will he re-enter the experiment after some

hard truths from expert, John?

Well...

You can't tell me it's worked because you're single and 35.

And I get that narrative. It's not a narrative,

it's just fact.

And... Dinner is served.

And... Dinner is served.

It's the first dinner party of the experiment.

I'm so excited. Where our newlyweds will meet each other's partners

for the very first time.

Why does everyone look so freaking hot?

Everyone's so happy! Yeah.

I love seeing people happy.

But two couples already on the rocks...

What happened? Um...

..sends shockwaves through the group.

Oh my god!

Are you joking?

It's OK.

It's OK.

If he does show up tonight, good luck to him.

I feel like I've been the one making most of the effort.

Are you serious?

Tim tells his side of the story.

But Jamie's not convinced. He's gaslighting her!

Am I the only one seeing what's going on here?

That is not OK. I won't sit here and tolerate that.

I can't die on this hill, charging this (BLEEP).

Someone's got to back me.

Captioned by AI-Media ai-media.tv