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When you watch someone walk down the aisle, it is assumed that you know the happy couple. What’s more, when someone walks down the aisle, it is assumed that they at least know the name of the person they’re marrying. That is unless the bride and groom decide to go on Married at First Sight. It’s been a few years since I last went to a MAFS wedding, but whenever the latest season is screening, it’s something that I can’t help thinking about – whether I’m watching the new couples get hitched or not. In the lead-up to season four of the reality television show, I was invited as a journalist to witness not one but two couples get married in one wedding. Read more: Kalinya Estate hosts the iconic MAFS couples’ retreat once again As one of the twists for that season’s opening episodes, the producers managed to track down identical twin sisters – Sharon and Michelle – who were willing to get married on the show. This meant that their grooms – Nick and Jesse – were left in the dark about the fact they were having a double wedding. And they weren’t the only ones. Myself and the other members of the media attending the wedding were told to pretend we were just like every other guest there. But more importantly, we were told to keep it under wraps that the guests were at a double wedding. Not even the brides’ side knew both sisters were getting married. It meant while we were waiting for the wedding to start, as we were bombarded with questions about who was about to get hitched – and because people were curious about what was about to happen, there were a lot of questions – we had to be as generic as possible in our answers. Of course, when the grooms came out, things started to become clear. And to be honest, the look on both of the grooms’ faces when they realised they weren’t the only ones there made for great TV. Read more: Illawarra wedding venue Silvergum Stables at Helensburgh dazzles in TV show Married at First Sight That’s the thing – while some of the Married at First Sight participants have been rumoured to be only on the show for exposure (or are even actors), for these couples in particular it was a real (although not legally binding) wedding. This meant that from the moment the couples first laid eyes on each other, they were on a really public and very unusual blind date. Sure, it was expected to last weeks – if not longer – but in those first moments that follow “I do”, there were just a lot of awkward “getting to know you”-type questions. And wedding guests had a front-row seat to watch it all unfold. For the most part, that’s all you can do, because there is a lot of waiting around for both of the couples to get ready (and for the cameras). And as guests, you wait for the wedding to start not just once but twice. In this instance, they filmed the wedding twice – once for close-ups of people’s reactions, and another time to get those big, sweeping, long-distance shots that make it look like a movie. And when the director does call action, you notice that it’s a lot quieter than your average wedding because there’s no music to walk down the aisle to – or, when the time comes, during the first dance. I’m sure it’s not the big day that any involved had imagined, but there were moments when you could almost believe that it was like any other wedding. The reception, in particular, played out like any other wedding reception – aside from the lack of music. The producers were there but didn’t interfere – to the best of my knowledge. They just kind of captured the moments as they played out. And perhaps it’s these moments of normalcy that give the participants hope that this will become a love that lasts – even if it didn’t work out for these couples in particular. The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.
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When you watch someone walk down the aisle, it is assumed that you know the happy couple.
What’s more, when someone walks down the aisle, it is assumed that they at least know the name of the person they’re marrying.
It’s been a few years since I last went to a MAFS wedding, but whenever the latest season is screening, it’s something that I can’t help thinking about – whether I’m watching the new couples get hitched or not.
In the lead-up to season four of the reality television show, I was invited as a journalist to witness not one but two couples get married in one wedding.
As one of the twists for that season’s opening episodes, the producers managed to track down identical twin sisters – Sharon and Michelle – who were willing to get married on the show. This meant that their grooms – Nick and Jesse – were left in the dark about the fact they were having a double wedding. And they weren’t the only ones.
Myself and the other members of the media attending the wedding were told to pretend we were just like every other guest there. But more importantly, we were told to keep it under wraps that the guests were at a double wedding. Not even the brides’ side knew both sisters were getting married.
It meant while we were waiting for the wedding to start, as we were bombarded with questions about who was about to get hitched – and because people were curious about what was about to happen, there were a lot of questions – we had to be as generic as possible in our answers.
Of course, when the grooms came out, things started to become clear. And to be honest, the look on both of the grooms’ faces when they realised they weren’t the only ones there made for great TV.
That’s the thing – while some of the Married at First Sight participants have been rumoured to be only on the show for exposure (or are even actors), for these couples in particular it was a real (although not legally binding) wedding.
This meant that from the moment the couples first laid eyes on each other, they were on a really public and very unusual blind date. Sure, it was expected to last weeks – if not longer – but in those first moments that follow “I do”, there were just a lot of awkward “getting to know you”-type questions.
And wedding guests had a front-row seat to watch it all unfold.
For the most part, that’s all you can do, because there is a lot of waiting around for both of the couples to get ready (and for the cameras).
And as guests, you wait for the wedding to start not just once but twice. In this instance, they filmed the wedding twice – once for close-ups of people’s reactions, and another time to get those big, sweeping, long-distance shots that make it look like a movie.
And when the director does call action, you notice that it’s a lot quieter than your average wedding because there’s no music to walk down the aisle to – or, when the time comes, during the first dance.
I’m sure it’s not the big day that any involved had imagined, but there were moments when you could almost believe that it was like any other wedding. The reception, in particular, played out like any other wedding reception – aside from the lack of music.
The producers were there but didn’t interfere – to the best of my knowledge. They just kind of captured the moments as they played out.
And perhaps it’s these moments of normalcy that give the participants hope that this will become a love that lasts – even if it didn’t work out for these couples in particular.
- This article first appeared in the Canberra Time