Close to a decade after its premiere season aired on the FYI network, Married at First Sight is still going strong. Originally a spinoff of the Danish series, Gift Ved Første Blik, which first aired in 2013, the show has gradually ascended the reality TV ladder, amassing a global following rivaling some of the most popular reality TV shows in the US.
Like its predecessors, Married at First Sight season 12 was packed with the kind of mind-numbing emotional roller coasters and dramatic twists guaranteed to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Unfortunately, given the staggering high divorce rates among Married At First Sight alumni, being thoroughly entertained did little to quell widespread skepticism about the stability of the marriages showcased on the show. So, have any of the Married At First Sight season 12 couples managed to go the distance? Read on to find out.
Updated October 2023: ‘Married at First Sight’ remains one of the most popular dating reality shows on network television. Though the show has been criticized for pairing people they think will cause drama as opposed to a good marriage, fans continue to be fascinated by the concept of marrying a complete stranger. Season 12 was certainly full of lots of drama, as only one couple chose to remain married. Brianna Myles and Vincent Morales have since started a family, while tensions between the other former couples remain high.
8. Haley Harris And Jacob Harder Had A Nasty Falling Out At The MAFS Season 12 Reunion
Haley Harris and Jacob Harder were one of the many MAFS couples whose marriages didn’t survive Decision Day. The fallout from their failed marriage spilled over to season twelve’s reunion, where Harder accused Harris of disrespecting him.
“My entire experience with you was disrespectful. I was always the last person to find out what you were doing,” Harder said, prompting Harris to clap back with, “Here’s the problem that annoys the sh*t out of me … You always think you know what I’m thinking or what I’m going to say … You don’t know me, and you don’t know how I would feel.”
7. Have Haley Harris And Jacob Harder Made Up?
Haley Harris and Jacob Harder were later featured on the MAFS: Where are They Now special, where they finalized their divorce, and subsequently had a sit-down to hash out their differences.
“I think it just all boils back down to like we have very different communication styles and … at the end of the day, we’re not compatible,” Harris told Harder at the time. “But I don’t think that that makes us right or wrong in the situation, just viewing it differently, and I’m sorry if you felt like it was a low blow”
6. Have Erik Lake And Virginia Coombs Rekindled Their Romance?
Despite electing to stay married on Decision Day, Erik Lake and Virginia Coombs later filed for divorce after less than a year of marriage. Though the two have remained friends, they’re yet to rekindle their romance
“This entire process has been difficult as is without the constant chatter of public opinion,” the two disclosed in a joint media statement following their split. “Contrary to popular belief, we’ve been together and trying to make our marriage work since Decision Day. While we have decided to get a divorce, we aren’t closing the doors on a possible future together.”
Their divorce was documented on Married at First Sight: Couples’ Cam. Lake was the one to initiate the conversation about getting a divorce, saying, “I do care about you and I care about this, but nothing is really progressing or moving in a healthy manner and it seems like nothing else has worked.”
5. Ryan Oubre And Clara Berghaus Could Not Resolve Their Cultural Differences
Though they chose to stay together on Decision Day, Ryan Oubre and Clara Berghaus filed for divorce just months after MAFS season 12 premiered on Lifetime. Months after the split, Ryan opened up about his marriage to Clara, revealing that their divorce had a lot to do with cultural differences.
“You need to at least attempt to understand the culture you married into,” he said. “We avoided having these conversations on camera as I knew this was a complex topic and did not want it to seem as I was weaponizing the camera against her.”
Both Oubre and Berghaus took to social media after the show to express their opinions about their divorce. Oubre made several claims about Berghaus, saying she went “walking into a family gathering and not speaking to anyone” as well as “declining food (outside of a food allergy or avoidance) because you don’t like the way it looks,” implying that she had not been accepting of his culture. Berghaus denied his claims.
4. Brianna Myles And Vincent Morales Are Still Together
Despite their ups and downs, Brianna Myles and Vincent Morales elected to stay married on Decision Day. Through constant pursuit of compromise, the two have managed to make their marriage last, becoming one in a handful of Married at First Sight success stories.
“We just knew that we really wanted to make this work, so we worked really, really hard,” Vincent told Essence of his marriage in June 2021. “I mean, it was a process that was sped up at an extremely fast pace, so not everybody can do it. A regular relationship, people have their ups and downs, but you marry a complete stranger, and you’re supposed to live with them and try to cope and work together and things like that. So, definitely compromise. You’ve got to be able to compromise. If you can’t compromise, it’s out of the window.”
3. Brianna And Vincent Recently Welcomed Their First Child
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Brianna and Vincent’s marriage has been going so well that the two recently actualized their plans to expand their family. The twosome welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Aury Bella, in January, and are incredibly excited about becoming parents.
“Our little love is finally here! After a long-awaited almost 10 months, Aury Bella Morales graced us with her presence on 1/3/23, and we couldn’t be more elated,” the pair revealed in a media statement at the time. “She’s even more beautiful than we could’ve ever imagined.”
2. Paige Banks And Chris Williams Are Still Not On Speaking Terms
Paige Banks and Chris Williams’ volatile marriage was responsible for some of the most dramatic storylines of season 12, with Chris coming under fire on multiple occasions for emotionally manipulating his then wife. The twosome’s relationship was so problematic that, nearly two years after calling it quits, they are yet to mend bridges.
“I’m not perfect, I never claim to be, but the reason I don’t want to speak on him is because there’s just nothing to speak about at this point,” Paige told Essence in 2021. “He is a grown man, and he can deal with his own actions accordingly, and I’ll handle mine as well. I don’t really have anything to say.”
The two did go to couple’s counseling following Decision Day, but Banks eventually realized that there was no saving their relationship and chose to move forward.
1. Paige Banks Has Made Peace With Her Split From Chris Williams
Paige Banks has made peace with her fraught marriage and ultimate split from Chris Williams. Though not prepared to speak with her ex-husband, Paige has no regrets about walking away from her marriage.
“I’ve received a lot of positivity and a lot of transparency in regards to women who have gone through similar accounts that I’ve been through in their marriages, relationships,” she disclosed to Essence in the previously mentioned interview. “I’ve had a lady tell me how she decided to walk away after it was a long-term relationship, I think 10-plus years, just after seeing my situation. So, just seeing those testimonies, I understand that there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Banks has truly fully moved on from her days on Married at First Sight. She announced in September 2023 that she is expecting her first child. Fans could not be happier for her.
