Three brides and three grooms posing in wedding attire on a boardwalk decorated with candles and rose petals, with the Sydney cityscape and Harbour Bridge in the background.

IT’S THE HIT social experiment that sees couples meet each other for the first time at the altar when they are about to say “I do”. 

With Married at First Sight Australia in its 13th season, it’s hard to see how the show can keep getting better – but it genuinely does.

Three people, two women and one man, stand on a decorated platform with the Sydney skyline in the background.
The experts: John Aiken, Mel Schilling and Alessandra Rampolla
So now that it’s finally available to stream on Channel 4, we’re giving a rundown of our favourite moments so far…

Collage of a bride holding red roses against a blurred cityscape.
Alissa Fay made her groom propose first

Shock proposal 

Blushing bride Alissa Fay wasn’t letting a small thing like marrying a stranger get in the way of her receiving her dream proposal.

Expecting nothing less than the full fairytale treatment from her mystery groom, the Adelaide-based social media manager, 33, stunned David Momoh, 31, by bringing their wedding ceremony to a halt with a clear ultimatum: get down on one knee or the wedding would not go ahead.

It’s fair to say that e-commerce manager David did not expect that particular surprise on his wedding day.

But, ever the gentleman, he overcame the awkwardness, assumed the pose and popped the question so the ceremony could go ahead as planned.

Melinda Willis in her wedding dress, smiling at the camera with the Sydney skyline and harbour bridge in the background.
Mel Akbay’s husband-to-be fell short on the big day

Altar icks 

David wasn’t the only contestant with wedding day bombshells in store.

When Sydney bride Mel Akbay, 28, pictured herself walking down the aisle, it was with her husband-to-be gazing back at her adoringly.

But on her MAFS wedding day, the reality was quite the opposite.

After leaving the wedding rings behind in his room, groom Luke Fourniotis, 30, was forced to turn the limo around and go back for them, leaving him late to the altar – with Mel walking down the aisle groomless.

If that wasn’t enough to give her the ick during the ceremony, the groom chewed gum while Mel read her vows and then spat it out into his sister’s hands when he had to deliver his – who says romance is dead?

It’s a revelation 

This year saw a brand new challenge unlocked – Revelations Week!

The fresh twist was designed to fast track the contestants’ relationships and bring hidden truths to the surface.

From uncovering what their partners really said in auditions to the trusty photo-ranking task and debating a never-ending list of red flags, the drama was at an all-time high.

And for the few who thought their relationships were perfect? Their peers, especially the wives, were more than happy to offer a loud, unsolicited second opinion.

Matching vows

The experts are known for pairing singles with prospective partners who share their principles, and this year it looked like they had truly outdone themselves with one of the “intruder” (late joining) couples, Chris and Sam.

Chris Robinson, 38, from New South Wales, is a farmer and gym owner searching for a long-term partner to build a life with in the countryside.

Sam Stanton, 34, a fitness studio owner from Adelaide, was equally keen to find a lasting relationship with someone who shared his love of nature.

By the time they exchanged vows, it seemed they were completely in sync – their near-identical promises certainly suggested that.

Yet despite their matching vows, the couple later discovered they weren’t so compatible after all, and have now split.

A bride in a white floral wedding gown and veil smiles, with a cityscape and bridge in the background.
Bec Zacharia got called out by experts for her behaviour at a dinner party

Home truths

While one of the main goals of Married at First Sight Australia is for the contestants to find their soulmates, it’s safe to say they also embark on a journey of personal development.

This year’s commitment ceremonies and challenges made this unavoidable, with the experts Mel Schilling – who sadly died of cancer in March after season 13 was filmed – John Aiken and Alessandra Rampolla dishing out some home truths to the contestants.

From calling out Bec Zacharia and Gia Fleur for their dinner party antics to addressing the real reason Mel Akbay is still single after she admitted she hadn’t been giving Luke a chance, their comments showed the brides and grooms that they had a lot to learn.

However, it’s clear their advice can lead to positive action.

After Alessandra challenged groom Steven Danyluk to face the impact of him keeping his distance, the 34-year-old finally saw things from bride Rachel Gilmore’s perspective. That moment of clarity turned the tide, leading Steven to take the plunge and finally kiss his bride!