Our favorite social experiment is back! Married at First Sight is returning to Atlanta with ten singles who chose to skip the Bumble swipes and awkward first dates, and instead, head straight to the altar. What could go wrong? Hint: If you’ve seen the previous seasons, the answer is: A LOT.
However, the matchmaking experts are coming off a very successful run during season 11, where three out of the five couples chose to stay married after 16 weeks of living together as husband and wife. Typically, the couples only live together for eight weeks before making a decision, but season 11 faced challenges related to COVID-19, as the couples had to enter quarantine and often film footage on their own instead of working with a camera crew. Since season 12 has been filming throughout 2020, it will be interesting to see if this cast faces the same obstacles that we saw in New Orleans.
This season will feature five couples, two of which are interracial matches! *Finally* we will see more diversity within the relationships, the absence of which has been noted by many fans of the MAFS franchise.
Starting off, let’s meet Chris and Paige:
MadameNoire dished that Paige, 25, is ready to find a husband, like, yesterday. Although she is on the younger side of MAFS participants, Paige, an accountant, bought her first home at 22. After watching several unsuccessful marriages in her own family, Paige is seeking guidance from the experts in hopes that they will lead her to a lifelong partner.
Chris, 27, is a religious man who was raised by pastors, and puts his trust in the experts to find the wife he’s been searching for. Aside from wanting a woman of faith, this finance manager is an ambitious person who hopes to find someone who can match his drive for success.
Briana and Vincent:
Briana, 28, is tired of the dating game and is ready to find her soulmate. She is looking for someone that she can build an “empire” with. She would like the experts to match her with someone whom she shares similar values. Briana works as an engineer, proving that she’s smart and stylish!
Vincent, 27, has been ready for marriage for some time, as his previous relationship ended when he was ready to walk down the aisle, but his partner was not. He is proud of his Dominican culture and wants to share that with his future lady. Vincent works as an auto broker.
Clara and Ryan:
Clara, 27, is recently single and is unsure of how to start dating again, so why not just marry a stranger? Clara works as a flight attendant, which may remind you of Married at First Sight season 11, where we saw Christina, a flight attendant, struggle to explain her living situation to her husband, Henry. Will Clara also lack a “home base”?
Ryan, 29, knows what a healthy marriage looks like because he’s experienced it firsthand: his parents have been married for over 30 years. They’re ready for grandchildren, so Ryan wishes to be with a woman who is eager to start a family. Ryan is a project manager.
Hayley and Jacob:
Hayley, 28, is an account executive and a dog lover. She admits that she has had trust issues in the past, which will be something she will have to overcome during the 8-week process.
Jacob, 38, is an IT analyst who wants to leave the single life behind after dating unsuccessfully in Atlanta. He is ready to start a family, but does not yet know that his future wife is ten years younger. This is one of the largest age gaps that we have seen thus far.
Virginia and Erik:
Virginia, 26, admits to having had some unhealthy relationship habits, such as self-sabotaging. However, she believes that with the help of the experts, she will be able to use her past experiences as a guide to building a successful relationship. Virginia is an account coordinator.
Erik, 34, has been married before, which is something we have not seen in MAFS history. He knows what he wants in a wife this time around, and is counting on the experts to deliver. Erik is a pilot.
The Married at First Sight Matchmaking Special will premiere on December 30th, followed by the MAFS Kick-off Special on January 6th. The actual season premiere will air on January 13th at 8p.m. on Lifetime.