MAFS Kicks off 2025 Season of Love

This year’s experiment kicks off with our 10 soon-to-be brides and grooms arriving to the inaugural Bucks and Hens.

Our first hen Lauren doesn’t hold back – dating the modern man is like dating a wet fish – no ambition with a lack of masculinity. She describes her traditional view on gender roles, explaining that a woman’s role is to serve their husband and best placed as a housewife tending to them and their needs.

On the other side of town, our first buck to arrive is the uncompromising and polarising Eliot; holding very high standards when it comes to the girls he dates, he threatens to cut and run on his wedding day if he isn’t attracted to his match at first sight.

Awhina, a single mum of one, is entering the experiment to find her confidence again in the dating world, while big hearted, rougher edged Jamie wants to find a tattooed partner who looks like he’s doing “20 to life”. Tony the Macedonian fisherman hopes to find the life-long relationship his parents cultivated, and 37-year-old KATIE hopes to find love again after being 10 years single and losing hope.

As the participants meet for the first time, we see friendships form, as well as battle lines drawn.

We meet our first two matches CARINA and PAUL and LAUREN and ELIOT, and these two couples couldn’t be any more different!

First we meet CARINA, who comes from a large Italian family where she’s the youngest of four siblings. Everyone in her family is married and she feels like the black sheep, being 31 and single. She wants to find a romantic ‘gentleman’ who holds the same old school values she does, and if he’s European that would be the cherry on top. PAUL is a good looking, charming Frenchman who moved to Australia 11 years ago. He arrived not speaking a word of English and has carved out a career as FIFO health coordinator in the mines. Both hail from Perth and are entering the experiment hoping to find the one.

Our second couple LAUREN and ELIOT have all the hallmarks of being a complete car crash. ELIOT is one of the most uncompromising grooms in MAFS history, he has an endless list of non-negotiables and tells us from the very first moment that he has no issue with cutting and running if his wife isn’t up to his expectations… enter LAUREN, an outspoken, slightly judgemental bride who says what she thinks – but despite appearances, these two couldn’t be more compatible. Both are looking for a particular kind of marriage…one straight out of the 1950’s! They seek specific gender roles in a relationship, their values align, and they are looking for exactly the same thing. It’s a high-risk match, but high reward if they put the work in.

We kick off the weddings with CARINA and PAUL. The couple make their way to the ceremony, full of hope and dreams of finding true love. They meet at the aisle and are instantly attracted, with the families all validating the match. It’s a dreamy and romantic ceremony, a match made in heaven. It’s not until after the ceremony when the bride and groom have a moment alone, that CARINA drops a massive bombshell, they already know each other!

The couple separately reveal they met last year but PAUL ghosted CARINA after only one date. She explains that he has some making up to do if she is to trust him again, meanwhile PAUL is thrilled to have a second chance at being with CARINA. He’s all in.

Later PAUL attempts to win back CARINA’S affection by talking to her parents and explaining their story. PAUL is upfront with CARINA’s parents saying he wasn’t in the right headspace when they first met. PAUL impresses them, which in turn softens CARINA’S heart…her family’s approval means everything to her and PAUL’s charm wins everyone over. The couple take a moment outside to connect and even share a kiss. Their first dance seals the deal and CARINA is ‘smitten’ with her hunky European husband.

LAUREN and ELIOT are up next, but ELIOT has already set the tone for the day, if he doesn’t like what he sees, he’s out of there. LAUREN on the other hand is dealing with a different issue, her sister and maid of honour Tamara. Tamara and LAUREN are not seeing eye to eye, a bride’s worst nightmare, with Tamara calling LAUREN ‘bridezilla’ ‘horrendous’ and even hoping she trips over her wedding dress. The feuding sisters bicker all morning and into the limo – and once Tamara arrives at the wedding location, she tells anyone who will listen that LAUREN is a ‘psycho’. As a nervous ELIOT waits for his new bride to arrive, he reminds us that he is ready to run if she’s not what he wants. LAUREN arrives and ELIOT turns his head…. and he’s…. happy! The ceremony is a romantic affair as the couple exchange vows which are almost identical, and they walk off down the aisle relieved and happy!

LAUREN’S sister Tamara dominates the reception giving little room for LAUREN and ELIOT to get to know one another. LAUREN attempts to diffuse the situation the best she can and as she tries to connect with her groom but Tamara flirts with the best man and kicks off at the waiters when they bring her the wrong meal. She shouts at LAUREN to ‘shut up’ and storms off to yell at the wait staff before calling the whole day ‘an abortion’. LAUREN calls her sister ‘unhinged’ and isn’t surprised she’s made this day about her.

If this wasn’t enough, Tamara derails the first dance by yelling at LAUREN that she’s ‘frigid’ as she tries to slow dance with her new husband. ELIOT and LAUREN are both unimpressed by her antics but somehow, they remain united by the end of the reception.

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