Based on the Dutch reality series Gift Ved Første Blikk, Married at First Sight takes the concept of a dating show to the next level. Couples are paired using numerous tests, interviews, and other scientific evaluations to be matched up with a potential mate, and all couples agreed to meet for the first time on their wedding day. From there, they take a honeymoon together and then begin to get to know one another in hopes of making the marriage work. Along with the assistance of several experts on the show, they work through any issues or problems they may face, and after eight weeks together, couples must decide if they want to stay married or file for divorce. The series became an instant hit with audiences due to the show catching people’s attention with its surprising premise, but it retained its viewership thanks to the individual stories. Despite being a reality show, the series does try its best to help the couples foster meaningful relationships together. Although many of the couples don’t end up being successful, there are a few that do seem to have found happiness together. Since its debut in 2014, the series continued to be renewed and is set to premiere its season in 2019, with season nine already confirmed.
Behind the tension-filled first meetings and overdramatized situations, these couples want to believe that their “leap of faith” will truly pay off. Even the process of just getting on the show involves many hours of questionnaires, psych evaluations, tests, and interviews. It is quite a long road from an interested party to (hopefully) a happy spouse. Let’s look at 22 Wild Details Behind The Making Of Married At First Sight.
Executive Producer Chris Coelen Met His Own Wife on a Blind Date
Married at First Sight began as a U.S. version of the Dutch tv series Gift Ved Første Blikk. Though the concept proved to be successful, there was still some hesitance to get involved with the show. Sexologist Dr. Logan Levkoff didn’t believe in the series until she watched the original program. She recalled, “I could not put it down. It was provocative. It was thoughtful. You rooted for the people who were part of this, and it was unlike anything that I had ever seen before.”
However, for executive producer Chris Coelen, his interest in the show tied directly to his own romantic experiences. He actually met his wife on a blind date, so he already had a sense of how to try and find love with a complete stranger.
Someone Claimed The Show Idea Was Stolen
The popularity of the original Dutch series triggered international spinoffs across the globe. Although the series has always been credited with being the inspiration for Married at First Sight, one woman claimed the series idea had been stolen from her as TMZ reported that Yaina Williams claimed to have the idea for a similar show back in 2011.
She allegedly submitted her idea to TV Writers Vault, a place where writers can pitch show ideas online. She insisted that an executive at Lifetime even ed the idea in 2012. She claimed her concept included the use of experts, details of a reunion special, and even the show’s tagline “Can love happen at first sight?” The case even went before a judge at the end of 2014, but was eventually dismissed by August 2015.
The First Season had About 17,000 Auditions
Public interest in reality shows has undoubtedly increased over the last couple of decades. With new series coming out every year, more and more people are taking a chance to apply for them. Despite not revealing the full details of the series, the recruiters for Married at First Site managed to bring in an impressive number of applicants for their first season. In fact, 17,000 applicants replied for the inaugural season.
Even without the full details of the show being released, people still showed up in huge numbers for the first season. This number eventually got reduced to about 100 people, 50 men, and 50 women, for the final rounds, and since then, requests have increased exponentially with over 50,000 applications for the latest seasons.
Some Applicants Were Even Scouted
Married at First Sight has one of the most unique concepts for a reality program. The show must actively screen for candidates that are willing to enter into a marriage without having seen their future husband or wife. Although they do have a thorough screening process in place, sometimes the show must go out into the general public and find candidates.
Executive producer Chris Coelen shared with People Magazine how the crew goes about searching for potential applicants. He stated: “The men and the women are treated exactly the same. We go to bars, mixers, singles events, and church groups… We also go on every dating site you could possibly think of – OkCupid, Match.com, Tinder, Hinge. We also go on Facebook, talk to family and friends, and try to make the pool as big as possible.”
The Twist of the Show was Withheld from Initial Applicants
Casting for the show proved to be quite challenging for show creators since they had to be deceptive in the process to preserve the core of the show. Coelen shared: “We pretty much told them everything except for the fact that they would meet their husband or wife at the altar and see them for the very first time there… We didn’t want to tell people what the show was about” because “we wanted to find people who were serious about wanting to be in a relationship, were serious about wanting to find love who had enough previous relationship experience that they had been through heartbreak, perhaps several times, but still had enough positivity about relationships and love that they really were ready to find it. We wanted it to work.” Understandably, the applicants were quite surprised, in the end.
For Season One, Half of the Applicants Walked Out When They Learned The Truth
The process to cast the first season of Married at First Sight proved to be quite daunting. Although they managed to bring in a large enough group of interested participants, the real test came with the reveal of the twist of the show. At the time, casting had managed to whittle down the number to 100 potential participants, and after dividing the group into small sets of 25, they broke the news of the premise of the show.
Coelen reminisced on how the participants reacted to the news: “People were stunned by that. Some people got angry, some people laughed, some people were just dumbfounded.” Understandably, people backed out of doing the show as “about half said they didn’t want to do it.”
Background checks include their debts and criminal records
For anyone interested in participating on Married at First Sight, be prepared to go through a very thorough application process. The producers of the show don’t take the matchups lightly and do all that they can to eliminate anyone that could be potentially harmful to others. After filling out the application, each applicant then goes through a thorough background check and complete details of your criminal records will be scoured.
In addition, credit checks are run to get an estimate of any outstanding debts you might owe as producers do not want to create a pairing that will have to face heavy debts right from the start. However, this is just the first step in the application process before more detailed investigations are completed.
It also includes detailed psychological tests and physical exams
Additional steps in the application process move from background checks to a more detailed look at the individual. Producers quickly eliminate anyone looking to seek fame from being on the series and they limit the applications to those genuinely looking for love and a happy marriage. Also, the qualified participants move on to detailed psychological testing and physical exams.
Show counselor Pastor Calvin Roberson explained to ET: “We're looking at things like their psychological testing, their core values… These are legally binding marriages. Annulment is not an option.” In addition, show expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz stated that he also looked to eliminate “people who have a lot of anger” or are “obsessive on some issue.” Anyone not fitting these standards will be turned down immediately.
The Application Process Evaluates Personal And Familial Relationships
Interestingly enough, the application vetting process does not stop with the applicant. Considering the show is based on building healthy relationships in a marriage, a thorough review of an applicant’s past relationships is also necessary. Evaluators review an applicant’s relationship with their parents, friends, and former lovers. Application questions have included: “What did your parents teach you about love?”, “What will be your parent's reaction to you being on MAFS?”, and “What would your family say are your best and worst character traits?”
Also, certain questionnaires also focus on the deeper revelations that a person may hide. Applicants have had to answers questions like, “What is one major thing about yourself that you've never told anyone?”, “What is your greatest regret/biggest mistake in life?”, and even “Are there any skeletons in your closet?”
They Can Only Match Traditional Couples Due To The Casting Process
One major aspect of the show has never changed: the marriages have been between men and women only. The lack of any other marriages and unions on the show has had many fans questioning why the series doesn't represent today’s society.
However, the reason behind the lack of diversity centers around issues with the casting process. Coelen said: “We’d love to, but it’s very difficult.” There’s also a risk given the very surprise set-up of the show. Because we have to put all the women and all the men in the same room (by gender) in workshops [during the casting process], there is a chance they could see each other [before meeting at the altar]. If we could figure out logistically how do it, we’d love to do it.”