- ♪ oh, even though it looks like ♪
- Let's do this. - Yeah.
- Ten singles took a leap
Into the unknown in search of love.
They married as complete strangers.
[cheers and applause]
- ♪ you can bring your friends ♪
- Last time, our couples took their first major step
Towards incorporating each other into their daily lives.
- This is elizabeth. - Hi!
- The positives definitely outweigh the negatives.
I think I was overthinking the whole,
Like, moving in thing too.
- I think we judged a little early.
So we're on, I think, a positive track,
So I feel encouraged.
- I know in his past relationships,
He's kind of gotten walked all over
Because he is such a nice guy.
- She wants someone who's, like,
Going to keep her in check in a little--
- It's nice that you're nice.
You just don't want to be a pushover.
- Yeah.
- If we're trying to reach that one goal,
Which is the eight weeks, and get to decision day,
And say we want to be together, what makes you attracted to me?
- Do you want to be with shaq for the rest of your life?
- I can't answer that right now.
I don't know yet.
[dramatic music]
- I'm sexually, like, attracted to him,
But he's not there yet with me.
- I mean, it's new for me too.
I've never been in a situation where, like, I didn't want to.
- He ain't been sexually attracted to them.
- I would like a divorce.
♪ ♪
- So your marriage ends here.
- I'm disappointed, to say the least.
♪ ♪
- And tonight, with only 5 1/2 weeks
Until decision day, our couples build
On their connection and try to create a foundation of love
That will last a lifetime.
- Come on, mr. Good-looking.
We're definitely taking things to the next level today.
- I don't want you to, like, see anything later
And get upset about it, but they asked appearance-wise.
I said a little thicker than I normally go for.
- We just met each other, so of course,
I'm going to want to be around you.
[dramatic music]
- You know, I got a girl pregnant.
♪ ♪
- Do you feel like
You're falling in love in this marriage?
- No, no.
- This is what happens when you let your wall down.
I let somebody get close. It just blows up in your face.
♪ ♪
- ♪ it's all or nothing ♪
- This is "married at first sight."
- ♪ there's no other way ♪
♪ it's all or nothing ♪
- ♪ home is wherever you go ♪
♪ and this much, I swear ♪
♪ you won't be alone ♪
[dog whining]
- My favorite alarm clock.
- Look how you doing it. What is--
- No, because you-- - you really--
- You missed the whole-- - I did not.
I just--it's wet right there.
- You did the whole zigzag.
You were supposed to mop, like, the areas.
- Now that our newlyweds have settled into their new homes
And lives together as a married couple,
It's time to start focusing on what they really need.
- You hungry?
- Yeah, I definitely could use some coffee.
I'm already working in here. [laughs]
- Most couples would have already built
A strong bond and a love to carry them
Through life's twists and turns,
But our couples still need to forge
That critical connection.
- How do it get wet over here already?
- And they'll need to do it fast
Because in only 5 1/2 weeks,
They'll have to decide whether they want
To stay married or get a divorce.
[upbeat music]
- ♪ oh, my lord, take this hand ♪
♪ save me from the gallows ♪
♪ hear this news, bear my gold ♪
♪ spare my dough ♪
♪ lay me in the shallows ♪
- So covid has got your boy.
I'm down, quarantining.
Most of my symptoms have just been extreme fatigue.
And I was having, like, chills.
Jasmine does have, like, a long workday and schedule.
So you know, I am fending for myself.
You know, had to feed myself.
- I'm going to try and be there for him as much as I can.
So we're just going to be helpful,
And we're going to get through this.
[dramatic music]
[upbeat music]
- ♪ why don't you light the flame? ♪
♪ fire to guide the way ♪
♪ show me desire ♪
♪ I'm waiting, I'm waiting on your love ♪
[phone ringing]
- Hello.
- Oh, hello.
- How's number one son doing?
- Oh, mucho grand.
- So are we having fun yet?
- We're having a good time.
We've had some snafus, but for the most part,
We get along well.
Right now, we're just kind of in smooth water.
And like, it's comfortable.
It's fine.
Yeah, we've got the--
We've got the social aspect down.
But you know, it's just like,
Where is this stream taking us?
- Yeah.
- She's really been just focused on her workplace.
So I'm actually looking for those deeper attributes
And want to know gina at a deeper level.
- Well, those things could come in time, so...
- Oh, yeah? Did they come in time with you?
- [laughs] yeah.
- Mm-hmm, words of wisdom.
- I've never been in your position before.
- Oh, yeah? You never married a stranger?
- Never...
- Yeah, oh.
So you, being a business owner, do you find it hard to,
Like, have time for yourself or your significant others?
- No.
- You can step away from work
And do all the things you want to do.
Like, you travel quite a bit, go up to new york all the time.
- Yeah, I can take as much time off as I feel is needed.
But...
- So would you ever just make business
Your sole focus in your life?
- In the beginning.
You have to dedicate yourself if you want it to succeed.
For sanity, you do have to break away from it
And learn how to delegate.
- Interesting.
Talking with my mom, it's definitely
An interesting perspective.
And I get it.
I know I'm going to need to support gina in this.
But I mean, I think there's work-life balance,
Whether you own a business
Or you're working for another business.
You have to have that balance.
But you know, we still got a lot of developing to do.
And the runway is shortening up
Pretty quickly to land this plane.
It's going to be a tough decision.
Like, we've got to go a far distance
In a short period of time.
- Sounds like, you know, this has been quite an adventure.
You were looking for an adventure, right?
- Yeah, yeah, it's an adventure, for sure.
- [laughs]
[upbeat music]
- ♪ can we make this last forever? ♪
♪ you and me together ♪
♪ endless nights, your hand... ♪
- Hi. - How are you?
- Hi. - Welcome to zen blossom.
- This is so nice. - How are you guys doing?
Chris. - Chris.
- I'm so excited that chris planned
A couples' massage for us.
It's something I've been dying to do
Literally since the day I met him.
So I'm so excited.
- We can begin with you face up, please.
- Ok.
- Last time I did a couples' massage
Was eight, ten years ago.
It was a long time ago.
It was with a toxic ex, and it was a very awkward one.
And so hopefully, this is much better.
- ♪ this last forever, you and me together ♪
♪ endless nights ♪
- I didn't know I carried that much tension
In my arm like that.
- I can imagine.
- Yeah, there was a lot of stress
Leading up to that moment.
[laughs]
It's like, who is she going to be?
And there she is.
- It's me.
- Well, I mean, I think it's just kind of growing together,
And, you know, really making sure that we're communicating
At all times, and just kind of talking
Through, like, what's important to us,
And why it's important.
- I feel like in any marriage,
There will definitely be times of stress and frustration.
So I think that will always be present in our marriage
To a degree.
However, our lives fit together
Really well right now.
I love coming home to him.
I love sharing a bed with him every night.
I love living together.
We have such a great balance, and I hope it continues
Like that for the rest of our lives.
I just want to make sure that I'm not, you know,
Missing out on something that's really important to you
Because I just don't notice that I'm not doing it, so--
- No, I think you've been doing a really good job.
I think you should do what feels natural to you,
And you shouldn't hold back,
And just making sure, like,
If you want to just tell me how you're feeling or, like--
- Oh, great.
I just always want to make sure that your needs
Are being met, so--
- That's it.
Sorry, she's getting in there deep, and I like it.
- Oh.
- Do you all massage each other?
- A little bit.
I've massaged her a bit,
But probably should massage her more than I do.
- He's tried, but my shoulders have been like,
"no, back off.
We're just going to stay really tight in her ears," so--
- It is one of those things
That we definitely should do more.
I mean, touch is very important to us.
It's one of our love languages, for sure.
So I know it's both of ours.
So it is one of the things that we definitely should do more.
- Well, that never was a love language for me, honestly.
- Oh, it wasn't?
- Physical touch was probably on the bottom
Of my love language list.
But since we've been married,
It's probably number one now,
Which is wild when I hear myself say that out loud.
But truthfully, I didn't like people touching me, or--
- Oh.
- Any kind of pda, or when people would stand
Next to you and try to massage you,
It would be like, "go away. Don't touch me."
And now, every time I'm--
Like, even right now, I can't see you,
But I know you're near.
I'm like, oh, I want to be, like, closer.
My feelings every day for chris grow a little more.
- ♪ this is it ♪
- I have no doubt that I will fall in love with chris,
And every day, I feel more secure
In our relationship and his feelings for me.
- ♪ everything changed ♪
[upbeat music]
- ♪ I'm a believer ♪
♪ ♪
♪ in what I feel ♪
♪ this is for real ♪
- Hi.
- Good morning, beautiful.
- Good morning.
- What's going on?
- You're a whole wife now, like, how are you doing?
How are you feeling?
Is it what you expected?
Are you enjoying it?
- The entire honeymoon was amazing.
And then, the next best highlight
Was moving into the apartment.
I mean, just saying that makes me smile, but--
[laughter]
- You are blushing.
[laughter]
- Yeah, so I was just happy.
I felt so blessed all at the same time.
But I'm just hoping and waiting for his freakin' work schedule
To go back to normal so that we can
Come home at night and actually have that quality time
With each other.
- Definitely be firm with that because it's so important.
He's going to have to make time.
Like, consider it a second job.
Marriage is his second job, and he may be drained,
But he's going to have to make time for you.
- I tried to wait up for him last night, but I fell asleep.
- Yeah, because he's hosting these late-night events
On campus for the students.
So I'm, like, asleep when he gets here.
- Oh, girl.
- I'm being as patient, and understanding,
And supportive as I can.
But for me, I just want to make for sure
That I am a priority in his life and not,
You know, slipping through the cracks.
It's very important right now that he and I spend time
Getting to know each other
Because that's the only way that you will have
That emotional connection is if you're carving out time
And being intentional with each other.
Like, I'm not that needy, but with this being
The type of process and journey that we're on right now...
- Yeah.
- We have to spend time together.
- Yeah, and he asked me for grace.
And I'm like, I'm going to continue to give you grace,
You know, but--
- Carve something out where you guys
Can do something together.
I don't want you guys to be missing
A connection just because you didn't
Have the time and opportunity.
You just have to make it happen.
Because I know that for you, that emotional bond
And connection is going to be crucial
For you saying yes at the end of the day
To remain married to him, so--
- Yeah.
- Just gonna have to.
- ♪ I'm reaching out ♪
[somber music]
♪ oh ♪
♪ and I just go in circles trying to think straight ♪
[soft music]
- Jasmine made me some vegetable soup last night,
Which was pretty good.
So in terms of jasmine nursing me or helping me get back,
On a scale of ten, I'll give her about a seven,
Which isn't bad.
It's our first sick encounter as a married couple.
Looking forward to getting all my energy and my mojo back
And just living normal again.
- ♪ oh, one day, you'll see ♪
♪ I was born to be a vip, a vip, hey ♪
[upbeat music]
- Hey, hey.
- Hi, I'm here for my 12:00.
- [laughs] reyna can't take you today.
- Sorry, I'm busy. - She's busy.
- Yeah, I booked one last night.
- I'm just so ready to introduce clint to the team.
I just want to see what the team thinks
About clint because they spend every day with me.
And so I'm just--
I'm kind of ready for them to size him up.
- Well, give me the tour. - This is it.
- What's up?
- This is where we manage to work eight people.
- This is where we slay hair. - This is nice.
- Here's the party. - It's very organized.
- It's very stressful in here.
We've gotten to a point where we've accepted
That we need to have a little more emotional intimacy.
So that only comes with sharing your life with someone.
- And you got the big bidet here.
- Yep. - This is nice.
- It's actually comfortable.
Gina and I have worked really hard to make this comfortable.
- Sorry, bathroom moment. I can't, I can't.
- [laughs]
He's apologizing for his bathroom humor.
- You're good.
- [laughs]
- Are you messy?
Both: No.
- Ok, I'd envisioned you being messy.
I don't know why.
- You envisioned him being messy?
- Really? - Yeah.
- Why, is it because he has, like, a beard or something?
- That's interesting. - I don't know why.
- I guess I'm not well put together.
- No, I think jokesters--
- Is it because he looks a little, like, granol--
Oh, because he's a jokester?
- Jokesters are always, like, messy.
- Oh.
- Like, butt jokes are just always, you're dirty.
- Yeah. [laughter]
- You're dirty because you told a butt joke.
- I go against the grain, apparently.
You know, gina's really pulled into her work,
But just seeing her interact with her staff
And to see what the salon even looks like, I'm impressed.
It looks great. She's very ambitious.
She's entrepreneurial.
So I think that's something that I'm attracted to.
But at the same time, you got to live your life.
Like, success is one aspect of it.
But I want to make sure that we make time for each other.
You got to enjoy your life.
- Ok. - Go to work.
- See ya, see ya. - Y'all go back to work.
[upbeat music]
- ♪ it's just the things that you do ♪
♪ they make me go kind of crazy ♪
- You look so pretty. - Thank you.
Thank you, thank you.
- There you go.
- Sit here.
- Here you go. - Thank you, my dear.
Oh, wow, I can't walk today.
Am I drunk already just looking at the absinthe?
So I planned a special date night for chris
Because I really want him to see my neighborhood
And the things that I like and make me happy.
And there's this special place that I always pass,
And I always want to go into, but I've been waiting
For a special person to take there.
And it's all about experiencing
New things together.
- There you go. - Oh, look at that.
- That's the flores right there.
- Ooh. - Wow, look at that.
- That's very pretty. - Very blue.
- Ooh, ok, so this is the magic.
- So the tutorial here, ok? - All right.
- Ok, I'm ready.
- All right, so what you're going to do
Is there's a slotted spoon right there.
Go ahead and put that on top of your glass.
- Oh, ok, ok.
- So those are sugar cubes, so go ahead
And unwrap one sugar cube.
- Ok, wow, this is, like, science.
I love it. - It really is.
- There you go. - Great, ok.
- Yeah, put it on top.
And just go ahead and turn the tap on.
- Here comes the magic. - There we go.
- And what you need to do with yours
Is you take it by the stem, and you go like that.
- [laughs] - very fancy.
- For sure.
Well--
- All right.
- Cheers.
- Cheers to long-lasting relationship,
And many more adventures together, and, you know,
Exploring this world together.
- Oh, I love that.
Cheers. - Cheers.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
Does it need more sugar?
- Yeah, it's an interesting flavor.
Well, I've tried absinthe for the first time.
- There you go.
So I think that we are growing, like, every day.
And you know, I'm definitely proud to call you my wife.
♪ ♪
- You know, obviously, we're married, and the goal is...
Not fall in love, but as pastor cal put it,
Grow into love, and of course, that's the goal,
But we've never full-on had the love conversation.
I know it's kind of-- - yeah.
- Elephant in the room.
So I think it would make me feel a lot better
If we could talk about it,
But I would love to know how you feel
Because I don't want to just withhold it because I'm like,
Oh, he knows how I feel.
And you're sitting there like, does she even like me?
I think whoever feels that they love the other person
Should say it first.
I would love for that person to be chris.
- Yeah, I mean, it's one of those things, like,
I definitely don't want to feel pressured
Into saying it, either.
And it's not even, like, fear of, like,
You not saying it back.
It's one of those things that, like, I think
You say it when you're ready.
And you just want to make sure that it's,
Like, real when you do say it.
And that's kind of where I'm at.
- And like, there's going to be days where we don't like
Each other, but we still, at the end of the day,
Are like, "I love you."
So I'm not saying it. - [laughs]
- I'm just saying there will be days in the future.
- I know.
- But that's when I feel like it'll be
Comfortable to say I love you.
Like, I don't really like you today,
But I still love you.
- I think nicole wants me to say I love you first,
But one of my past relationships,
I definitely said it before I was ready to say it.
And it was one of those things, like, once you kind of say it,
You can't take it back.
So you definitely want to make sure you say it
When you actually mean it and when it feels right.
I mean, I definitely don't put a timetable on it.
Like, if it's a month, if it's two months,
If it's three months, like, you know?
And right now, it's not, like, time to say it.
That's all there is to it.
- ♪ oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ yeah, yeah ♪
♪ whoa, oh, whoa ♪
- ♪ whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪
[soft music]
♪ whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪
- Are you crazy, bud?
- A little bonkers. - You are nuts.
- Typically, a couple has built a foundation on love
Before committing to a marriage,
But our newlyweds only began that work
When they first met at the altar.
Building strong feelings takes time, effort, and especially,
Open and honest communication.
- Long week?
- Yeah, you know, marriage, dogs.
- It's a lot to manage,
But I think we're doing really well.
- But for some, love has been slower to grow.
- Who's here? - I don't know.
- Sometimes, when we see them struggling
To get to a more emotional level,
We need to give them some extra work.
- Holy moly. - That's a lot.
- So to help our couples maximize
Their potential for love, we're giving them
Some deeper topics to discuss.
- "we encourage you to hold hands
During this conversation."
- Ok, we've done that. - Ok.
- Do you go biscuits or waffles?
- Waffles. - Good.
- I'm a waffler.
"what are three things that bring you joy?"
- What brings me joy?
Such a loaded question.
And like, I would say, definitely quality time
With people that I love brings me joy.
Traveling brings me joy. Is that a thing?
- Sure, yeah. - Yeah.
- And I would say just decompressing brings me joy.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
- I'm in the three f club, so...
- Ok. - Friends...
- Ok. - Family...
- Family.
- Do you know what the third one is?
- No.
Food. - Food.
- Got it. - Friends, family, food.
Those things bring a big smile on my face every single time.
- I can agree with it.
- "share with each other things that were difficult
For you in life and how you managed to overcome them."
- For sure, like, childhood was pretty difficult for me.
You know, like, my mom and dad were divorced at a young age.
We moved around a lot.
So I had to do a lot of therapy to try
To work through, like, that.
But I really think the way that I've overcome most adversity
Is just, like, a mind shift.
- Yeah. - Like, a mindset shift.
And also know, at the end of the day,
That no matter what you come from,
You're not necessarily a product of an environment.
What about you?
- Oh, man.
So you know, I got a girl pregnant.
And she had a miscarriage, unfortunately,
After a couple of weeks.
And it tore me up because I was super excited to,
Like, have a kid, and we didn't plan on it.
We had the conversation, like, was she going to keep it?
Did she not want to?
Like, ultimately, it was her decision,
But I wanted her to have it.
Like, I will be-- - yeah.
- Always present in the kid's life.
I will be the financial supporter,
Like, regardless of what happens to us.
Like, I was fully committed.
And she ended up having a miscarriage.
It wasn't either of our fault.
But I literally was getting full-body rashes
Because I was so nervous.
- Aww.
- And I've never had physical symptoms to an emotional--
- Yeah.
- Like, that was my response
Was a physical response to an emotional situation, so...
- It is super sad that he had such an emotional
And physical response to his ex-girlfriend
And the miscarriage.
And it's important, I think, to share those types
Of vulnerable moments with someone
When you're trying to really build a relationship.
It definitely makes me feel a little bit closer
That he can trust in me
And share those types of things.
- "what scares you about your level of chemistry
With your spouse?"
- I think we both know the answer to this one.
- Yeah, yeah, that's an easy one.
- That's the easiest question on there.
- Yeah.
- I mean, will it continue to grow?
I think that's my fear is, like, I think we're in a place
Of, like, really trying.
And I commend both of us for that.
But just knowing, like, there is a decision day,
And will it get there--
- Yeah.
- I think is the fear.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah, same.
Yeah, we've had some challenges
In the relationship, no doubt, but, you know,
I want to be married more than anything.
So I think we need to get out, do some active stuff,
Go have nice dinners, stare at the stars.
You know, we need to make sure, like,
Can we try to make that bond,
That connection before decision day?
♪ ♪
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- Have you been in love before?
♪ ♪
- I have. - Really?
How did you know you were in love?
- Um...
- Are you still in love?
- Can I think of my answer?
- [laughs] ok, I'm just asking.
I'm just trying to see, you know.
- Because someone took time with me.
Like, I was, like, living my dreams and everything,
And everything that I had got going on in life
And just was very patient.
You know, it was a great feeling.
And it's something that I never felt before,
And it was a great feeling of, you know,
Feeling actually love.
Because growing up in a single-parent household,
My mom did the best she could to show us
What true love meant.
- Mm-hmm.
- But from the male perspective,
It was like, being thrown to the world
And said, go out there and love.
And you really don't understand, like,
What it really means until someone comes in your life
And they show you what it could mean.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's like, ok, like, this feels good.
- I mean, I definitely can relate.
Like, I've been in love before.
My last relationship, I was in for four years,
You know, so having someone have my heart
And things not work out
Definitely made me a little closed off
And have my guard up.
So it took me a little while to heal.
I didn't always open up to my ex
And tell him how I feel or, like, my thoughts.
And so I know that that's something
That I have to work on because I do want us
To continue to grow in this marriage.
And hopefully, you know, we'll fall in love.
- Like, what would it take for you to, like, fall in love?
- It would definitely take a lot of quality time,
Just me being around you, like, and knowing all about you,
And knowing how you feel, when you feel, how you feel--
- Mm-hmm.
- And how I can make you feel better.
So it's definitely going to-- it'll definitely take time.
And quality time is the biggest way to us falling in love.
♪ ♪
What will it take for you to fall in love?
- Time. - Only time will tell.
- Only time will really tell.
- Spending time with each other.
- No, that's what you said.
- [laughs] it's time-related.
- We can be apart, and I will still look at that as time.
I definitely want to give kirsten
My undivided attention.
But for me, that's kind of hard
Because I have to make myself happy.
And once I make myself happy, then I can make her happier.
But if I'm not making myself happy by going to the gym,
By, you know, catching up with my friends or my family,
I don't want to just get miserable.
- Like, I like having your attention.
[laughs]
So that's something that I need.
I won't always be this needy.
I mean, but we just met each other.
So of course, I'm going to want to be around you.
I'm gonna want to spend time with you.
Like, that's a good thing.
Like, I should want to do those things with my husband.
- We both have to be really be intentional of our time,
You know, and the time that we have together.
- Yeah.
- ♪ whatever, whatever, do whatever ♪
♪ whatever it takes ♪
♪ ♪
- Duchess is about to get a bath.
Mm-hmm.
- Are you going to take over the bath?
- Yeah, I got it.
It can't be that hard.
It feels great to be feeling like myself again.
You know, I'm on the other side of covid.
I definitely appreciate, you know,
Jasmine's help for helping me get back to health.
So I kind of want to, you know, return the same favor.
I know you normally take her to the dog groomer,
But maybe this will be a way for me to lighten the load.
Washing duchess is, you know, just my opportunity
To reciprocate and, you know, just help her.
And it's also, like, an opportunity for me
And duchess to bond as well.
Oh, yeah, I have never washed a dog before.
So I don't know if I'm doing it right.
It looks right to me.
- [laughs] oh, my god.
- What are my dog-bathing skills?
- Right now, you're about a 6 1/2.
You splashing a lot of water.
Still got soap over here.
- Where? - Look.
- Oh. - No!
- She's over it.
- She said you wasn't getting it off fast enough.
- Oh.
- Airris, he's really not a dog person.
So for him to be like, "let's go give duchess a bath,"
I was happy about that.
Don't shake.
I just feel like the more things we do
And the more we learn about each other, you know,
We're going to be able to progress
Of move forward in our marriage.
- Shake, shake, shake.
- It was a very cute gesture of him to offer
For us to give her a bath,
But she's going to the groomer this week.
- Looking good, smelling good, curls popping.
- [laughs] oh, my goodness.
[upbeat music]
♪ ♪
- I wasn't getting you food.
I was just turning off the dryer.
- Come on, buddy.
See? - It looks so good.
- Yeah, I mean, even though I was
Kind of just not evenly cutting the top,
When you kind of gel it up--
- No, it looks good. - And stuff, it looks--
You know, you can't really notice it.
Like, I think it's always important to look good.
I want my wife to see a cool, confident, sexy chris.
I think attraction is definitely key to a marriage.
And although things are going great,
We're not in love yet.
I can see it turning into love.
I think the more we can be open with each other,
That attraction can grow even stronger.
And then, you know, I feel like that love
Can grow and get deeper.
You know, I definitely always like to make sure
I look good for you.
I, like, want to make sure that, like,
I'm improving myself.
And when my hair gets long and stuff--and I know that--
- It looks good.
- You know, you know I have some body issue,
Like, insecurity stuff, like, not quite where I want to be.
But I'm working on it.
- I mean, who is, really? - I want to get there.
So I get it. - So...
- I feel the same way.
Like, I'm not really where I want to be,
But I always want to look good for you.
And I feel like we are doing that together
And, like, eating a little healthier,
Working out a little more.
But I think you look great, so--
- Thank you. No, I know.
- I understand you want to look good for me,
But I want you to do things for you
Because I am very attracted to you as is.
So please don't feel like, you know,
You have to do something because you want me
To feel a certain way.
- Yeah, no, I mean, no, for sure,
And that's the way--you know, I want you to feel the same.
You know, and, honestly, I just wanted
To let you know, like, I was asked a question, like,
Of appearance and things like that.
You know, one of the things I did say
That I wanted to make sure, like, I told you
Because I don't want you to, like, see anything later
And get upset about it,
But you know, they asked appearance-wise.
I said beautiful smile, beautiful face,
Beautiful eyes, but I did say,
Like, a little thicker than I normally go for,
But not in a bad way.
I mean, on wedding day, I definitely--you know,
I was very attracted to her.
I thought she was very beautiful.
But typically, you know, she's a little thicker
Than I normally go for, but not in a bad way.
And for me, like, thick is, like, athletic.
You know, it's not a bad thing.
It's sexy, you know, and it's like, I was in no way
Trying to upset or anything.
- Right.
- I was just being honest in the moment.
And I know, like, later on, even, like,
You referred to yourself as a little bit thicker, but--
- It's very different. - Yeah, no, I know.
- So I mean, it is a little jarring to hear,
You know, your husband say something
That could be perceived as somewhat insulting.
I do call myself a thicker girl, but--
- It's different, I know.
- It's very--girls can say whatever they want.
It's very different to hear someone else say it.
I'm definitely taken aback a little bit.
It's not something I expected to hear my husband
Say that he has said about me.
I have full-blown body dysmorphia.
It is something I've been dealing with for years.
I'm from new york, a large city surrounded
By fitness influencers.
So naturally, I started to compare myself
Against all of them, and that's something
That I have been working on.
So I'm a little shocked.
I have to hide my rolls as we have this conversation.
I mean, I'm not where I want to be in life,
But I'll always be a little thicker.
I was just-- - right.
- Born and bred this way.
Can't change that.
And honestly, like, if we go down
The road of children in the future,
I'll be real thick.
- Like, your body type is your body type.
[tense music]
- This is a very uncomfortable conversation,
Telling your wife, hey, I made a comment
About your weight or body type.
So I think he's got a lot of balls right now.
It's ok for me to call myself thick, and I know--
- No, understandable. - Thick is not a bad thing.
But if someone's like, describe your wife,
You can say, "she's strong, she's sexy, she's a badass."
- No, I understand.
- But please just avoid the thick
Because this is something that could potentially
Be hurtful to me.
[dramatic music]
- ♪ you don't have to be perfect ♪
♪ for everything to be right ♪
♪ because anything is worth it just to call you mine ♪
- Need a hand, captain?
- Oh, hi there. - [laughs]
- How's it going? - Good.
Is this the infamous "dang"?
- This is the "dang." - dang.
- Welcome to "dang."
- Setting things up?
- You want to come aboard? - Sure.
- It's time to get gina on the boat for the very first time.
This is my pride and joy. - Ok.
- Get her into my world just a little bit.
We're going to tiptoe into the lukewarm waters of minnetonka.
I'll teach you some things. - Ok.
- We're going to hoist some sails.
- Yeah, whatever that means. [laughs]
- We're going to get after it.
So this is the main sail. - Ok.
- This is called the boom.
It's called the boom because when it hits you in the head,
That's the sound it makes.
- It's boom, yeah. - Boom.
So you want to look out for that.
I want just shove off the dock,
Get a nice breeze, get the spinnaker up.
- Are you leaving?
- I'm going to untie us from the dock.
- Don't leave me here.
- Oh, see ya.
Have her experience, like, a nice, easy,
Light breeze sailing day,
How exhilarating it is,
And just to have her kind of taste the passion
That I've had for sailing for my whole life.
Ok, we ready?
- Ready.
- I think she'll absolutely adore it, but maybe not.
Like, either way, I'm hoping we connect more mentally,
And that'll help us kinda get out of this rut a little bit.
But we're going to see how this goes.
- Don't fall overboard, you know?
- Yeah, stay on the boat.
[upbeat music]
- ♪ I've been driving down that long and dusty road ♪
- Keep going? - Yeah.
- ♪ for longer than I'd like to admit ♪
- Right. - Perfect.
- Good?
- ♪ I've been searching ♪
- Now, we're sailing. - [laughs]
- ♪ for that long lost missing piece ♪
♪ to make the puzzle of my life make sense ♪
- So if you pull it toward you, it's going to go right.
- And if I push it away, it goes that way.
- It's going to go left, yeah. - Ok.
- So just think the opposite.
- ♪ oh, a lonely flag out in the breeze ♪
- When did you start sailing?
- Oh, when I was a fetus.
- Literally, like, in the womb. - In the womb.
My mom was a sailing instructor.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
My whole family--well, I'm, like, eighth generation.
Sailing, to me, is a lifestyle.
I come from, you know, generations of sailors,
And my grandfathers were commodores at the local club.
So it was kind of that connecting string
That really brought together my whole family.
- So you were just, like, a little baby on a sailboat.
That's cute.
- Yeah.
All right, so get ready to tack.
You're just going to change it from one side to the other.
- Here she goes, baby.
[upbeat music]
Wow, this is just crazy.
- So good.
- I'm definitely loving sailing.
It's definitely relaxing. He's in his element.
And I can see why he likes to spend his time there.
All right, here we are.
- Yeah, here we are. - Not moving.
- This is sailing with no wind.
Our breeze is kind of kaput.
- Yeah.
I would rate our sailing experience a nine,
Only because we didn't have much wind.
- The good thing is, we have a motor.
- But I think that clint and I are definitely growing,
And just having a better understanding of one another,
And really getting to know each other,
And it feels good.
I like it.
Hey, we tried.
- Yeah, no, we had a nice sail out, for sure.
- ♪ let's see what we can be ♪
- ♪ stay on a roll, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ I've cracked the code, yeah, yeah ♪
♪ I'm on the go, like whoa, whoa, whoa ♪
♪ I'm on the go ♪
- What time are the guys coming?
- They should be here in a minute.
- I hope they like these cookies.
- The good ones are the burnt ones.
We give them options. - All of them, yeah.
- Options, they get options.
[knocking on door]
So today is the day kirsten is finally meeting my mentees.
At the institution I work at, I mentor, you know,
A great group of students,
But these guys are really my guys.
- Hey, guys! Come on in.
- I love mentoring.
I love guiding them
Through their matriculation through college
And helping them get to the next stage in their life.
Make sure they, you know, keep their grades up,
Internships, job opportunities,
Life outside of work.
These guys are a huge part of my life.
- I'm kirsten. Nice to meet y'all.
- Nice to meet you. - Are y'all hungry?
All: Yes. - Ok.
- I'm hoping that kirsten understands why I spend
A lot of my time with them.
And hopefully, she can understand
That this is my job.
This is my career.
There's going to have to be a lot of compromise
In moving forward.
- So I just-- I'm so happy to meet you guys.
I've heard so many great things.
I wanted to know, like, how he leads you guys,
How he's had an impact over your lives.
Like, what type of mentor is he?
- At first, I thought he was super corny.
- [laughs] you thought he was corny?
Tell me one of his-- what did he do?
Like, tell me one of his jokes and what happened?
- We're like, ok, it was funny at first,
But then, I took a step back.
And I realized, like, he really hip.
And so, like, that fearless-- - he's hip?
Y'all make him sound like a old man.
- No, but like-- - like, dang, who am I?
- Like, he will be texting in a group chat with the students.
Like, he will get down, and he will dance on the floor.
So like-- - yeah, I saw his dancing.
- Like that fearless mentality,
It kind of makes students gravitate towards him
Because, oh, he one of us.
- Because he feels relatable.
He can relate to you guys in so many different ways.
So were y'all kind of nervous for him
To go through this entire marriage?
- A little bit.
- Like, what were you guys so nervous about?
- Being completely transparent,
I was just hoping it wasn't somebody ugly.
[laughter] - for real.
But you're beautiful. Who do your hair?
[laughter]
- I did my own. - You did?
Oh! - I curled it.
No, I curled it myself, that's all.
- Ok. - So you 30?
- Yeah. - She's 31.
- I'm 31. - 31?
Ok, so, like, you've been set in your ways
For 30 years and not being in a marriage.
- All right.
- No, I'm just saying, like,
You've been living with yourself.
So like, what is the biggest thing
That you guys have really sacrificed?
- For me, it's realizing that I'm no longer on this path
Of life by myself.
Like, I was offered a job, out of state, kind of far away.
And it's a big role.
And I said no.
- Wow.
♪ ♪
- In that moment, I made a decision without consulting
With her because I knew if I would
Have brought it to the table, it would have been a problem.
Like, we need to focus on us.
So I went ahead and, as a man, made a decision for myself.
It would have helped me within my trajectory of my career.
But like, now I've got to think about my wife.
I can't just make decisions based upon me anymore.
I'm sacrificing, you know, things
To stay here in nashville.
And I hope she appreciates me because this is something
That I really wanted.
So it's kind of like, I went on ahead
And declined it from the beginning
Because I want to get settled here.
And you know, I'm in a relationship now
And a marriage to where I just can't make
A selfish decision just because it's going
To help me in my career.
- He and I had this conversation.
Once we got married, I said,
I know that you're chasing your career,
And I know that job opportunities
May come your way, and here it is.
A job opportunity comes his way,
And he actually turns it down.
I appreciated him doing that.
I hope that that was his true decision that he wanted
To make overall because I want nothing
But the best for him and I.
I love nashville, and my family is here.
But I definitely don't want to hold you back
And, like, resent not taking that position.
- ♪ I just want to say, I hope it stays the same ♪
♪ got a dope little kind of thing ♪
[upbeat music]
- ♪ when I see you, I'm over my head ♪
♪ I keep thinking that's going to change ♪
- "airris and jasmine, we encourage you
"to have an open and vulnerable conversation
"about what you think it will take for you
To fall in love with your new spouse in the real world."
[soft music]
How many times have you been in love, like, five?
- What makes you think five?
- I don't know.
You said you fall in love easily.
- Yeah, I do fall in love easy,
But I've only been in love, like--
I've only been in love three times.
- Ok, I was close.
- How many times have you been in--oh, we know, never mind.
- I've never been in love. - Forgot that.
We know the answer to that.
- Is love scary?
I mean, since you've been in love so many times, like,
Does love scare you?
- Love definitely scare-- yeah, it's scary,
But I always feel like, a lot of times,
You have to be uncomfortable to grow.
- I feel like the one time I almost did fall in love,
And it was trending in that direction,
The person I was with just kind of, like, ended things.
So even, like, that little bit of hurt that I experienced,
I was like, hell no.
Like, I don't need this.
Like, I don't want to be eating ice cream
And listening to r&b alone in my room.
- [laughs]
- Like, when a man is hurt, it's ugly.
Like, the male ego is, like, so small and fragile.
So, like, that happened to me at, like, 28.
So when that happened, that just kind of, like,
Made me a worse dating partner
Because I was like, oh, this is what happens
When you let your wall down?
You, like, let somebody get close.
It just blows up in your face.
So I'm never doing this again.
So I literally spent, like, almost the next decade
Just having my guard up.
To me, meeting a new person, it was, like, a thrill,
Like, an excitement.
So any time I've felt those feelings
Kind of getting close, I was out of there.
- Back to your bachelor lifestyle.
- Yeah, because that's where I was, like--
- Comfortable. - Comfortable.
- I feel like I'm such a hopeless romantic
That I'm like, ok, that one didn't work, whatever.
Like, I'm so hopeful to have my forever
And to be in love with that forever person.
I don't really feel like any of my past relationships make me,
Like, not want that.
- Do you feel like you're falling in love
In this marriage?
- Do I want to fall in love in this marriage?
Yes, eventually.
But am I there?
No, no.
I've said over and over, like, I just need more
Of an emotional connection.
I think we need to have deeper conversations
And, you know, get to the root of more things
Before I feel like I'll be headed in that direction.
[soft music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ that girl, can't deny it ♪
♪ when she puts it down, I get so excited ♪
- Like, I love how the leaves are all different on these.
- I like this one. - But it grows really big.
- Yeah. - See, I like that one.
- Yeah. - I believe in fairy tales.
I really believe I can fall in love with my wife
Before decision day,
But I know it's going to take
So much more quality time spending together
Because that's what kirsten want.
Because I have been so busy with school and work,
It seems like it's not enough at times.
So I don't even know if me bringing her to the plant shop
To do something that I like to do
Will be considered quality time to kirsten,
But it's something that I love.
So I wanted to bring her to my world to show her,
Like, this is shaquille dillon.
This is some things he like doing.
And you know, everything-- quality time,
It's not always just sitting down on a sofa
Just talking about life.
I'm a landscaper.
Like, I love yard work, raking, mowing.
Anything outside, I really love.
- Mm-hmm.
- But more so plants in the house because I always say,
You know, I have that canvas in my house that say,
"grow through what you go through."
I love watching things grow.
And I'm growing, like, in every sector of my life.
And I think you're growing.
And this plant is going to represent, like, us growing.
And for plants, it's kind of like, you're feeding it,
You know, plant food and water
And continuously watching it grow.
And for me, that's kind of how life works,
You know, the circle of life.
I always kind of, like, name my plants too.
- Mm-hmm.
- You know, that way, you can talk to 'em.
- I'm learning so many new things about shaquille.
Like, wow, he's really into this entire plant life.
- Like, this is nice.
- It's too pointy and spiky.
I do not like that one. - I really do.
It's different.
- Why do you--you like it because it's different?
- Yeah, I'm different.
So these are nice. These are snake plants.
- I don't really like these.
They're scaring me. - Scared?
- Yeah, they're scaring me.
This one is so pretty.
I wonder if that gets any taller.
- I don't like plants that just get like--
- Ok, honey, whatever you say right now.
I don't think that I like the different colors.
- Ok, so, with me, this kind of plants
Represents two different individuals
Coming together as one.
- Sounds like marriage.
Although I'm struggling a little bit with picking out
A plant together, I love that, in this moment,
Shaquille is able to tell me about himself
And what plants mean to him.
And hopefully, we can have this plant life together.
And that'll be something to where we have a love
And a bond with each other, bonding over this plant.
It's, like, nurturing our marriage, as well.
Is this the one right here I said I liked?
- Yeah, you say you like this one.
- And see, this one is two different colors.
- Is it? Ok.
- The leaves are different. It's not one solid green color.
- Ok, so I like this one too. So which one, though?
- The leaves are bigger on this one.
- Yeah, I like this one
Because the leaves aren't bigger.
You can watch it grow.
♪ ♪
- Ok, let's get this one.
We can watch it grow.
- Selby and star.
- We don't have to name them after whatever's on there.
- You don't change their name.
- Ok, selby and star it is.
♪ ♪
- ♪ I know that it feels good ♪
♪ yeah, it feels good, oh ♪
♪ yeah, yeah, yeah, but I know that it feels good ♪
[upbeat music]
- Thanks.
- You're welcome. Let's get into it.
- [laughs]
- I like to consider myself a very sexual person.
And you know, I mean, I think being open
When it comes to sex is actually
A very attractive trait.
But I can tell she's kind of a little bit more
Reserved in that area.
What's your favorite sexual position?
- Oh, my gosh, airris.
I plead the fifth.
I'm not.
- So I just want to take this opportunity to kind of play
Never have I ever just to kind of, like,
Feel each other out and give me an opportunity
To ask her some questions.
You know, who knows?
Maybe she'll shock me with some crazy stories,
And I'll learn something new about my wife.
All right, never have I ever
Kissed a member of the same sex.
Never kissed a girl before? - Mm-mm.
- Wow, bro, start--try life again.
- [clears throat]
Never have I had sex with other people watching me.
- You've never had a threesome?
- Nah, more like a orgy.
- [gasps] oh, my--ok.
[laughter]
- I learned a few things about him.
- You know, I told jasmine that I had an orgy,
You know, where there's multiple people.
Like, you might be with one person, and then,
You and this guy, like, switch females.
- Wow.
- [chuckles]
- I mean, I'm not trying to figure out
How many orgies he's been to.
I don't know.
I'm fine not knowing that.
♪ ♪
I'm just drinking just because I need to.
- Never have I ever had a one-night stand.
- No.
♪ ♪
- [sighs]
♪ ♪
See, you supposed to do all this stuff
Before you get married.
Like, you got to get it out of your system.
Never have I ever cheated.
- In a relationship? - Mm-hmm.
You ain't never cheated?
Golly.
- Nope.
- Your life sounds so boring up until this point.
- Does it?
Because I haven't cheated in a relationship
Or kissed a girl?
- All that stuff sound fun.
- I told him I wanted to have deeper conversations.
I feel like we need to, you know,
Connect deeper emotionally.
And listening to him, like, talking about sex,
Mm-mm, that ain't it.
[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- ♪ you catch my eye ♪
♪ tonight is all about good vibes ♪
♪ carefree, lazy summertime ♪
[upbeat music]
- Hello, honey. - How are you?
- I'm good. How are you?
- What you got going on in here?
- You know, a nice little relaxation, a "spa-cation."
- All this for me? - Mm-hmm.
I have a robe for you and everything to change into.
- Ah, this is great.
- I hope you love everything about it.
- It looks good. It feels good.
It smells good. You look good.
I'm good.
- I do like catering to shaquille.
Come on, mr. Good-looking.
And I want to show him that I appreciate him.
Now, you just sit back. I got it from here.
You just relax your body and your mind.
We're going to do some back massaging.
- Ok. - Is that warm enough for you?
- Yeah.
- Like, I want shaquille and I to be on the same page.
You're going to relax and get your mind right.
And I want to take things to the next level today
And tell him, like, I want this to grow.
I'm nervous to put this on because of my eyelashes.
What a perfect spa day at the house, right?
- I think it's great.
- You want to tell me one thing about you that I don't know?
[soft music]
- Ok, I'll say this.
- Mm-hmm.
- I have insecurity issues about who I am,
How I was raised, what I want out of life.
Like, I've always known myself to be different
Because I didn't play sports, or, you know,
I had to prove myself in other sectors of my life, and...
I mean, it wasn't really a big thing,
But it was still an insecurity for me
Because it's kind of like, I'm in my 20s.
Like, why me?
Like, I was insecure about the scar on my forehead.
- I appreciate you for being open and honest
And sharing that with me.
I think that you're an amazing man.
You are handsome,
And you are striving for excellence.
And it looks good on you.
- What about yourself, though?
Just tell me something about yourself that, you know,
I don't know.
- Mm, it's probably--
I mean, it's tons of things about me that you don't know.
- Well, why?
- Because we have to keep talking to each other,
But sometimes I can be quiet and be in my shell.
- But that's something I know.
So tell me something else.
- Mm... - Tell me something else.
You said it's a lot that I don't know about you.
What else?
- I mean...
I don't know.
Like, it's not really too much more to know about me.
- You just said it's a lot.
♪ ♪
- I don't know what else to tell you about me.
- This is the guard you need to let down.
You just told me that it's a lot.
Now, you telling me that you can't really--
We have to wait and figure it out.
This is the guard that we're talking about.
It's the brick wall.
- I'm still trying to think of something
That I can share with you.
- Kirsten, your walls are tall, like, tall.
And I haven't got to the root of it of, like, why.
Like, why do she have walls built up?
Yeah, I know you had a past relationship,
But like, have you just not letting it go?
I know it's hard for you to just open up to a person
That you just met, but like, hey, we married.
Like, we started with commitment.
And we are both committed to this marriage.
But it's like, being committed is one thing,
But then getting to the point to where you
Really love the person is another.
And that's what we got to work to get towards.
And it's just--
I honestly don't want decision day to come
And I'm still feeling how I do now.
- I don't want decision day to come,
And you still feel that way, either.
- I want to know, how can I break down those walls?
When will she get to the point to where she trust me?
At this point in our marriage,
I need her to be 100% vulnerable.
Decision day is going to come.
And I have to be honest with myself
That I can move forward in this marriage
With making it work without the experts being here,
Without the other couples being here,
When it's just us two.
And I'm not confident right now that that is going to happen.
- Thanks for being patient with me
And working and rocking through this together.
- ♪ your silence is the loudest thing ♪
♪ say something ♪
♪ you can't expect for me ♪
♪ to know what you feel ♪
- ♪ country kissing, count-country kissing ♪
♪ yeah, country kissing, hillbilly hugging ♪
♪ hotter than a skillet on top of mama's oven ♪
- Oh-ho-ho. - Oh-wah.
- She's rocker cowgirl. - Heck yeah.
- [laughs] where's your belt at?
- Howdy, partner. - Oh, [bleep].
All right, well, shall we? - I ride bulls on the weekends.
- Should we lasso hank up and bring him?
- Yeah, come on.
- You wanna go?
All right, giddyap.
Come on, partner.
- [laughs] let's mosey.
- Let's mosey.
[upbeat music]
- That is a good mosey strut. - Thanks.
I had no idea that pbr was in town,
Which is the professional bull riding,
Not pabst blue ribbon, like most think.
And so I was like, hey, why don't we strap on our boots,
Put on a cowboy hat,
And just see what this thing is all about?
♪ ♪
- I think this will be cool as hell.
- Yeah, I think it'll be really fun.
- To be able to share this experience with gina
Is going to be awesome.
Unfamiliar territory makes you grow
Because it's putting you in a circumstance
And situation that, you know, you've never been in.
- Have a good night. - Perfect, thanks.
That's, like, the crux of who I am is,
I get excited about the unknown.
So I like to dive into territory that is unfamiliar
Because that's where I find the most growth.
- I'm excited that we're, like, out,
Doing things, adventuring,
Getting to know each other, having fun.
- I know, and this is even new for me.
So we're--
- First experience for both of us.
- We're rubbing off a little bit.
- Yeah. - We're like--
- Experiencing new things together.
- We're, like, contagious, like a rash of sorts.
- Oh, like a rash? Perfect.
- Like a good rash.
- Very romantic, very romantic rash.
- Like a very nice, romantic rash.
- Amazing. - Well--
- All right, shall we? - Yeah, let's do it.
- Cheers.
- Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the pbr championship
In nashville, tennessee!
- Yeah, let's do it! - What?
- ♪ she walks in the bar looking hollywood hot ♪
♪ knocking me over like a barrel full of buckshot ♪
♪ ♪
♪ when she struts her stuff ♪
♪ a boy can't get enough ♪
♪ ♪
- Walking through that fire, man!
Walk through that fire.
- Ah!
- ♪ shakin' what the lord gave her ♪
♪ one more, she hollers at the bartender ♪
♪ bottoms up, somebody buy her a drink ♪
♪ girl, take that booty to the bank, oh ♪
[cheers and applause] - oh, no!
- ♪ like a beer commercial ♪
♪ a little coy and controversial ♪
♪ make you say, man, react ♪
♪ I just got to get that back because she's... ♪
- Ah! - Hey!
That one looked--
I could have ridden that one.
I could bull ride.
I think I could bull ride.
- Come on, dude! That's it!
- He's got it! He got him!
I would die, but I could do it.
He's got him!
[both cheering]
♪ ♪
- I do not think that clint would last
Three seconds on the bull.
A for confidence, but I do not think
That he could stay on a bull.
♪ ♪
- No, I could do it.
I could do--I can do it.
♪ ♪
Unbelievable. - Pretty nuts.
[soft music]
This might be my new favorite sport.
- Yeah. - I had so much fun.
I really did.
- Like, just trying different things,
Getting ourselves out of our little comfort zone.
- I'm feeling cultured.
It's literally, like, two blocks from home.
Nuts.
You ready to hit broadway?
- Yeah, this is-- it's just nice to get out.
And I think that's what we needed.
Let's go.
Maybe that'll spark some romantic feelings.
We'll see.
Let's hit the town.
- ♪ now you've got me screaming more, more, more ♪
♪ give me more ♪
- Next time on "married at first sight"...
- Congrats. I mean, we've made it a month.
- Clink, clink, clink.
- I really am enjoying myself and enjoying you.
- Have you ever had camel?
- No, and sometimes, when I eat with you,
I immediately want to stop eating.
- I was kind of closer towards being checked out.
- Like, I've put in a lot into past relationships,
And it felt very one-sided.
- If you try to make everybody happy,
You won't make anybody happy.
Chris is a nice guy.
He needs a little big dick energy here, is what he needs.
- If it grows for him, great.
And if it doesn't, I have to accept it.
It feels good to let out some frustration,
You know, and break [bleep].
- It's not all about kirsten.
- This is not going to help our marriage grow.
- I don't know if I want to be with somebody
Who just continues to have a guard up with somebody
Who actually wants to be in the marriage with them.
[dramatic music]