(HOPEFUL MUSIC)
(SHRIEKS)
NARRATOR: When Australia's biggest social experiment returned...
Hello. (LAUGHTER)
You got me good.
Will you marry me?
..hopeful singles from across the nation
began writing a new chapter of their love stories.
I can't believe how happy I am.
I have a really good feeling about him.
Honestly, I couldn't thank the experts enough.
This is the one I've been looking for.
But for Mel...
Where's my husband?
..a late groom dampened her dream of a fairytale start.
He was chewing gum, sort of, with his mouth open.
It doesn't feel like the fairy tale I'd pictured for myself.
Breathtaking honeymoons...
There's definitely sexual tension, for sure.
I'm literally having the best time ever with Alissa.
..fast tracked connections for some.
I think he's actually the perfect match for me.
I think you're a very beautiful person.
Slowly, inch by inch, we are getting closer.
While for others...
Our honeymoon has taken a little bit of a turn.
And it turned pear-shaped really quickly.
..confronting questions...
Do you feel any sexual chemistry with me?
Not too much, to be honest with you, no.
..caused heartache for Bec and Danny.
Kind of makes me feel ugly.
Tonight... (EPIC MUSIC)
It isn't about someone's gender.
..a never before seen first for the experiment.
I don't know if I'm going to be matched with a man or a woman.
This bride takes the term leap of faith
to a whole new level.
I'm bisexual, and that would be a deal breaker,
because that's not going to change.
And....
I grew up in Lithuania and moved to Australia nine years ago,
all by myself.
Having uprooted her life from the other side of the globe...
I'm craving connection.
..new bride Stella yearns for a deep love.
I do believe in soulmates.
I'm not accepting anything less.
But what does this groom say...?
Tell her in private. That's like a red flag.
..that causes chaos.
You're irritated. I'm relaxed. I'm breathing.
No, you're getting really worked up, I can feel it.
There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect her.
I've got my eyes on him.
Following tens of thousands of applications from across the country
we're down to the final two couples to enter the experiment.
(EPIC MUSIC)
Having spent months making their perfect matches...
..the experts are now ready to reveal the next participant.
(CALM MUSIC)
(ROCK MUSIC)
My name is Stella. I'm 32.
I'm from Sydney, New South Wales.
I'm a beauty therapist.
I grew up in Lithuania and moved to Australia
nine years ago, all by myself.
I was 23.
I remember, rolled out my luggage out of the airport,
I sat down and I was like, "What have I done?"
Growing up in Lithuania, my city was one of more,
I guess, more dangerous places to live in.
So I came to Australia
to lay a better base for my own family,
when and if I have one.
So that I can raise my children
and I can give them opportunities
because I didn't have that growing up.
Yeah, I do, yeah, I miss them.
Um. But I'm getting married.
To a stranger.
Yes, a stranger.
Married at first sight.
Ah-ha! Ah-ha! (LAUGHS)
Thumbs up for this, guys?
Lithuania breeds very resilient people, I must say.
My family and friends sometimes call me feisty Aiste.
Um, well, my name is Aiste in Lithuanian.
Because I don't take bullshit.
Very short and direct, there's no fluff around.
I'm confident in who I am.
What's your upbringing taught you and how it's moulded you?
I did see my grandmother
raising solely three kids
because my grandpa passed away when she was 47.
She never remarried, so she raised three children.
So I saw I saw beautiful, strong women in my life,
but I also saw the lack of having that masculine...
um, fixture in the house.
So I think that's where my craving is.
To do have a soulmate.
I'm craving connection.
Like I know I'm craving connection, that's...
That's me getting teary.
Sorry.
I told you, I'm a crier.
I'm a little emotional gangster, OK.
What is it you're looking for?
Who is your ideal man?
Kindness is the first one.
Uh, disciplined, is into exercise.
Beautiful values in terms of family values,
is into self-development growth.
Yeah, we're looking for, um, for a good man.
I know what happily married looks like.
I can only go from the example that I've seen from my parents.
This year is our 40th anniversary. 40th anniversary.
My name is Phil, I'm 38,
from Melbourne, and I'm a carpenter.
I was born in Croatia.
We came to Australia when I was one
and my parents left to give us a better life.
Life over there at the time was very basic living,
you know, and my parents thought that they could give us more.
So I'm super grateful that they did, because now we're here.
As well as being a carpenter, I work on a passion project,
which is my online coaching, so I put a lot of effort into that.
I'm gonna tell you exactly why being in Bali
is the absolute best all around setup
if you want to live that fit, clean, healthy lifestyle
whilst you're doing it.
So I do personal development coaching tailored to people
in construction and just men in general.
There's a mental health crisis
and there's a kind of like a generation of men.
They're not looking after their health,
their nutrition, their lifestyle.
And I just tackle the root of that.
Knowing that you're making a difference, I love it,
but in saying that, two years ago, it was a totally different story.
I used to be a little bit of a party boy,
literally living for the weekend,
and one day I literally thought to myself, like,
my parents come to this country for me to just be an absolute piece of,
you know, like, what are you doing?
That was the very last time that I had a drink,
and staying fit, active lifestyle.
I wasn't ready to get into something serious until now.
What sort of partner do you think would be ideal for you?
Just someone who looks after themselves,
who likes to prioritise fitness, family,
discipline for the most part,
and someone that can think for themselves as well.
I'm looking for beauty with substance.
I definitely know that she's out there.
How do you guys make it work?
You need to be able to openly communicate
issues that will arise.
Of the day, you have to solve the problem
before you go to bed.
You know, understanding, empathy.
My parents - they've got each other's back.
They're always putting each other at the first and foremost.
They've experienced everything that there is
to experience together.
That is what marriage is. They have fun.
They have laughs. That's what I'm looking for.
Yeah, I genuinely want to find the love of my life.
Filip's parents have been married for over 40 years,
and one of the things he really admires about them
is the sacrifices they made for the family
moving to Australia from Croatia.
So if anybody's going to understand Stella
and everything she's gone through, it will be Filip.
You know, Filip wants to be the rock.
And that's exactly what Stella needs.
She wants a masculine man who she can really lean into.
These two are both disciplined, high achievers,
and they're extremely committed to finding love in this experiment.
With Stella and Filip now matched...
..in an experiment first,
our final bride has no idea whether she'll be matched
with a man or a woman.
I feel like I really am the definition of a bisexual person,
in the sense of -
that for me, it's not some performative thing.
Like, I really have fallen in love with men,
and I really have fallen in love with women.
And I have felt like that has transcended gender,
um, the connection that I have felt.
It's a human connection, regardless of - yeah.
Absolutely.
I'm Julia, I'm from Melbourne,
and I'm a confidence and charisma consultant.
My career started when I became a journalist.
I moved to London.
It was a really exciting time, but through a lot of my life,
I didn't feel very comfortable in my skin.
I really didn't have much of a sense of identity
and I just didn't know who I was.
I started sort of following this thread within me that was like,
oh, I'm attracted to women.
I realised like, actually, this is this is a part of me.
And I had a lot of fear around that because -
About what?
About potentially being bisexual.
I just hadn't fully come to terms with that in my own mind.
Now I don't question myself anymore.
I feel like, for the most part,
like I feel really like clear on who I am.
And I genuinely feel like I'm the happiest,
most sort of well-rounded, vibrant version of myself right now.
I'm really looking for someone that knows who they are.
Doesn't really matter to me if that person is male
or female or whatever.
It's more about who are they like, what's their soul?
Someone who is emotionally intelligent that knows
what they want in life.
Someone that has got their shit together, you know,
and they know that I'm going to be next to them
along for this journey and this adventure.
(EPIC MUSIC)
My name's Grayson, I'm 34, and I'm from Queensland.
And I'm a director of a recruitment agency.
I would consider myself successful.
I'm happy.
I'm healthy, emotionally intelligent.
But I want to share my life with someone.
Like, I really am craving that in my life.
It's the missing piece.
The experiment is pretty unconventional way
of meeting someone, but one of my best mates, Johnny,
was a part of the experiment five years ago now.
I'm Johnny. I'm Kerry.
Kerry? Yeah.
He and Kerry are now married with a beautiful family of their own.
So I thought, you know, if he can fall in love
on this experiment, maybe I can too.
I just want you to be happy, Grayson.
Yeah, well, mum, I mean, Johnny and Kerry have had success.
I've been trying long enough, you know.
It's time I can put my trust in these experts.
What I've been doing hasn't been working, so...
Now we looked very closely for a match for Julia.
We looked at both men and women.
She was equally open to being paired with both.
So we cast the net wide.
But every time, we always came back to Grayson.
He matches her on values,
intellect, and emotional intelligence.
Grayson's very self-aware.
He's not afraid to open up and to learn.
This is a guy who's had to come to terms with shattered dreams.
Growing up, football, for me, was my life.
Like I was a fanatic.
I grew up just wanting to be a professional AFL player.
That's all I wanted.
You know, I committed my whole life really to trying to make it.
I was aligned with a couple of different AFL clubs.
I was very, very close.
However, due to bad injuries, it sort of came crumbling down.
Fell at the last hurdle.
It was a tough, a tough time.
AFL meant everything to me.
That's where I got my self-esteem from my confidence.
I felt like I lost my whole identity,
and fell into a crisis of being super self-critical.
I've been single for three years, and I think that's
the period of time where I've changed the most in my life.
I spent a lot of time alone working on myself.
As you sit here now, do you feel like you've got
to that stage where you're healthy, that you're whole?
Absolutely. It's a really peaceful feeling.
Feel proud of myself. I'm not living in the past anymore.
I'm at a point in my life now where I'm ready to
share my life with someone.
I'm I guess a new person, really.
They've asked me a few times what it is that
I would like in a woman.
Someone that's open, vulnerable,
emotionally intelligent, loves adventure.
Likes to travel, you know, optimistic, ambitious.
Love this. Try it on.
It's probably going to be too big because I have a pin size -
it fits!
Mum, what do you think of me doing this experiment?
You've had a lot of experiences through your whole life.
Like you've -
one minute you're in America, in the desert,
next minute you're in Bali surfing.
So I feel as though the time is right for you,
and I hope that it's somebody
that is in line with an open mind like you.
You know, we've never had anyone in this position
on the experiment before where they're coming in,
not knowing whether they're being matched with a man or a woman.
Yeah. I'm very excited about it.
I know you're very excited about it.
I really want to meet someone who is open minded,
someone who accepts me for who I am,
because love feels like the final frontier for me.
And yeah,
I'm at a point where I feel like I need a little bit of help,
and if it means I need to do that as a televised event,
then sure, whatever it means for me to find someone
that is my person.
Um, I'm willing to take risks for love.
Both Julia and Grayson are intellectual.
They have both had a journey of self-discovery in their own lives,
and they're both always willing to learn and grow.
They're curious about life.
One of the great things about Grayson is he's open minded,
he's non-judgmental,
and that's one of the reasons that I think this match could really work.
I think there's great potential here, guys.
I have such high hopes for them.
Julia and Grayson.
(OPERATIC SINGING)
# #
(EPIC MUSIC)
Such a nice spot.
Wow. Oh, my God.
What a spot! That is nuts.
Yeah, wow. I want to get married here.
Hello. Hello.
Hello, everyone.
Hi, I'm Glenn. Glenn?
Julie. Hi, Julie.
It's the suspense that gets you right.
Oh, come on.
# #
The biggest hope I have going into this experiment is
obviously meeting the person that I'm going to spend
the rest of my life with.
I want to walk away from this hand in hand
and start our life together.
I'm ready to fall in love,
and I know that this experiment can work.
I've seen it firsthand.
I'm confident if, uh, if Johnny can, then I can, too.
Oh, here we go.
Dashing.
Oh, hey, guys. How are you?
(APPLAUSE) Hello.
Hi. Very dashing.
(LAUGHTER)
And what's your name? Grayson.
Grayson. Lovely to meet you. How are you, guys?
Are you as nervous as I am? (LAUGHTER)
How are ya, mum? Are you alright?
Crying?
I haven't even and got a tissue.
Oh, it is a guy.
I want him to turn around.
Oh, hello. He's handsome.
Hi, girls. GIRLS: Hello.
How are you? GIRLS: Hi!
Lovely to meet you both.
Hello. Hello.
You're handsome. Alright, alright, alright.
Thank you. That's a good start.
Wait till you see her.
Whoo! Knock out.
The idea that my potential husband and wife is out there,
and I don't know them is a very strange thought.
I am looking for a cosmic connection.
The most important thing is that when we lock eyes,
there is a spark.
(OPERATIC SINGING)
I don't know if I'm going to be matched with a man or a woman.
It isn't really about someone's gender.
It's about the connection that I have with them.
That connection transcends gender for me.
# #
Hi!
Hello. How are you?
I'm good. What's your name? I'm Grayson.
Grayson. Julia.
Oh.
Julia, lovely to meet you. Nice to meet you.
How are you? Good? Yeah, I feel good.
I feel pretty good, you?
Good, I'm glad to hear. Yeah?
Yeah. My match is a man it turns out.
I did not know if I was going to be matched with a man.
I did not know if I was going to be matched with a woman.
And either way, it didn't really matter.
But for me, I wanted to feel that spark.
You have beautiful eyes. Oh, thank you.
And a gorgeous smile.
Thank you, you look beautiful yourself.
Thank you so much.
And I absolutely felt that spark.
He is absolutely divine.
So warm.
He had this kindness in his eyes.
Yes. I'm happy. (GIGGLES)
It's so strange having all these people looking at us.
Stop looking at us.
What a strange situation we're in.
I know, heart's pumping a little bit, but...
Yeah? No, I'm good, I'm feeling good.
Me too.
Good? Yeah.
But it's - I'm ready. I was ready to meet you.
Kind of a heart skipped a beat moment.
She's beautiful.
She's so beautiful. She just looked amazing.
You know, as soon as I saw her,
everything just slowed down and sort of just zoned in.
Beautiful couple.
Yeah.
What do you think? Yeah. Not bad.
Julia and Grayson, you've chosen to meet as strangers
yet stand here as partners, ready to walk forward,
hand in hand toward love, connection and commitment.
Julia.
Firstly, I want to thank you for having the courage
to stand here with me today.
It's been quite a journey to be the man you see.
I had dreams of playing AFL and it didn't work out.
I struggled with this overwhelming feeling
of being lost in the world.
Over the years, I've done the hard work emotionally,
mentally, and spiritually.
Finally, feel I'm in a place where I can offer
my full self to someone.
That's why I'm here.
I'm here to show up fully with honesty, vulnerability,
and a mindset of abundance.
Yes.
So yes, I believe in it, and in what's possible
when two people lean in, choose each other and commit
to understanding one another on a deeper level.
So let's do this together.
Beautiful. (APPLAUSE)
A lot of what he spoke about in his vows
really resonated with me.
I'm really attracted to vulnerability and to know
that my match was so willing to go there in the first,
you know, few minutes of meeting each other,
I find that really attractive.
That feels great. Yeah.
It's actually really nice to hear more about you, and...
That's good.
Sorry if I stumbled on a few of my words.
Don't apologise.
It's a pretty nerve wracking situation.
He's a gorgeous guy.
Hello, stranger. Who I now know as Grayson.
Let's get a few things straight, shall we?
I'm not here for a flawless fairy tale,
but I am here for something real.
In a relationship
laughing, having fun and not taking life too seriously
are huge values for me and I want to explore,
talk late into the night, and take on the world together.
I've explored and dated all kinds of people
of all kinds of shades, but I'm yet to meet someone
who can truly meet me in all my flavours, in all my layers.
Someone who excites me and inspires me
and makes me feel safe.
All of this has led me to a softer, wiser version of myself
who now feels ready to step into union with you.
I promise to be your safe space,
lead with honesty, and commit fully to this experience.
So let's lean in together...
and maybe, just maybe,
I find a beautiful weirdo who speaks the same language as me.
I'm sure you'll find that, yeah.
(APPLAUSE)
Beautiful.
I loved how open she is and just, yeah, she's amazing.
She's beautiful.
I love your smile. I saw you walking down these...
I mean, I feel safe with you. Yeah.
Oh, that's really nice.
Yeah, I do. I'm glad.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love your energy.
Oh, thank you.
Yeah, we align in a lot of ways, so that's good.
Yeah, I'm excited. Yeah, OK, cool.
Are you? Yeah, yeah.
I'm stoked. Oh, cute.
(LAUGHTER)
I just feel really happy that I've met this person.
Congratulations.
I now pronounce you husband and wife.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
I don't feel like you could top this.
That was one of the most magical experiences of my life.
NARRATOR: With one couple married,
Stella and Filip's wedding day has arrived,
and the couple are preparing for the biggest day of their lives.
Done all we can here. We're looking fresh.
Now it's time to slap on this suit.
Having given himself a pep talk.
Let's go. (CHEERS)
..Filip's best mate, Matt, has also arrived to provide
some moral support,
and has even brought a bottle to celebrate.
Well, I know you don't drink, so I got your bottle of water.
How many standard drinks an hour am I allowed with this?
You can drive, I can promise you. You can drive.
Yeah, alright.
Over at Stella's, she's feeling hopeful
about the mystery man she's about to marry.
To think that today could be the day where
I do find my soulmate and he accepts me fully,
I accept him fully.
And we start building this beautiful life together.
Really brings hope for the future.
Yeah. Bringing the missing parts of my little heart.
And to help get her down the aisle,
bridesmaids Leila and Octavia have arrived to make sure
the man Stella marries is good enough for their best mate.
I'm going to be a little tough on him.
Yeah, I know you will. I know you both will.
Yeah, I know. Gonna be like, I'm watching you.
Yeah.
She doesn't have that family here.
Mum, dad, siblings.
Um, being a mum of three,
I've definitely stepped into that role,
as I do with a lot of people around me,
but definitely with Stella.
Yeah, I don't know.
I'm just feeling in a really protective mood today.
Yeah, good, mama bear. Yeah, mama bear's stepping in.
Yeah. Good.
Yeah, I've just been thinking all morning
I haven't been able to stop.
What?
Just if he's going to deserve you. Oh, god.
I had this dream that I was confronting him.
Oh... Yeah.
There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect her.
And I'm a great observer and judge of character,
so I think I'm going to pick up on that really quickly.
Um, and, yeah, I've got my eyes on him.
Fingers crossed. He's going to be a goodie.
He'll be a goodie. Yeah, be a goodie.
Coming up.
What does Filip say that turns Stella's friends?
Tell her in private.
That's like a red flag.
Just that little bit didn't sit well with me.
I'm questioning things.
(WONDROUS MUSIC)
(ELEGANT MUSIC)
It's beautiful.
How you going? Hi.
Hello.
We've got a mixed bag over there.
What nationality is the, uh, the bride?
Lithuanian. Lithuanian.
Oh. And you guys?
They're Croatian.
Croatian? Croatian.
Oh. Amazing.
Interesting. (LAUGHTER)
I feel like I'm more ready now than I ever have been to find love.
I've lived the life that I have and it's led me to being single.
But I'm done with that party type lifestyle
with situation-ships.
I'm totally prepared to fall in love and find the missing piece.
(EPIC MUSIC)
(LIGHT CHEERING)
How are you going?
How are you going, everyone?
Hey, mate.
Hello.
Hi.
Looking good. I think she'll be very happy.
He's definitely got the looks.
He's got the physique.
So you've ticked the boxes. You've got the height.
Big green tick for me.
And for Stella, of course.
I think they're going to be a hot couple.
Yeah. (LAUGHTER)
It's Joe. It's Joe. Yeah, I'm Joe.
(WHISPERING) Oh, get out.
I'll get you to turn back around to me.
Yeah.
Oh, excuse me.
I just I just need to know your star sign.
She needs to know. Not the bride. It's her thing.
Cancer. Cancer. Excellent. Yes.
Is that a good thing, or is that...?
The stars are aligned? OK.
Now, number crunching.
Do you know your life path?
Yeah, I actually do. What is it?
Number nine. Nine. Great. I approve.
(LAUGHTER)
Today, being here all by myself.
Those many miles away from home without my family.
It's hard.
But let's just hope that him and his family will be
accepting of me, who I am,
and be bringing warmth, caring energy.
There's a saying, start with an end in mind,
and my dream outcome would be that we are the love story.
I do believe in soulmates.
I'm not accepting anything less.
(EPIC MUSIC)
Oh, my god. She looks stunning.
What's going on? Hi.
Hi, I'm Phil. Hey, Phil.
What's your name? Stella.
Stella, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
Hi.
You look amazing.
Thank you. You too.
She's a bombshell.
She's hot as - she's really graceful looking.
She's got mad, piercing eyes.
Awesome smile.
I'm pretty stoked, to be honest with you.
How are you? Yeah, good.
Excited. How are you going?
Alright, you're right, you're right. Chill.
I wasn't even nervous before. No, you're right, you got this.
Yeah. Easy, easy.
I'm chilling out now, so it's good.
I think it was just that initial...
just wanted to see who you were. Yeah, yeah. What do you think?
Awesome, I'm wrapped.
No complaints. OK, good, good.
He's cute.
Tall, dark and handsome.
Beautiful, gorgeous, man.
Yeah, approve.
Any brothers or sisters here?
No, so just my mum and dad.
Yeah, mum, dad, I've got all boys.
Appreciate you all. Wouldn't miss this, bro.
Are you a early riser? I am.
You are? Yeah.
Stars align. There you go. Perfect. OK.
Yes, absolutely morning person.
Like the earlier, the better. Like I was up at...
4:30? 4:30, 5, perfect.
5am at the gym? Perfect, 4:30, yeah.
Yeah, good, amazing. Yes, absolutely.
It's the best way to start the day. Yeah, yeah.
Straight up. Yeah, absolutely.
At 6 am done with the, yeah, gym.
Oh, my god. Perfect.
Oh, thank god, yeah.
She's a morning person. She's fit. She looks after herself.
This is great. I'm having a really good time here.
OK. Really?
She's got an accent.
This is great. Like keep going.
Haha. Tell me more.
Alright, since you two are so happy with each other,
let's move on to the reason we're all here.
Yeah. Let's go. Alright.
Alright, but you're good, yeah? Yeah.
Perfect.
Yep, I'm, yeah, I'm good.
So. So.
Can't wait. Let's go. (CLEARS THROAT)
Right.
You got this?
Oh, get me so emotional.
You got this.
I'm such a cry-baby. It's ridiculous.
You're good. It's all good. I'm here.
All good.
Not going anywhere. Yeah.
Oh.
Right. Um...
Hi, I'm Aiste.
But please call me Stella.
Obviously, it's not your typical Aussie name
because I'm not your typical Aussie woman.
Nine years ago, I left a small town in Lithuania
with one way ticket, $2,000 and a broken phone.
When people asked...
I'm sorry.
Baby, it's fine.
Oh.
When people ask how long I plan to stay in Australia,
I said, for the rest of my life.
I doubted, I struggled.
I was ready to quit many times, but I stayed.
I learned resilience, independence,
how to lead fiercely and stand on my own two feet.
Today I live a simple, beautiful life
I built out of grit, heart and persistence.
Living in Australia taught me a few things.
Starting over doesn't mean losing your roots.
It means growing new ones. Stronger, deeper, wider.
My friends call me feisty Aiste.
I speak my mind and don't tolerate bullshit.
Beneath the fire is softness, a deep, nurturing part of me.
In my language we say (SPEAKS LITHUANIAN)
Which translates to
you hold the wheel and I'll bring peace to our journey.
To me, that's real love.
Balance, safety, freedom and fire.
Today I don't just marry a stranger,
I marry a possibility.
A possibility of something real.
Something lasting.
One last thing.
Yes, I cry a lot.
Yeah. (APPLAUSE)
Awesome.
I like it. You've just got intention.
You've got passion. Yeah.
And like you wear your heart on your sleeve, just like me.
It's good, it's good, it's great. Yeah.
It's good. I feel like I know you.
To hear Stella's life story and her coming to Australia.
Yeah, that requires a lot of courage.
I'm happy that two courageous people have been brought
together in this moment.
We're excited to see what future is going to bring.
They really look good together, don't they?
Filip, you're up.
Hey, Stella, I need to tell you that you look
absolutely next level.
To understand me fully,
it's worth understanding my family.
I actually came to Australia from a small country in Europe
called Croatia at eight months of age.
It's something that I admire about my parents to leave their hometown,
their family, their friends,
starting over to give us kids a better life.
Their 40 year commitment of teamwork,
love and patience,
have shown me that hard work does pay off.
My parents have ingrained in me
the resilience to stick around no matter what.
When things get tough, I won't run.
I've lived a full life.
I've partied and played, prioritised fun and travel
over commitment and responsibility.
But two years ago, I had an epiphany.
I had a midlife crisis, and I realised that if I do
the absolute opposite to everything that I was doing
at this point in my life, things will get better.
And they did.
I'm a carpenter, but I'm also an online health coach,
a YouTuber, an annoying morning person
that hasn't had a sip of alcohol in two years
and hasn't missed a single workout in three years.
Just know that you can relax and unapologetically
be yourself with me, with all your quirks,
and lean into those things that light you up
because I promise I will.
You've done well. You've done really well.
That's a great start, so... (LAUGHTER)
Let's go.
Alrighty, I'll lock this thing in.
The vows were amazing.
There's obviously a connection there instantly.
Mum and dad coming to Australia when he was,
you know, just a baby talks to my soul.
Because I know what I've gone through.
Um, yeah.
Oh, look at that. Just meant to be.
Just meant.
You may now kiss.
I'm absolutely buzzing. I'm buzzing.
Wow, you're...you're so tall.
I'm all in. This is it.
Like I couldn't be more happier.
For the very first time as newlyweds Stella and Filip.
(APPLAUSE)
That's my man.
I do feel a connection and the spark.
Let's go.
I definitely would be lying if I say, you know,
like I don't want to go and kiss him again.
(LAUGHS) So, yeah.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
He left me wanting more, for sure.
There's potential.
(EPIC MUSIC)
There's something's not really jelling with me.
He was really emphasising about his YouTube
and his online thing.
Isn't that something you would mention in private?
No, it's not a vibe.
Is he here really for true love?
Is he here to elevate his platform?
We're gonna still have to have a chat.
100%. Yeah.
Do you have your questions ready?
And I'm hoping I'm wrong.
But the vibes that I'm getting from him,
I'm waving the red flag.
(EPIC MUSIC)
NARRATOR: After meeting and marrying at first sight,
Julia and Grayson's chemistry continues to grow.
Is it on?
I feel amazing.
I feel like we're kind of on the same page.
I was feeling really lost in Grayson's energy.
You're a natural at that, huh?
We were giggling, we were laughing.
It was just really fun. Love it.
Like he lifted me up at one point.
Oh! PHOTOGRAPHER: That's great.
Today I was just hoping for a spark and there was a spark.
And guys, just looking back towards me.
Thank you.
That's lovely. That's great.
Over at the other wedding,
Stella's attention is solely on new husband Filip.
ECHOING: Baby.
Baby, baby.
You all good? What do you think?
Babe? I'm sorry.
I'm just mesmerising. I can't even hear you.
Excuse me.
Sorry.
I feel like I've been on cloud nine today.
Giggly.
And you know, we're holding hands.
And having a little pecks here and there.
And I feel great.
It's cute. It's cute.
The chemistry is definitely there.
I'm making a bite for you.
There's encouraging signs there to build off.
Oh, yeah, I love fish. Yeah. Good.
So it's definitely a good start.
Is Joe behaving?
No.
Who in their vows talks about their YouTube channel
and this and that.
That's like a red flag.
It's supposed to be your special day.
And to drop in the fact that you've got a YouTube channel,
and this is what you do. I don't know.
I just didn't think it was appropriate.
Dropping the YouTube channel was a bit of an ick.
It's not a vibe.
This is meant to be your... Vows.
It's almost like he was selling himself a little bit.
YouTube channel, I'm in this, I'm a that.
Tell her in private what you do.
Impress her in private you don't nee to tell the general public.
What's your vow to your partner? Your vow is this. Is this.
(PURRS AND LAUGHS)
Red flag.
Excuse me for a second.
I'm going to go and share exactly what I thought of that.
Go ahead. Are you man or mouse?
My name is Joe Natale Drama.
Joe Drama Natale.
(MUSIC BUILDS)
Boys.
What have we got?
I'm, Joe. Ryan, nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you. Scott.
How you going man, Clint. Clint, nice to meet ya.
Is it Fred? I'm Joe, Joe, Joe.
Giuseppe. Giuseppe.
So who knows - what can you tell me about Filip?
What was your take?
My first impression.
Look, I love the fact that he takes care of himself.
Really, you can tell he's into his fitness.
That's his YouTube channel. Yeah.
But, uh, a couple of red flags.
Go on. Throw it, throw it out.
I don't I don't know if I agree with him
uh, giving us a bit of a spill about his YouTube
channel through his nuptials.
OK. Is he here for the right reason?
I could see I could see why.
Is that something you could really mention throughout his...?
Yeah, he doesn't want secrets.
Yeah, no, but... He's not saying that he's saying...
Isn't that a special, sacred moment?
Yeah.
Like the vibe that I got is, was that nec -
You know, hearing that out loud,
like, I didn't even think about that.
But yes, it does. It definitely does.
You're here to promote your YouTube channel? Your, your, your...
I think the thing is, Giuseppe, is that Fil is very passionate
about things that he does now. Yeah.
You know, like, he's basically changed
from the times that he used to basically, you know,
go out party and everything else and that's not him anymore.
Yeah.
Just ask some questions.
Am I really happy and confident with the response?
Not really.
She's a stunning woman.
But I got to be realistic as well.
I just hope that both of them are here for the right reason.
You know?
I just didn't get the answers that I really wanted for Stella.
And I think there's an agenda.
Stella's is such a stunning woman
and she's here to find love.
So I've got a lot of eyes on you, you know?
OK. Yeah.
Do I see that in Filip?
No.
It's a no from me.
Cheers, guys. To the happy couple.
I'll actually have wine rather than sparkly, yeah.
As the celebrations for newlyweds Stella and Filip continue...
So, you on the waters hey...? 100%.
..a tradition steeped in cultural significance
is about to add a whole new layer of excitement to their special day.
Hey, everyone. Uh, so my name is Aiste.
We share the same name, and we share the country.
And we share traditions as well, right.
In Lithuanian weddings we have this tradition.
(SPEAKS LITHUANIAN)
So the road wouldn't be dusty.
So what we are going to do right now we're going to drink vodka.
Sprinkle some salt on the dark rye.
Vodka represents joy.
Dark rye bread represents, um, hardship.
Salt represents abundance.
Right, so, guys, drink your drinks.
I'm not doing it.
I don't drink. I just don't do that, you know?
And the reason why I don't do that is
because I tell people not to do it.
If it was me personally, would I have had a drink?
Yes, I would have, but that's just me.
I'm not drinking vodka. I'm not drinking it.
What's that? He won't have a shot.
In Lithuanian culture,
traditions are quite important, right?
It is what it is.
Stella, she wears that with pride.
It's one shot.
I'm not doing it.
I would have been nice to honour the tradition,
for Stella's sake.
Like, yeah, I don't - I just don't.
Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely, no pressure.
Yeah.
My whole business model that I teach is like,
just I teach guys to be sober.
Yeah, definitely. So I'm 100% not doing it.
Definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely.
Yeah, cool. Cool.
Because guys rely on me to coach them,
I'm like, I don't do it.
Do you understand? Yeah.
No, look, I respect. I respect. I'm not doing it.
Simple.
He obviously mentioned that he coaches people
and tells them not to drink and all this kind of stuff,
and he basically doesn't want to look bad.
Just that little bit didn't sit well with me.
I'm questioning things.
(LAUGHTER)
Inside the Sydney Opera House, Julia and Grayson
are taking some time to get to know each other better.
Wow. Like, what a wild ride. Yeah.
Getting married in public at the
biggest tourist attraction in Australia.
And I still don't even know your birthday.
Are you 35 or U 36 this year? 36 this year.
So you're older than me. Gee whiz. Gee whiz.
It's very early stages,
but I'm actually really drawn to her.
She's really quite deep.
And, you know, I feel like there's definitely
a connection there.
Absolutely, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I just feel like we just connected straight away.
The moment that we were able just to share with each other
some of our values, some of our life experiences,
I felt like there was a fair bit of alignment.
I wear my heart on my sleeve.
You'll know exactly where you stand with me.
Is that right? Yeah, absolutely.
The more I talk to him, the more I'm attracted to him.
I really love how he's super willing just to let his walls down.
And that's something that, like, really excites me.
It really turns me on.
Are you open minded? I'm open.
I'm absolutely open. Open to others.
listening to Grayson speak, I'm going,
tick, tick, tick, you know?
Everything I've been through, I actually feel like I'm, um,
far more emotionally mature.
I'm really in tune.
I'm quite a strong person now.
But Grayson doesn't yet know that I date men and women,
and that hasn't kind of naturally come up yet.
That is something that I would definitely want him to know,
because the fact that I'm bisexual is a big part of me,
and I really want to meet someone who accepts me for who I am.
So if he just blatantly
wasn't accepting of my sexuality,
then that would absolutely be a deal breaker
because that's not going to change.
Julia, what would be...?
..like the hardest thing about dating you?
Hm.
Interesting question there. Stole my question.
The hardest thing about dating me.
(LAUGHS)
This is a tough question. The hardest thing.
I, I'm a 35, I'm 35, so...
I have dated all kinds of different people.
I'm actually bisexual.
Yeah, I've dating men. I've dated women.
(EERIE MUSIC)
I have dated
all kinds of different people.
I'm actually bisexual.
Yeah.
How does that make you feel about my bisexuality?
Oh, it doesn't...
I don't think about it at all. Cool, OK.
I don't see people for their sexuality.
I'm open to anything.
It doesn't bother me whatsoever.
Yeah. Cool.
I've never dated anyone that's bisexual,
but I've married someone that's bisexual.
Yeah.
I mean, I wasn't expecting it, to be honest.
Probably just categorised her or pigeonholed her into
being a straight woman because she's married a straight guy.
I've dated men. I've dated women.
For me, it's just about the energy. Mm.
It's about...
I mean that's a big one for my energy, yeah.
Absolutely.
And so I fallen in love with men, I fall in love with women.
Um, but I think because I've dated -
and that's why I sort of said in my vows, like,
I've dated all kinds of people
from all kinds of different flavours and shades.
Flavours and shades.
A light way of putting it.
For me, I see positives in it.
She doesn't just see people for what they look like
or whether they're male or female.
It tells me that she can really connect with someone
on who they are as a person.
So and for me, I take my hat off to that.
That excites me.
I'm kind of like, oh, let's - I want to I want to know more.
Did you know today whether I was male or female?
No. Yeah, right.
I mean, what's the word?
I would like to think that I'm not judgemental whatsoever.
When you had the conversation with the experts,
do you...?
did they ask you, would you rather, you know,
do you want male or do you want a female?
Like how does that work? Mm.
I basically said that I was open minded to
who they thought would be the right fit for me.
Um, I didn't specify... Oh, yeah, yeah.
..if I was wanting to be matched with a man or a woman.
So it was a real surprise coming around the corner.
Yeah, there was a lot of surprises. Yeah.
Yeah, it's been a big day, a big day.
Um, but I'm super, super happy with how it all went.
That's cool.
There's no doubt that this was a scary feat to lean into,
but I honestly couldn't feel better about it.
Cheers to new friends, new connections.
Cheers. Love and...
Cheers to the bride and groom.
Yes, yes to us. Cheers.
He was pretty respectful,
which is a definite, uh, green flag for me.
And I think that what we've experienced together today
is going to set us up for a really good shot at
seeing where this can go.
So, yeah, I feel I feel really good about it.
With Filip refusing to take part in
the traditional vodka shot...
JOE: I need to talk to my girl.
..Stella's bridesmaids and guest, Joe...
Can I take your beautiful bride? Yeah.
..are concerned about Filip's intentions
for being in the experiment.
We'll be back, guys. This is the serious tribe.
I know Stella's coming into this with an open heart,
looking for true love.
So obviously, I want the same back for her.
Stella goes into everything with rose coloured glasses,
and I feel like I'm the person there to open her eyes
and have a look at the bigger picture.
What are the observations?
So... First impressions.
My first impressions were, wow. Yeah.
Tall. Handsome. Tall, dark and handsome.
Well looked after.
Well chiselled, you know all that.
Got his shit together. Yeah.
The energy, the chemistry, I thought like, ooh, OK.
I think there's a bit of a spark.
However, and I'm going to be completely transparent.
Mm. I'm getting red flag.
Absolutely.
I'm telling you now,
I don't think he has entered on the right foot.
I agree. With the vows.
It was I'm a carpenter,
but I've also got an online health business.
Yeah. Why promote his YouTube? Exactly what I said.
During your nuptials.
That to me is... Screaming something else.
Yeah. And to me I'm getting,
are you here for the right reason?
To me... Exactly.
Are you here for love or are you here for stability on business?
Mm. Yeah.
I really appreciate them giving that feedback.
I definitely take it on
because I know that they're looking out for me.
Just keep an eye.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
You know, keep an eye on it.
No honeymoon anymore, yeah?
You're too old for this.
It was a bit sobering. Yeah.
Which again it's a good thing.
Like can't be up in the clouds all the time.
We had to break the bread and put the bread on the table.
Yes, yes, yes, yes. And it's up to you.
What you do with it. To do with it what you want.
Oh (BLEEP), yeah, I've been there before.
Yeah. Yeah.
Or just, like, also chose to ignore things.
We're sisters.
Like I'm a sister, too. Yeah.
Just be careful.
I appreciate a man with passion mission.
If it's that, I'm all for it.
But if he's not here with the right intentions,
see you later,
because the space won't be held for you.
Coming up...
I'm gonna get straight to the point. Talk to me.
Are you here for the right reasons?
..Leila confronts Filip.
Don't just be here to try and help yourself and (BLEEP) her up.
..in an unforgettable showdown.
No, no, no, no. I mean it.
Hold on. I don't care.
I feel your energy. OK.
You are agitated.
(WONDROUS MUSIC)
It's not every day that you get married at
the Sydney Opera House.
I know, it's the first for me.
Yeah. Lucky you.
How are you feeling?
I am feeling - I'm just super excited
to get to spend some time with you.
This is the part I've been looking forward to the most.
Yeah. Is you.
Oh, that's really sweet. Yeah, absolutely, like...
You know, the bucks.
You know, the relentless like process you go through.
This is actually the part that I've been looking
forward to the most. Yes.
Meeting you and actually, you know, finding out about you.
I am really into Julia.
Yeah.
I haven't really felt like this way about someone for a long time.
I do, I have the major hots for her.
Yeah.
She's so open and just open minded and...
Yeah, I love it.
This is like, everything that I envisioned, like.
No. And I'm genuinely mean that like, like this is all sort of...
Falling into place. Yeah, yeah.
I feel the same. I feel the same.
What makes you feel that way do you think?
It's just your essence.
I feel like we really sort of, yeah,
speak the same language in a lot of ways.
That moment definitely felt romantic.
It definitely felt more than friends.
It was really sweet. It was...
It was just it was - it wasn't too much.
It was just enough.
It was perfect for me and where I'm at.
And I felt the same from him.
This will go down - in the books this day.
I'm not going to be forgetting today any time soon.
Yeah.
At Stella and Filip's wedding,
Leila still has concerns about Filip's intentions in the experiment
Can we have a little chat?
As the best friend,
I'm here to make sure that Filip's the right man for Stella.
I'm not talking behind his back. I've got an opinion.
I'm going to share that with him.
I also want clarity, and I want him to put me at ease.
How are you feeling?
Good. Like I'm pumped.
Yeah, like she's got the right energy
and she's just pure, you know? Yeah.
So, it's good, it's good.
OK, I'm gonna get straight to the point.
Yeah, talk to me. Are you here for the right reasons?
Yes. Yep.
Absolutely. OK.
The fact that you've come here and made mention
of your beautiful online business, and how big your presence is online.
It's not big.
It's just my outlet. Correct.
But Stella didn't come here and talk to you about her business.
She's come in and, like, poured her heart out.
But you've made mention of the online businesses.
No, because that's something that's important to me.
That gives me purpose. Correct.
Like, this is part of my story,
why I changed as a person.
And then that was an avenue for me to become this.
Yeah, yeah, yup. Do you know what I mean?
Like, I just I'm very proud of it.
It's just that boast. Yeah.
Do you get what I mean? Yes and no.
Because, like, I just can't listen to someone
just misjudging me or whatever, I just need to...
It's not a judgement. It's opinion. OK.
Just based on... Mis-opinioning, whatever...
Well, everybody's opinion is valid, sir, like...
Yeah.
Don't just be here to try and help yourself and (BLEEP) her up.
Her friends are just literally seeing me for the first time.
They want to know that she's safe.
So I just had to explain that's not what I come here for.
That my intentions are pure.
And this is kind of what I'm about, you know?
You're looking out for your best mate, I know,
but at the same breath, it just adds to my story as how
I changed my life around. No, no, no.
I mean it. Hold on, hold on. I don't care.
I don't care. I know.
I'm going to stop you just for a second.
You're irritated. OK.
It's OK. You don't have to tell me.
I just don't want someone to tell me I'm thinking something or whatever.
I'm just - I'm very calm.
Like, I'm just listening to what you're saying, like...
No, no, no, it's OK. Breathe.
I'm relaxed, I'm breathing. Breathe, breathe.
No, you're getting really worked up. I can feel it.
No. I can feel it.
I feel it, you don't have to tell me.
I feel your energy.
You are agitated.
You're irritated. OK.
It's OK. You don't have to tell me.
I just don't want someone to tell me I'm thinking something or whatever.
I'm just - I'm very calm.
Like, I'm just listening to what you're saying, like...
No, no, no, it's OK. Breathe.
I'm relaxed, I'm breathing. Breathe, breathe.
No, you're getting really worked up, I can feel it.
No. I can feel it.
I feel it, you don't have to tell me.
I feel your energy. You are agitated.
And it's fine.
The main reason as to why we're here is for true love.
Yeah. OK?
And we've all got things that we're working towards.
Yeah. Prove me wrong.
Yeah. Yeah.
I'm not here to prove you wrong.
I don't want to prove you - I'm just here to be my...
I'm here to be myself. It's about my bestie.
The intentions going into the experiment,
I know for her, it's true love.
Yeah.
Ultimately, I'm here for Stella. I care what Stella thinks.
You know, straight up, like.
Like I've married her.
So that's all I need to remember.
I don't marry anyone else.
I'm taking in everything.
And I really, really appreciate what you came to tell me.
I've got my opinions and you've got yours.
My intentions are pure. I mean it.
The fact that I brought my parents here
like that is super important to me.
My parents have been together 40 years.
Like they are traditional.
This is huge for them to come here and for me to do this.
I wouldn't have done this if I didn't think that I was
here for the right reasons.
OK. I wouldn't be here.
Like, I literally put my life on hold for this.
I'm fully in on this, alright. OK, yep.
It's my wife now, I've got her back.
Like I said, once I'm in, I'm all in, so...
For sure. Awesome.
I don't want you to worry or stress,
I've got her back. I really like...
I mean it. Yeah? Yeah.
I mean it. Say it.
That's my... Be good with it.
Yeah. And we're done.
It was lovely to meet you. Thank you.
We're really happy for you. Thank you.
I still have my guard up.
We're not going to have one conversation,
and he's in the clear.
That was a lot.
Because you can't just get me that quick.
Hey, are you guys going?
(BELL RINGS) Tomorrow night...
Dinner is served.
..the next phase of the experiment begins.
Well, here we are, team, first dinner party.
(CHEERING)
Our couples come face to face with each other...
Stella. Stella.
..for the very first time.
Everyone was like, hey!
Who are you?
And for some...
To see her with that massive smile on her face...
mingin'.
I don't think she looks good in green.
Green because she's envious of me.
It's a competition to prove who's go the strongest relationship so far.
You had sex, and I don't see us fizzling out.
Beck and Danny are very much selling this relationship that's perfect.
I'm not buying it.
Mel has a sudden energy shift.
I can see how she talks to other people in the room,
but it's completely different to how she talks to me.
Luke is left feeling defeated.
And in a shock twist.
Has Danny got his eye on another bride?
I'm not talking about it. I'm not bringing that up.
It's bad vibes. It's bad juju. I'm not doing it.
Captioned by AI-Media ai-media.tv