26 April 2024 , 15:49
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After a rollercoaster few weeks in Sydney, this year's batch of Married At First Sight Australia couples have now said their final vows.
Needless to say there have been a few surprises along the way, with one particularly bizarre vow exchange leaving some viewers watching from behind their fingers in horror. Naturally, there's also been a good old-fashioned showdown, with scorned bride Lauren letting Jono know exactly what she thinks about those texts.
It's been an eventful season that's brought us plenty of heated clashes, twists, and, of course, the ray of light that is Lucina. With the reunion still to come, all that's left now for our remaining couples to do is head out into the real world to test drive their new relationships away from the scrutiny of the experts.
As one particularly unexpected couple runs off into the sunset, we take a look at some of the most explosive - and cringiest - moments from the all-important final vows ceremonies...
Jack's unappealing vows
Jack's vows weren't exactly fairytale-esque (Channel Nine)It's no secret that viewers and MAFS newlyweds alike have harboured doubts about Jack's true feelings for Tori. The Gold Coast-based personal trainer has previously admitted he had no sexual spark with his wife, and even 'jokingly' offered her up to fellow grooms as a swap.
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Through it all, the otherwise outspoken Tori has stuck by her man and tolerated many of his more controversial moments ('Muzzle your woman', anyone?). When the pair became intimate during their home-stay, following weeks of speculation, the rest of the group still simply weren't buying it, urging Tori to 'open her eyes'. She responded with the sort of anger we've never seen directed at Jack, raging: "There is no one at this table – maybe [Lauren] at the beginning – that I'd want to spend time with after this experiment. None of you. None!"
As the final vows drew near, it was clear Tori was continuing to develop a strong attachment to Jack, lamenting how much she'd miss him during their time apart. Meanwhile, Jack kept his cards close to his chest, and appeared pretty happy to get away from the drama of Skye Suites.
And so, when Tori gave a gushing speech during their final vows, viewers were holding their breath as to how Jack would respond. Practically offering eternity to her divisive new husband, smitten Tori declared: "Jack, I have found the person I never want to stop making memories with. Through thick and thin I have chosen you each and every day and I want to spend the rest of my days choosing you. You are my equal, my soulmate and I am falling in love with you."
Looking slightly awkward, Jack then launched into his own vows - and they were decidedly less romantic. In what was a pretty brutal summation of their time together so far, Jack reflected: "I am concerned our biggest connecting factor may have been the brutal environment of the experiment where our loyal personalities bonded over having each other's back and picking each other up when need be. Like teammates. Not lovers.
"Tori I'm sorry to say I didn't commit myself to this process for a platonic relationship, nor a team mate. We are not in love so how can I commit to you and ask you to uproot your life and move to the Gold Coast?"
By the stricken look on Tori's face, it was clear she shared viewers' assumptions that her groom was about to scarper faster than you could say 'red flag'. But then Jack made a u-turn so sharp those at home were left with whiplash.
He concluded: "My ego and my pride cast a shadow on the happily ever after you were chasing and are so deserving of. Tori I need to do what is best for me and ultimately what is best for you. I deserve an equal. Moving forward with you is a massive risk and it's a risk I am 100 per cent ready to take.
"I'd rather jump off the edge and fight for an amazing love-filled future with you then to have never tried to win your love at all. I am head over heels for you and I can't wait to fall in love."
Although not exactly the stuff of Jane Austen, Tori gave a relieved smile, all while viewers at home practically shouted at their TVs. Taking to social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, one flabbergasted fans tweeted: "Lovely vows Tori. Not sure who they were about but lovely nonetheless!" A second shudderd: "Watching Tori say her speech is actually like watching a car crash happen in slow motion."
Lauren's showdown with Jono
Lauren savaged Jono during their final vows (Channel Nine)Lauren and Jono had their fair share of ups and downs throughout the experiment, with the chalk-and-cheese couple often jarring when it came to differing communication styles. Fiercely opinionated Lauren feared from the beginning that Jono wouldn't have the backbone to stand up for her when the going got tough - and her fears were fuelled further during that cringe-inducing apology to Jack on the couch.
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In recent weeks, however, the pair appeared to have worked through their differences and seemed to be enjoying their time together. We began to see a softer side to no-nonsense Lauren, who appeared practically gooey-eyed when discussing her more mellow hubby.
Jono too seemed wholeheartedly committed to Lauren, expressing concern for her well-being after she had to temporarily leave the experiment to have an emergency blood clot operation. Moreover, he appeared to genuinely miss her, having warmed to her quick wit and fiery temperament.
When the couple took to the couch during the final, explosive commitment ceremony, they appeared very much in their honeymoon period, having reconnected intimately during their home-stay. Then it emerged that Jono had been texting former bride Ellie without Lauren's knowledge, clocking up around 100 messages without any mention of his bride. You could practically pinpoint the exact moment Lauren's heart broke, and her hurt quickly iced over into cold, hard fury.
Lauren cut a striking figure as she marched towards Jono at their woodland ceremony, clad in a stunning ivory gown and sky-high heels. Viewers held their breath as they waited for what she had to say - but it was Jono who spoke first. In a move that left Lauren gaping with shock, Jono accused her of 'lying' to the group about his messages with Ellie, which he maintained were perfectly innocent.
Reflecting on the 'incredible few days' they shared before the texting bombshell erupted, Jono claimed: "I saw hope and it made me happy. At the next commitment ceremony it was mentioned that I had been messaging Ellie. I didn't think this was an issue, you snatched my phone off me and pretended that the messages with Ellie were flirty.
"Seeing you so willing to lie like that to make me look bad astonished me, and by lying to the whole group to make me look bad, you showed you don't support me and that makes me deeply upset. This is when I knew you aren't the person for me. I do wish you all the best in this crazy journey we call life."
Lauren then hit back with a blistering speech that will likely go down as one of the most scathing in MAFS history, and many fans were cheering her on with every word. After looking back on their 'magical wedding day', Lauren spoke of how she had started to see a future with Jono beyond the experiment - before everything came 'crashing down'.
She continued: "It was brought to my attention that you had been continuing to build some kind of relationship with another bride. One that you hid from me, then had the audacity to blame me for when you were exposed. My world felt like it had come crashing down around me.
"Instead of taking accountability at the final dinner party you chose to try and flip the script on me, blame me for not caring, never liking you and not being here for the right reasons. Although you completely wasted my time in terms for finding a romantic partner, you taught me that I should always trust my gut. Jono I don't see a future with you and no it's not me, it's you."
Sarah and Tim staying strong
Some viewers were surprised to see Sarah and Tim making a go of it (Channel Nine)Few would have imagined that Sarah and Tim would have been able to keep their new flame alive after the true nature of Sarah's 'puppy sitting' weekend came to light. Sarah, who had previously frustrated Tim by cancelling on their dates, left Skye Suites for the weekend, explaining that she had to look after a friend's dog. However, a text message exchange with Eden revealed a very different story.
Rather than a wholesome trip filled with walkies and belly scratches, Sarah was in fact meeting up with her ex, who she'd slept with shortly before entering the experiment. Keen to impress, she asked new pal Eden if she had any cute dresses she could borrow - adding a 'shh' emoji to make it clear Tim was to be kept in the dark.
Anxious Eden was left torn as to what to do, but ultimately issued Sarah an ultimatum that led to one of the most heated dinner party episodes yet. It was clear Tim felt betrayed, and it remained unclear how exactly they could rebuild their trust.
In recent weeks, the pair seem to have built a stronger connection, but it's clear Tim is still harbouring a fair bit of hurt below the surface. And so, as they prepared to exchange vows, many viewers just weren't sure which way it was going to go.
Sarah gave the first speech, in which she addressed the mistakes she'd made head on, explaining: "I remember driving to our wedding destination and feeling no nerves at all. My gut told me I was exactly where I needed to be... But then my nerves kicked in and made me put up some walls that I didn't think I still had." She added: "I've made a lot of mistakes in this relationship, and for that I want to apologise... Seeing you hurt made me realise what I had in front of me and what I could be losing."
When it came to his own vows, Tim also didn't ignore the challenges they'd faced, but ultimately decided that his heart had won over his head. Expressing that he had felt 'devastated and miserable' following the revelation about Sarah's covert meet-up, Tim acknowledged that she had 'fought' hard for their relationship in the last few weeks, leaving him 'happy, funny, and masculine'.
Pledging himself to Sarah, while conceding that there was plenty more work ahead, Tim proclaimed: "So let's finish this, how we started, with hope, excitement, passion. Sara, I'm falling for you. And I want to be with you."