S17.E02: Rocky Mountain Romance

[Emma Snyder]

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With one pair having already exchanged their vows in Denver, the other eight singles make the final preparations for their own mile high matrimonies, but on wedding day, their anxieties reach a pinnacle.

Airs Wednesday October 25 at 8:00PM EDT

[Emma Snyder]

Wow, it's really hoppin' in here 😂 

[Crashcourse]

I think I'm over MAFS now, so I'm just not that invested in these couples anymore.  I'll check in from time to time though.

Lauren is certainly proud of her boobs.    

[ECM1231]

Lauren is lovely, but hate her wedding gown, which looks like a negligee to me. I also dislike Becca's gown; very unflattering. 

[kikicat]

Orion held that kiss a tad too long--Lauren looked like she wanted to withdraw.

I'll give them a 25% chance of making it, which is still probably too high for MAFS.

Didn't care for Lauren's gown, but kind of liked pinkhair's flowy, long-sleeved dress, not sure if she picked it or not?

Now they're showing crown-man's rejection again? Milking that, aren't you, MAFS?

* * *  *

Imagine if you're family of the bride and her at-first-sight groom comes out with a crown and a sword. "I object!"

Edited October 26, 2023 by kikicat

[Crashcourse]

Well, the bride gave him the crown and sword as a wedding gift.  However, I wonder when she bought it, because it doesn't make sense that she would buy a gift if she suddenly realized that she didn't want to marry a stranger.  I think it was his looks that made her turn and run.

I hate Becca's gown, and also those clunky brown shoes.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Crashcourse

[kikicat]

Is that the same dress? Making it off-shoulder and wearing a push-up bra certainly changed the look. Is Austen the plaid-clad Brawny man? Ha, I really need to pay closer attention if I'm going to commit to this show.

Becca's new in-laws (mom especially) don't look wholly convinced. Well, who can blame them?

Now the dress looks nicer again, getting the front view as they walk down the aisle. It's the wedding version of the Seinfeld Two-Face phenomenon.

[Crashcourse]

Lauren is 31, but she could pass for 41.  

[kristen111]

What???  The last couple are walking in to get married, then the show just stops and goes to the After Party?  WTH?

Whats with the marriage with Michael and the Bride who goes in then changes her mind and leaves?  Show is a little nuts this time and not liking it.
 

[kikicat]

On to Clare and Cameron.  Her bridesmaids are snickering about his gift of a stuffed kiwi. Rude. I'd've thought of New Zealand right away.

And that's it for tonight.

For those who skipped the Afterparty:

Becca "Sex Vixen" is in go-go boots and a sheer diaphanous pink fluff. Emily in tight pink. Poor Michael wearing shorts, with his shorn hair hidden under a ball cap and what looks like a tape measure around his neck. No, it's beads in the close-up. He looks sad and subdued.

The runaway bride must have declined to be I.D.'d at all? Surprised she can opt out since she must have signed the contract.

Wedding clip. Emily wins best wedding gown for this season, IMO. Chatting about being nervous and talking too much at the altar.

Clip of Brennan's Vodka Dad, what a crazy nut. Emily goes on about her love of drinking, Good luck to her hubby. It's a match made in a liquor store!

Spotlight on Michael. No big insights into what happened. Becca praises him for being so gracious to his non-bride.

Michael and his backup girls dancing in their chairs as they come back from commercial. Orion and Lauren are a match made in astrology, apparently, and the gang approves. Michael signs off with hope in his heart.

Good night.

 

[Kimboweena]

57 minutes ago, kikicat said:

On to Clare and Cameron.  Her bridesmaids are snickering about his gift of a stuffed kiwi. Rude. I'd've thought of New Zealand right away.

This is what I came to say.  I would have loved that.  Been to New Zealand and hoping to go back one day.

[Real4real]

To be honest, I half expected the runaway bride to realize what a swell guy Michael was and change her mind again.  Wedding’s off . . .no wait, it’s back on now!  Psych!  Seems like something the show would do!

[NowVoyager]

The one groomsman really committed to his "flower girl" role. He made me laugh!

Becca is such a joyful person! She's Adorable!

I was surprised Michael's runaway bride gifted him the crown & sword. I had assumed he was just being "wacky" & maybe that was part of why she fled; but, no. What he said to her was impressively classy & dignified. Good for him.

I don't see natural chemistry between Lauren & Orion.

Clare & her bridesmaids were so busy turning their noses up at the stuffed animal, they didn't catch on to the obvious clue. Dingbats. I think they wanted something more expensive.

Edited October 26, 2023 by NowVoyager

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, ECM1231 said:

I also dislike Becca's gown; very unflattering. 

I had high hopes for Becca given that she's a wedding photographer and has seen hundreds of wedding gowns, but this was a disappointment.  I think she has seen too many wedding gowns and was tired of all the typical styles so she wanted to be different and comfortable since her midsection is sensitive from surgery.  I understand it but I think she could have picked something more flattering.

I think Becca and Austin may actually be too much alike and might get on each other's nerves.  All that know him say he's such a great guy but I have my reservations based on nothing but a hunch.  I hope he is for her sake.  He'd better get used to being alone on the weekends with her career as a wedding photographer.

As for Michael - Is it me?  Because something felt off about the scene where his mystery bride walks down the aisle and then says she "can't marry a stranger".  I think that was a re-enactment possibly with a stand-in for a bride.  The gown from the rear looked so generic.  I'll bet the real scene was a lot more emotional than this.  It seemed so staged.  I think they did that so as to hide the bride's face and other things she didn't want shown.  They also never showed her family in the audience.  Maybe she didn't even make it to the altar and they wanted to do this for the drama.  Maybe it's just me, but that's my hunch.

There's something cute about Orion.  He's not classically good looking but he has good energy.  Lauren already looks like she's being a bit pushy with him, patting herself on the back for her looks in her conversation with him.  It's going to make him even more nervous and pull back.  I had the sense that she likes him more than he likes her so far.  It may have just been his nerves but we'll see.  I hope they work out because they seem like interesting people and an interesting match.

Same with Cameron.  I'm not trusting him to be the greatest guy so far.  He just seems like a typical commitment phobic type.  But Clare not getting the Kiwi reference bugged me because it was just so obvious.  She didn't even get what the stuffed animal was at all and jumped to the conclusion that it was some kind of weirdo thing.  That didn't speak well of her.  I don't have much hope for them.

Emily and Brennan - Who knows at this point?  I think they have tons of chemistry so far but other than that it's too early to tell except that I don't have high hopes for a couple that both like to drink.

 

[ChiBurbsMama]

2 hours ago, kikicat said:

On to Clare and Cameron.  Her bridesmaids are snickering about his gift of a stuffed kiwi. Rude. I'd've thought of New Zealand right away.

I thought she was bitchy about the gift & showed zero sense of fun or curiosity about its meaning. She came off as petty, shallow, and - frankly - ignorant. Kiwi = New Zealand, you vapid idiot. 

1 hour ago, Real4real said:

 

To be honest, I half expected the runaway bride to realize what a swell guy Michael was and change her mind again.  Wedding’s off . . .no wait, it’s back on now!  Psych!  Seems like something the show would do!

 

I was wondering if the show arranged a backup wedding a few days later with a slight delay to joining the group for the honeymoon, but I guess not. That would be a lot to ask Michael & his peeps to go through again (but I wouldn’t put it past them). I was surprised the show’s crew weren’t shown being more supportive/apologetic — they could at least have had Pastor Cal offer some words of wisdom via Zoom. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by ChiBurbsMama

[ChiBurbsMama]

1 hour ago, NowVoyager said:

I was surprised Michael's runaway bride gifted him the crown & sword. I had assumed he was just being "wacky" & maybe that was part of why she fled; but, no. What he said to her was impressively classy & dignified. Good for him.

I thought the editing monkeys created that whole scene. The bride’s voice sounded different, like it was recorded separately, and what she said was way too polished & “actress-y.” I thought Michael’s speech - while extremely classy, also seemed off - like it was formulated & delivered/filmed later — staged & spoken to thin air. Could be wrong, but it all felt very contrived. 

1 hour ago, Yeah No said:

As for Michael - Is it me?  Because something felt off about the scene where his mystery bride walks down the aisle and then says she "can't marry a stranger".  I think that was a re-enactment possibly with a stand-in for a bride.  The gown from the rear looked so generic.  I'll bet the real scene was a lot more emotional than this.  It seemed so staged.  I think they did that so as to hide the bride's face and other things she didn't want shown.  They also never showed her family in the audience.  Maybe she didn't even make it to the altar and they wanted to do this for the drama.  Maybe it's just me, but that's my hunch.

Ding, ding, ding! Definitely not just you! 

[Empress1]

9 hours ago, kikicat said:

The runaway bride must have declined to be I.D.'d at all? Surprised she can opt out since she must have signed the contract.

My theory is that she paid whatever the breach of contract fee is. She can’t sue them; what would she sue them for? She literally signed up to be filmed and have her face/likeness used however they see fit. We’ve seen couples call it quits early but continue to film because they’re contractually obligated to and can’t afford whatever the breach of contract penalty is. My guess is that she paid it; I can’t imagine any other way out. She can decline to be aired all she wants but if she signed the contract, production doesn’t have to pay her any mind.

I think that’s also why they used a voiceover when she walked down the aisle - because they totally did. They didn’t use her face or likeness. Hell, they could have thrown a PA in a gown and made her do it. What I don’t get is why they used the story at all - the could have edited Michael out and said there are only four couples and we’d never know the difference.

Michael was very gracious in the face of all that. He called it a failure but I don’t think it is. It’s nothing he did; it was all her. He seems like a good guy. His friends clearly love him, which is a good sign.

Loved Lauren’s line about promising to stay curious about Orion. It reminded me of Gregory’s line on Abbott Elementary about wanting to know why Janine likes stuff. And her hair looked gorgeous. I think they could work; I think they’re approaching it from a place of friendship first, which I think is the best approach.

Clare looked beautiful with softer makeup - she has a hard face and her preferred makeup look with the bright pink lip makes her look harder. She and Cameron aren’t a match though.

Can we please just put all the gown shopping in one episode and the weddings in another? Or skip outfit shopping altogether? I read my book during those scenes; I just don’t care.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Empress1 said:

My theory is that she paid whatever the breach of contract fee is. She can’t sue them; what would she sue them for? She literally signed up to be filmed and have her face/likeness used however they see fit. We’ve seen couples call it quits early but continue to film because they’re contractually obligated to and can’t afford whatever the breach of contract penalty is. My guess is that she paid it; I can’t imagine any other way out. She can decline to be aired all she wants but if she signed the contract, production doesn’t have to pay her any mind.

I think that’s also why they used a voiceover when she walked down the aisle - because they totally did. They didn’t use her face or likeness. Hell, they could have thrown a PA in a gown and made her do it. What I don’t get is why they used the story at all - the could have edited Michael out and said there are only four couples and we’d never know the difference.

My theory is that paying the $50,000 (or whatever the penalty is) gets them out of the contract altogether and gives them the option of opting out of having themselves featured in future episodes or having their likeness shown - at least if they back out before the wedding.  If they back out after the wedding that may be a different story.  We haven't seen this specific situation so far and this may be that first time.  So far we have only seen people that have backed out after the wedding.  I'm figuring that once they go through with the marriage there may not be any easy way to go back on being featured on the wedding episode and any subsequent episodes leading up to when they back out even if they pay the money to get out of the contract.  Paying the fee may only make it possible to back out of future episodes.  If they wanted out of the prior episodes that may be a lot more difficult and require going to court to resolve - something most people would not want to do. 

Maybe those that pay the penalty are given the option of allowing their faces to be shown on future episodes after they back out, and are given a discount on the penalty if they allow themselves to be shown.  I'm figuring that's what happened with Alyssa a few seasons back.  She backed out after the wedding and probably faced some kind of penalty but it might have been reduced or eliminated altogether in exchange for her appearing on future episodes.  We really don't know what the terms of the contract are and it may be complicated depending on the specifics of when and how they back out.

I have also wondered why they have spent so much time on Michael.  My theory on that is that they plan to do something with him in the future.  Perhaps they intend to find him a quick replacement match or will feature him in a future season.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Yeah No

[Empress1]

53 minutes ago, Yeah No said:

Maybe those that pay the penalty are given the option of allowing their faces to be shown on future episodes after they back out, and are given a discount on the penalty if they allow themselves to be shown.  I'm figuring that's what happened with Alyssa a few seasons back.  She backed out after the wedding and probably faced some kind of penalty but it might have been reduced or eliminated altogether in exchange for her appearing on future episodes. 

Alyssa didn’t back out after the wedding; she said frequently that she “could have left but didn’t,” like she thought she deserved a prize. She made no secret of the fact that she hated her husband (whose name I can’t recall) but her husband was the one to call it quits and say he wanted a divorce. She was dabbing her eyes pretending to be sad about it.

I remember one of the cast saying Alyssa was calling lawyers trying to get out of the contract, but she didn’t actually get out of it. I don’t remember how often she appeared on the show after her husband told her he wanted a divorce, but she did appear. I remember her having to tell her friends and family that they split. Alyssa’s situation wasn’t different from others that called it quits early - I remember a couple in the first season I watched (Miami?) that didn’t make it past the honeymoon. Pastor Cal met them when they got off the flight (I remember the woman was like “can I at least go home and change?”) and the couple agreed to split in that meeting. They both appeared on the show for the rest of the season (this was before they had the cast interact so they showed them telling friends and family, the experts gave them therapy assignments, etc.).

I think I read that there have been people who didn’t know what the show was; they were recruited and told it was a “dating reality show” or something, and when they found out they were like “NOPE” - but they opted out before the matchmaking/casting process so they weren’t shown - I guess there wouldn’t be anything TO show. This is the first instance in which someone apparently went through the whole process but opted out before marriage.

[Lindz]

Wowww. They really didn't show her AT ALL?!?!! 🤨🤨 I understand the first episode, hiding her for suspense, but they still didn't show her or her side at the wedding?!! That's some BS!!! And why did they have to end there? Because it's a show & not allowed??? Pretty shocking she sent him the sword & crown. She must've met someone & wanted to see where that went. I just can't imagine her finding Michael so bad looking she couldn't marry him. She didn't even see his horrible clothes! Hate that we know nothing & don't know what will happen with him. I thought his match was Tiffany & Chloe was the alternate, but I guess Chloe was the bride and he's done in the experiment. 🤷‍♀️

[suzeecat]

Color me shocked that Michael's bride-to-be gave him the sword and crown.  Seeing him standing at the altar in that getup, I was NOT surprised that she backed out.  Now to find out it was HER idea?!?!?! I don't EVEN know what to think anymore! 

[lu1535]

Am I the only one who is concerned about the experts choosing a bride with serious health issues? I don't think it's fair to the groom to be faced with the "in sickness" right off the bat. I've had abdominal surgery, flailed open and sewn back together and there was no way I was going to have sex right away and it sounded like she is still healing. Also, Becca has endometriosis which can make having children difficult. I hope Austin doesn't want kids soon. IMO another screw up by the "experts".

[Shauna]

15 hours ago, Crashcourse said:

Lauren is 31, but she could pass for 41.  

Clare is 27, but I think she looks 37.  Easily.  I hate the blown up lips, too.

[Lindz]

So Becca & Austin have even more in common! He even sent her perfume she already uses! How sweet that he cried. I think he's the first MAFS groom who has. So precious! & she got him a tissue! "Sex vixen" was too much. WHO SAID THAT?!?!!!

[Katie111]

38 minutes ago, lu1535 said:

Am I the only one who is concerned about the experts choosing a bride with serious health issues? I don't think it's fair to the groom to be faced with the "in sickness" right off the bat. I've had abdominal surgery, flailed open and sewn back together and there was no way I was going to have sex right away and it sounded like she is still healing. Also, Becca has endometriosis which can make having children difficult. I hope Austin doesn't want kids soon. IMO another screw up by the "experts".

Totally agree!  And he is a very active guy.  Can she do any of his hobbies with him?  

Something about Clare rubs me the wrong way.  Maybe it was the reaction to the gift.  She came across as bitchy.  I like him a lot so we'll see how this works out.  Wonder how he got a green card.  I like his substitute mom a lot.   She is so sweet.

I like Emily but can't stand her friends.   Especially the maid of honor.  

I thought Orion and Lauren were really sweet together.  They actually seem to have a lot in common and I liked how they are really giving each other a chance.  

I'm curious to see how the friendships go this season and where they go on their honeymoon.  

[Jeanne222]

Pallium, the host, is sitting on my last nerve! 

Her popping in and out breathlessly is annoying as hell. 

Really ‘full of herself’!

[Lindz]

Good on Brennan & Orion for complimenting their wives when they met AND asking if they wanted a kiss. LOVE THAT!!! Becca & Austin's wedding was something. Very high energy because of her. She probably eased everyone's nerves. Some long kisses. Like longest in MAFS history? 😅

Edited October 27, 2023 by Lindz

[Ilovepie]

3 hours ago, Shauna said:

Clare is 27, but I think she looks 37.  Easily.  I hate the blown up lips, too.

Absolutely! She is a pretty girl, but I loathe her look - I told my husband her makeup looked like how I did my face around Y2K - frosty eye shadow and hot pink lips, blonde streaks in her hair only right around her face. Just no. And the lips - why do girls think these freaking lip fillers look good when they give your lips a shape not found in nature?!??? She looked absolutely gorgeous in the car on the way to the wedding when she had no makeup on. Either way, this one is DOA - she thinks very highly of herself and seems to have zero sense of fun or humor. She is going to hate him at first sight, which is her loss because he seems like a nice guy, although I too would not have appreciated a stuffed animal as a gift. She's not five. And contrasted with the perfume and turquoise necklace the other girls got, it is kind of lame even if it was about his heritage.

The other two couples might have softened my bitter MAFS heart a little bit. Orion and Lauren don't look like a match on paper, but they might be soulmates? They both seem mature, sensitive and nice, so even if it's not a match, I hope they can be friends. And Becca and Austin - I think that might be my favorite meet at the alter moment on this show. Her joy and his crying. So cute and sweet! I would never choose her dress, but it suits her personality and I would steal that pink furry jacket in a heartbeat! If any couple has a chance this season, I think it's them. Loved the little extra kiss before the champagne! And both couple's vows were thoughtful and lovely. Imagine that!

No words about Michael. I agree with everyone that the whole wedding scene was staged. His reaction was suspect and the voice over was terrible. Did someone program AI to say "I don't want to marry a stranger"? I wish they had just taken him off the show. I really hope we don't have him tagging along to the honeymoons like some weird third (9th?) wheel with long shots of him moping around a resort while a sad terrible song plays, but I wouldn't put it past this dumb show......

[bichonblitz]

MAFS is doing this all the time now. 5 couples, only 4 make it to honeymoon or shortly there after then one of them splits. So basically it's a show of 4 couples. Stop wasting our time MAFS. 

Orion and the dude jilted at the altar are very strangs picks. 

Dr. Pepper got herself a major golw up. She looks great, at least 15 yrs younger! Her surgeon should win an award. 

Edited October 26, 2023 by bichonblitz

[Elizzikra]

Quote

Alyssa didn’t back out after the wedding; she said frequently that she “could have left but didn’t,” like she thought she deserved a prize. She made no secret of the fact that she hated her husband (whose name I can’t recall) but her husband was the one to call it quits and say he wanted a divorce. She was dabbing her eyes pretending to be sad about it.

Chris?

Quote

And Becca and Austin - I think that might be my favorite meet at the alter moment on this show. Her joy and his crying. So cute and sweet! I would never choose her dress, but it suits her personality and I would steal that pink furry jacket in a heartbeat! If any couple has a chance this season, I think it's them.

I love them and have hope. 

Why did they make the couples have their first drink outside, in Denver, in winter? I loved the cute pink furry jacket too and I know that Becca said it was super hot in the wedding venue itself, but damn. I was cold just watching them. 

Also loved Austin tearing up and Becca saying "I got you" and giving him a tissue. Adorbs.

[StatisticalOutlier]

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Spotlight on Michael. No big insights into what happened. Becca praises him for being so gracious to his non-bride.

The thing that gets me is that the runaway bride must have been at the bachelorette party, so all the other brides got to know her at least a little bit.  Becca was defending her (to a certain extent) so I wonder if she liked her.

Quote

Emily and Brennan - Who knows at this point?  I think they have tons of chemistry so far but other than that it's too early to tell except that I don't have high hopes for a couple that both like to drink.

On the aftershow, she said Brennan drank a lot less than she did at the wedding, which makes me wonder if he has a "thing" about drinking given that he chose in their introductory chat to tell her his dad drinks vodka instead of water.  We shall see. 

I usually don't have high hopes for a couple where both like to drink, but Stephanie and AJ seemed to enjoy drinking quite a bit a they're still together.  But I generally have even lower hopes for couples whose drinking preferences don't match.

7 hours ago, suzeecat said:

Color me shocked that Michael's bride-to-be gave him the sword and crown.  Seeing him standing at the altar in that getup, I was NOT surprised that she backed out.  Now to find out it was HER idea?!?!?!

And the producers WANTED everybody to think it was his idea to wear a crown at the altar.  When people complain about their edit on a reality TV show, the response is always, "They can't show what you don't give them."  This is a great example of how that isn't 100% true.

19 hours ago, ChiBurbsMama said:

I thought the editing monkeys created that whole scene.

I wondered if it was staged the first time they showed a little bit of it, in the previous episode.  There was nobody in the first couple of rows of the bride's side, which looked suspicious.  And it just seemed "off" in the ways you described.

If they made that poor guy stand there and do a re-enactment, then the show is even lower than I thought.  No wonder he was crying afterward.

Between this and the crown and sword at the altar business, I'm putting this show on a short leash.  I wouldn't watch it at all except I've spent a lot of time in Denver and was curious to see it portrayed, but the producers' brazenness and obvious manipulation of viewers, and possible cruelty toward the "talent" is pissing me off.  

Yes, they're idiots who go on MAFS, but they're still people.  And so are the viewers.  We all deserve better.

(I used to be able to watch it without any record anywhere that I was watching, but now I have to stream it, so they directly benefit by my watching, and I don't feel good about lining their pockets.)

11 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Can we please just put all the gown shopping in one episode and the weddings in another? Or skip outfit shopping altogether? I read my book during those scenes; I just don’t care.

I particularly hate when they stand on the pedestal and talk about their struggles in life to people who know them inside and out.  Like on reality shows where a girl is shown talking to her mother and says, "You know my ex who works at the gas station?  He texted me..."  Instead of oh, I don't know, "Brian texted me."

3 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

She looked absolutely gorgeous in the car on the way to the wedding when she had no makeup on.

Yes!  She looked so youthful and fresh without makeup on.  It made me sad knowing she was going into a den of makeup.

Quote

And contrasted with the perfume and turquoise necklace the other girls got, it is kind of lame even if it was about his heritage.

Screw turquoise and perfume.  On the aftershow, Michael said his gifts to his runaway bride were a pair of earrings that he said represented him somehow, and a tennis bracelet.  All the women gasped, "A tennis bracelet?!?"  I think the boy has coin.

I liked that he kept the sword.

[Empress1]

I hope Michael got those gifts back!

I think he works in tech sales, so he could make a good living.

[redpencil]

5 hours ago, Ilovepie said:

And Becca and Austin - I think that might be my favorite meet at the alter moment on this show. Her joy and his crying. So cute and sweet! I would never choose her dress, but it suits her personality and I would steal that pink furry jacket in a heartbeat! If any couple has a chance this season, I think it's them. Loved the little extra kiss before the champagne! And both couple's vows were thoughtful and lovely. Imagine that!

Same. I even rewatched it multiple times! From the moment she entered the room, I think her whole vibe put everyone at ease, and I think that's partly what got him emotional. I really, really hope they make it.

On Michael, I do think most of the shots of the bride were re-enactments, including the conversation with Michael. But all the shots after she left of him with his friends/family felt genuine, so I think the rest was real. I kind of loved his friends, which makes me feel positively toward him, too.

[LuvMyShows]

22 hours ago, kikicat said:

Emily wins best wedding gown for this season, IMO.

Totes agree.

20 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I had high hopes for Becca given that she's a wedding photographer and has seen hundreds of wedding gowns, but this was a disappointment.  I think she has seen too many wedding gowns and was tired of all the typical styles so she wanted to be different and comfortable since her midsection is sensitive from surgery.  I understand it but I think she could have picked something more flattering.

Her dress really did not look good on her, except when she spun around. And given what she said about needing it to not be tight around her stomach because of her surgery, it actually looked very tight.

20 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I think Becca and Austin may actually be too much alike and might get on each other's nerves.  All that know him say he's such a great guy but I have my reservations based on nothing but a hunch.  I hope he is for her sake.  He'd better get used to being alone on the weekends with her career as a wedding photographer.

I have reservations too. He really seems like such a bro' at times, but he redeemed himself with how emotional he got at the altar...maybe he's a good guy after all!

 

20 hours ago, Yeah No said:

But Clare not getting the Kiwi reference bugged me because it was just so obvious.  She didn't even get what the stuffed animal was at all and jumped to the conclusion that it was some kind of weirdo thing.  That didn't speak well of her.  I don't have much hope for them.

OK, so I know what a kiwi bird is, but I would never have thought that it meant he was a "kiwi". I would have really wondered what that was about, and maybe figured it meant he was really into birds?  I know that in his note he wrote something about the bird taking a trip across the ocean, but that still wouldn't make me think it was paralleling his own journey. He should have just written something in the note that either explained it or turned it into kind of a fun mystery, but he did neither. I don't blame her for being confused, but her disdain was not cool.

14 minutes ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

On the aftershow, she said Brennan drank a lot less than she did at the wedding, which makes me wonder if he has a "thing" about drinking given that he chose in their introductory chat to tell her his dad drinks vodka instead of water.  We shall see. 

I usually don't have high hopes for a couple where both like to drink, but Stephanie and AJ seemed to enjoy drinking quite a bit a they're still together.  But I generally have even lower hopes for couples whose drinking preferences don't match.

He only mentioned that thing about his father, because  one of the very first things that wino/lush Emily asked him after they were married, was "Does your family party?" WTF kind of a first question is that? I don't think that he drinks much.

[Alicethegoon]

I wonder if Cameron is a left over from MAFS Australia. I think He mentioned he hadn’t been to Denver long so I just wonder if he packed up specifically to be on the Denver show. 

[Yeah No]

17 hours ago, Empress1 said:

Alyssa didn’t back out after the wedding; she said frequently that she “could have left but didn’t,” like she thought she deserved a prize. She made no secret of the fact that she hated her husband (whose name I can’t recall) but her husband was the one to call it quits and say he wanted a divorce. She was dabbing her eyes pretending to be sad about it.

Alyssa would have backed out after the wedding, but I'm figuring that when she talked to the lawyers she found out how she couldn't legally get out of the terms of the contract without a long drawn out (and expensive) legal battle, and that she would still be forced to pay a fine. And then when she found out how much she would have to pay, she changed her tune and fake-acted like she wanted to give the marriage the "ol' college try", which her spouse and the rest of the world knew was BS, and which prompted him to be the one to call it quits.  Then she found out that even after that she could still appear on the show, which was all she probably needed to do to either reduce or eliminate the fine she faced.

The difference between a case like Alyssa's and Michael's case is

a) that Michael's bride wanted to back out prior to the wedding  and

b) she was willing and able to pay the entire fine.

Both of those things may have made it possible for her to get out of the contract and opt out of having any footage of herself taken to that point appear on the show.  But Alyssa went through with the wedding so I'm thinking that's why she changed her tune after speaking to lawyers because it would have been much harder for her to get out of the contract after going through with the wedding without a legal battle and hence spending a lot more money.  

Edited October 27, 2023 by Yeah No

[Booger666]

So far I’m liking all the cast members except Emily.  And whoever gave her a spray tan must hate her as much as her so called friends.  The juxtaposition of Emily’s friends and Becca’s friends was interesting.  I also find it odd Cameron has been here 10 years and seems to have acquaintances instead of true friends.  His gift was one note and immature (“I’m a kiwi!”), rather than something she would appreciate or about them as a couple.  Think they will flame out quickly.

From the after party: Micheal said he kept the crown and sword (good on him) and he got her very nice gifts (one was a diamond bracelet) which she returned.  He would be open to talking to her for closure if that’s what she wanted.  Becca said the “sex vixen” comment from her friend was because she thought the other things said about Becca were serious and she wanted to lighten the mood since Becca is a fun person.

[Starlight925]

I, too, would have not understood the kookaburra stuffed animal without a good explanation, which it doesn't sound that Cameron gave.

She only read a few lines from his letter, though, which looked like it had a lot more content, so I'm wondering if he did explain it further, but production want to "fool us" by making it seem that it's off and that she, too, may not make it down the aisle.  Hence, the drama-filled drumroll of having to wait till next week.

Sounds like he said this kiwi flew thousands of miles, and then she stopped reading.  I'd bet he explained that the "kiwi" is him, and that he flew thousands of miles to marry her.  If that's the case, it really would have been cute for her to walk down the aisle with it, or at least have her maid of honor walk with it.

Her sisters seem awful though, so I'm sure they are envious of the tennis bracelet the other gal was supposed to have gotten.

[Empress1]

56 minutes ago, Starlight925 said:

Her sisters seem awful though

I’m dreading seeing how they’re going to treat Cameron.

[JenE4]

On 10/26/2023 at 8:27 AM, Empress1 said:

My theory is that she paid whatever the breach of contract fee is. She can’t sue them; what would she sue them for? She literally signed up to be filmed and have her face/likeness used however they see fit. We’ve seen couples call it quits early but continue to film because they’re contractually obligated to and can’t afford whatever the breach of contract penalty is. My guess is that she paid it; I can’t imagine any other way out. She can decline to be aired all she wants but if she signed the contract, production doesn’t have to pay her any mind.

I think that’s also why they used a voiceover when she walked down the aisle - because they totally did. They didn’t use her face or likeness. Hell, they could have thrown a PA in a gown and made her do it. What I don’t get is why they used the story at all - the could have edited Michael out and said there are only four couples and we’d never know the difference.

Michael was very gracious in the face of all that. He called it a failure but I don’t think it is. It’s nothing he did; it was all her. He seems like a good guy. His friends clearly love him, which is a good sign.

Loved Lauren’s line about promising to stay curious about Orion. It reminded me of Gregory’s line on Abbott Elementary about wanting to know why Janine likes stuff. And her hair looked gorgeous. I think they could work; I think they’re approaching it from a place of friendship first, which I think is the best approach.

Clare looked beautiful with softer makeup - she has a hard face and her preferred makeup look with the bright pink lip makes her look harder. She and Cameron aren’t a match though.

Can we please just put all the gown shopping in one episode and the weddings in another? Or skip outfit shopping altogether? I read my book during those scenes; I just don’t care.

That’s interesting. I didn’t know there was a breach of contract fee. I had assumed the opposite that they were “punishing” her to keep people from applying to this show to parlay into fame, attention, and social media followers. Especially after Alyssa who thought they could just live in the apartments separately and just film with the rest of the cast—uh, that’s not why you’re here. I assumed this woman just thought she could get some attention and dip out before having to get married. But count me amongst those shocked that the sword and bejeweled crown were all her idea! It made me think, damnit, maybe the matchmakers really did somehow find the perfect match for Michael—and now they’ll never know. I mean, what are the chances that this woman would not only appreciate how “extra” he is but even top the level of extraness that he hadn’t even thought to bestow upon himself?!

Speaking about evenly matched levels, I also thought Becca and Austen seemed well-matched in their level of playfulness. I think either one of their personalities could end up wearing on an introverted partner—they were each somewhat exhausting for me to just to watch on TV, but I think they will really get a kick out of each other. I can see them laughing, playing Nintendo, and just genuinely enjoying life together. I think the biggest drawback is I assume he has a 9-5 kind of job, while she’ll be off working every weekend, so that work-life balance as a partnership will be difficult.

I also was pleasantly surprised to see how well Orion and Lauren seemed to connect right off the bat. I had assumed if anything they would be a slow burn and would have to get to know each other before finding commonality to build on, but they both seemed to be attracted to each other and thought they were well-suited right off the bat.

Granted, they’re giving us disastrous cliffhanger vibes with Clare and Cameron, so they have a lot to overcome upon meeting from the viewers’ perspective. I do think they’ll likely find each other attractive, and her big family will seem attractive to him from his lack of family perspective. But I feel like I really don’t know anything about their personalities yet beyond “I am a Scottish quadruplet whose brother died” and “I am a lonely New Zealander who has no family here aside from my mom’s friend.”

As for Emily and Brennan, I feel like he’s going to be a good sport for as long as possible but eventually he won’t be able to put up with her unique level of loud, drunken antics. It looks like her “friends” will be working overtime next week to scare him off or forewarn him—or both. Right now, I almost give Michael and his runaway queen better chances than these two. 

[Rightside]

I'm not paying very good attention to these couples!

What did they say about the match for Michael when they were matching the couples? 

In the past, they show a few potential matches and then pick one of them.

 

[Retired at last]

32 minutes ago, JenE4 said:

But count me amongst those shocked that the sword and bejeweled crown were all her idea! It made me think, damnit, maybe the matchmakers really did somehow find the perfect match for Michael—and now they’ll never know. I mean, what are the chances that this woman would not only appreciate how “extra” he is but even top the level of extraness that he hadn’t even thought to bestow upon himself?!

Maybe she watched last season and wanted to see how far he would go for her, like when Nicole "made" Chris wear that dinosaur costume that he swore he would never do again?

I think I tried to watch this episode, but fell asleep.

[JenE4]

1 hour ago, Rightside said:

I'm not paying very good attention to these couples!

What did they say about the match for Michael when they were matching the couples? 

In the past, they show a few potential matches and then pick one of them.

 

You didn’t miss it. Absolutely nothing. She was completely edited out of this show, so they never told us anything about her or anyone they were considering for Michael.

[StatisticalOutlier]

Can someone tell me what the pink thing is that Lauren has near the outer edge of each upper eyelid?  It looks like a piercing!?!?!?

[JenE4]

1 hour ago, StatisticalOutlier said:

Can someone tell me what the pink thing is that Lauren has near the outer edge of each upper eyelid?  It looks like a piercing!?!?!?

I thought it was some blinged-out fake lashes.

[StatisticalOutlier]

5 hours ago, JenE4 said:

I thought it was some blinged-out fake lashes.

Hmm.  I don't know.  My TV isn't good enough to get a real good look at the object, but it looked like it curved around the lash line, and was shiny like it might be metal.

[candall]

On 10/25/2023 at 8:02 PM, Crashcourse said:

...

I hate Becca's gown, and also those clunky brown shoes.

 

Oy, the SHOES!  Clare had the ugliest shoes I've ever seen on a bride.  Tan faux leather, tiny ankle strap over a big square clunky heel.  Ladies, please, God made eggshell peau de soie pumps for one reason only.

 

Michael, bless your heart, I was so sad for you (re-created or not.)  But honey, you have to work with me a little bit, because I think you know you are a LOT.  Really unfortunate skin (which he couldn't do anything about except maybe cut down on the unappealing oily/sweaty sheen with a bit of blotting powder) and a crazy hair style, and then he tops off the whole hippie ren-faire look with that nutty crown perched at a jaunty angle?

But, as someone noted above, it would've been very cool if the bride had twirled in looking like some kind of far out matching ren faire Guinivere, complete with crown.

 

The bridal party was rude and snarky (and dumb) about the kiwi, but come on, she got a weird stuffed animal toy from her new husband as her wedding gift.  I would be having serious misgivings if that were my introduction to my new, ahem, soulmate.  "There better be a secret pocket in this thing with my tennis bracelet."

 

It's a shame Lauren didn't wear her turquoise necklace gift.   Her neckline could have handled it and the pendant she was wearing even had a blue stone in it.  I thought Orion talking about his spirit ancestors approving of the turquoise meant specifically at the wedding.  (But maybe not.)

[Crashcourse]

5 minutes ago, candall said:

Oy, the SHOES!  Clare had the ugliest shoes I've ever seen on a bride.  Tan faux leather, tiny ankle strap over a big square clunky heel.  Ladies, please, God made eggshell peau de soie pumps for one reason only.

Ugly, clunky heeled shoes are the rage now--and don't get me started on those ugly platform things.  I have a hard time finding decent-looking shoes now.

[Elizzikra]

Quote

then he tops off the whole hippie ren-faire look with that nutty crown perched at a jaunty angle?

It was a gift from the (runaway) bride, so I give him a pass on that.

Quote

Ugly, clunky heeled shoes are the rage now--and don't get me started on those ugly platform things. 

If you're going for height though, platforms are awesome because they are easier to walk in than regular heels and also more comfortable. I wore flats to my wedding though, so I'm all about the comfort.

Quote

It's a shame Lauren didn't wear her turquoise necklace gift.   Her neckline could have handled it and the pendant she was wearing even had a blue stone in it. 

Even if she didn't wear it as a necklace, she could have wrapped it around the base of her bouquet or worn it as a bracelet. I thought it was a shame that she didn't work it into her outfit somehow though I could understand how maybe it didn't work with the dress.

[princelina]

On 10/27/2023 at 12:41 PM, JenE4 said:

That’s interesting. I didn’t know there was a breach of contract fee. I had assumed the opposite that they were “punishing” her to keep people from applying to this show to parlay into fame, attention, and social media followers. Especially after Alyssa who thought they could just live in the apartments separately and just film with the rest of the cast—uh, that’s not why you’re here. I assumed this woman just thought she could get some attention and dip out before having to get married.

That's what I thought too!  Alyssa was certainly ready to "be on tv", just not with a homely dude with bad teeth 😄

My main interest is Lauren and Orion - they seem like overly interesting people, and if they can be as interested in another person's culture as they are in their own they should get along great!  I do not find Orion attractive, but he has a lovely smile and I can see where his looks could grow on you.  And his hair is awful, so pulling it back in the bun was an improvement.  And Lauren even liked the earrings!  In this case it seems like the "experts" did a good job matching personalities at least.

I just finished watching the show because I was out of town all weekene, and it really strikes me how this show is tailor-made for narcissists.  Every week we get another montage of them blabbing on about their life, and what kind of person they are, and what they like . . .😴. Then they get together with their friends who only want to talk about them, and what they're feeling, and what kind of person they are, etc. etc. etc.  I'm so thankful for my fast-forward button!!!