‘Married at First Sight’ Season 10 Honeymoons Go from Ultimate Bliss to Irrevocable Breakups

ByTresa Patterson
Katie and Derek MAFS Instagram

It seems that more than one among the five Married at First Sight brides and grooms who held such starry-eyed hopes for forever love in Season 10’s Washington DC matchmaking visit are waking up to some crushing realities on their Panama honeymoons.  Before Season 10, Married at First Sight couples could at least be assured of few lovely memories as man and wife on romantic honeymoons, but in this week’s January 29 episode, “Trouble in Paradise,” the heartbreak unbearably penetrates the small screen.

Three couples, however, find their way to newly-wedded bliss, even after some stumbles.  Viewers willing to stay away from the early leaks on social media and in the headlines still have some happy moments to savor, and certainly, couples to root for in hoping love takes root.

Katie and Derek can’t wait to get closer on ‘Married at First Sight’

Katie Conrad and Derek Sherman have fans swept up in their Married at First Sight story of youthful love. The pair have so much in common that they poke at one another to find differences, such as favorite seasons.  Over breakfast, they even connect over their passion for cheese.

Derek steps up to help Katie with the first insulin injection since being her husband, and the task didn’t daunt him one bit.  The pair spent the day at the pool, and Derek planned a yummy chocolate surprise for his bride’s birthday.  He blindfolded her as she brought her into their suite, with a trail of rose petals leading to a spread of chocolate and sweet treats on the bed.   When Derek tells Katie that he is glad she is the one who walked down the aisle, and how they were strangers only two days ago, she replies, “we’re not anymore” giving him kisses.

Katie had already declared that cozy birthday intimacy was on her celebration list.  She and Derek did not disappoint, announcing via video that they had consummated their vows and letting the other Married at First Sight pairs know that they have progressed beyond “kisses and struggles.”  “He’s making me feel some kinda way,” Katie confessed.  Derek didn’t say he had fallen in love with the guys, but every Married at First Sight fan knows it already.  The test will be how strong he can stay when the storms of real-life hit.

Meka and Michael wake up in separate spaces

It was Derek who said last week that Meka and Michael looked like they were forced to take a vacation together when the couples arrived in Panama.  Prospects didn’t get any better the next day.

After last week’s conflict over Michael’s on-camera image vs. Meka’s account of his off-camera conversation regarding their intimacy, Meka is dismayed to wake up alone on her first honeymoon morning.  “This marriage could end in divorce,” she echoes.  Married at First Sight expert, Pastor Cal Roberson, called to counsel the couple, emphasizing that friendship had to be the first step in coming out of their rift.  He encouraged taking intimacy off the table for now, and simply “trying to have a good time and get to know one another.”

Michael said he wanted to see his wife and “fix this” but he didn’t try very hard.  Meka was alone for most of the pool get-together, and the other couples were clearly shocked that things had gone “so bad, so soon” as Katie put it.  At the evening dinner, all of the grooms saw that Michael wasn’t wearing his wedding ring.

He told his wife that he wanted to take a step back at friendship and establish that level before wearing the token of a lifetime bond.  In turn, Meka took her ring off, too.  She lamented that she knew her Married at First Sight decision would be hard, but she never expected it to be “this hard.”  She described having no idea of how to communicate with her spouse, and that she didn’t even “see a pathway” to close communication.  It was truly heartbreaking to see these two side-by-side but ready to give up.

Taylor and Brandon have a bad day but a better night

Taylor Dunklin was trying to be cute when she took a video of her husband snoring but the thing was cute once Brandon Reid woke up.  He literally sprinted to the bathroom, taking off his clothes.  Brandon wouldn’t say a word or respond in any way when Taylor tried to console him.  He put on his salesman’s face for the encounters with the Married at First Sight counterparts, acting as though everything was good.

Later, he told Taylor that her video-making had prompted an anxiety attack.  He told her that he did not know how to broach the subject, being that they had only just met.  She seemed to accept the explanation and they agreed to communicate better.  The two have a fun day visiting native animals– Brandon especially has an affinity for the sloths.  Taylor says she is touched by his gentleness with the creatures.  Brandon plans a romantic bubble bath, and Taylor appears absolutely delighted and anxious for whatever comes next.

Knowing that this marital match is already over, as TV Shows Ace reported, tinges the touching scenes.  The previews of next week seem to show that some of Brandon’s behavior with the production crew gave Taylor more worries.  Things didn’t get easier when the couple came home.

Mindy and Zach make a ‘Married at First Sight’ effort

Fans got relief in seeing Mindy Shiben at least wake up in the same bed next to her husband, Zach Justice.  Clearly, these two have some ground to cover when it comes to trust, vulnerability, and getting to the root of problems. Still, Zach stroked Mindy’s back as she explained that love and attraction have always been beyond the physical for her.  She revealed during Married at First Sight: Unfiltered that Zach had made three comments about not being attracted to his wife on their wedding day, and how she needed affirmation. Heavy reported on some of her anxious conversation on January 29.

Zach certainly knows how to dance around a difficult subject, and he has a veneer that is hard for anyone to dig under.  Reports indicate that he and Mindy are making headway in their relationship now that cameras are gone.  Mindy and Zach seemed to focus on all they had in common during a day of visiting a local indigenous community.  It was fun to see both of them in T-shirts, shorts, and not worrying about perfect hair. Mindy did some straw weaving and they tasted some homemade food.  Mindy teased that she would have to live vicariously through Katie and Derek, but she did report that Zach kissed her to the group, and everyone noticed her beaming smile.

No matter how gorgeous a couple looks, no one succeeds at marriage without huge doses of hard work, forgiveness, and determination not to give up.  If Mindy can let go of comparisons and an image of marital joy and just take things one day at a time, things could get easier.  Zach has to decide if he can see the good person he has married beyond simple attraction.  He definitely is attracted by Mindy’s growing confidence, and she’s getting better at fist-bumps, too.

 

Jessica and Austin still going goofy-strong

Jessica Studer and Austin Hurd have really loved every aspect of their Married at First Sight leap for love so far.  The new bride wasn’t even phased by Austin’s mom or her involuntary facial twitches, and she and her groom are still lapping up every moment together, right down to sharing each other’s dinner plates, as they did during this episode’s couples’ dinner.

At their spa day, Jessica and Austin recovered from their cold spritz in the rain shower with some steamy time smooching in the hot tub.   One of the most touching things of the episode was Austin’s reflection that “you mean I can be myself, right now” on his first day with Jessica at their wedding.  He also described his bride as “home, and a friend” even after she screamed over the darting iguanas at the exhibit.  No couple could ask for more this early on in their Married at First Sight journey.

Bets are that Jessica and Austin have decided not to go into too much detail about what goes on in their bedroom, but clearly, the connection is total.  When they are prodded to share, they smile with knowing looks at each other.  “We’re adults,” Jessica coyly says.  Her husband describes that their “chemistry is there.”  No one says they have to reveal their magic love potion to everyone.

The Married at First Sight ride continues for this couple and the four others next week, and bumps in the road are a sure thing.

Married at First Sight airs Wednesday on Lifetime.

Tresa Patterson
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