Season 5 of "Married at First Sight" premiered on lifetime on Thursday, April 20. Six singles met for the first time at the altar and got married after they were introduced. They are legally married, but they have eight weeks to decide whether to stay married or to get a divorce.
Previous seasons
In the previous four seasons, only three couples out of 12 chose to stay married. In the first season, Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner are still married and expecting a baby. Jason Carrion and Cortney Hendrix are still married. All three couples from Seasons 2 and 3 divorced.
Only Lillian Vilchez and Tom Wilson remained married from Season 4.
The same experts are back from Season 4. However, only Dr. Pepper Schwartz has been with the series for all five seasons. Pastor Calvin Roberson and relationship expert Rachel DeAlton returned for their second season.
The couples
Ashley, 30, works as the general manager at a bar owned by her family. She was matched with Anthony, 32. He is an event management company's sales executive. The newly married couple comes from large Italian families. Before their Wedding, Anthony sent five candied almonds to Ashley that represent wishes for health, wealth, happiness, fertility and longevity. She sent him football tickets. Anthony's friends laughed as they compared the football tickets to the almonds.
Anthony believes he and Ashley were destined to be together because he had a dream that his wife's name would start with the letter "A." He was happy when he was introduced to Ashley at the altar.
Sheila, 30, works for a school district as a director of operations. She married Nate, 25, who is a manager at a car rental agency.
They are both deeply religious. Nate is young, but he says he is ready to be married. The experts thought so as well.
As a newlywed, Sheila is going to have to deal with two big issues. Nate's mother didn't want her son to marry a stranger, and she didn't try to mask her disgust at the wedding or the reception. She would have been against any woman who married her son.
Another thing Sheila is going to have to deal with is that Nate's 17-year-old brother is going to live with the newlyweds, but Nate hasn't told his new wife yet. That might be a deal breaker.
Danielle, 30, is a registered dietician, and her new husband Cody, 26, is a personal trainer. Even though Cody is four years younger, he is emotionally and financially stable and the experts saw him as a good match for Danielle. Cody's 24-year-old brother had tried out for the show, but the experts thought he was not ready for marriage.
Danielle was impressed when Cody explained the meaning of the bow that was on the gift he sent her before the ceremony. It was a piece of material from his deceased grandmother's wedding dress. It was Cody's way of keeping her memory alive and involving her in his wedding.
Watch "Married At First Sight" on Lifetime on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET
