"Five weeks into its 11th season, which is set in New Orleans, the show still plays as a social experiment — the marriages are arranged by relationship experts — but its consequences are real enough," says Hank Stuever of the Lifetime reality show. "The five couples did indeed get legally married earlier this year, in ceremonies at a nice downtown hotel that were attended by a smattering of friends and family members (some guests are still horrified enough to boycott). The weddings featured all of the trappings: the dress, the flowers, the tuxedos, the reception, the corny toasts, the dancing, the rose petals sprinkled across the plush white bedding in the honeymoon suite. The show's concept, as advertised, holds firm: None of the brides and grooms have ever met, even though this season featured two surprising cracks in the veneer: One of the brides, Karen, told producers she saw a text revealing the name of her husband-to-be, Miles, hours before she would walk down the aisle and meet him — long enough to scour Miles's social media accounts and determine that he's not really her type. She decided to go through with it anyhow."
TOPICS: Married at First Sight, Lifetime, Reality TV