Married At First Sight Australia bride Carina Mirabile was left reeling when he realised she's been on a date with her groom Paul Antoine, just eight months prior to their wedding.
Married At First Sight Australia premiere on Monday night delivered a cringe-worthy moment when French groom Paul Antoine, 30, came face-to-face with bride Carina Mirabile, 31, only to realise they'd previously had a date.
Eight months ago, the duo had gone out together, but their brief romance fizzled after Paul gave Carina the cold shoulder by ghosting her - a revelation that shocked and upset her at their wedding ceremony. The nuptials began with a tender touch as Paul recited his vows in French.
"Avec chaque baton de mon coeur, je te choisis comme ma partenaire," he promised, committing to protecting Carina and nurturing a life brimming with affection.
While his heartfelt declaration charmed the guests, the audience was left stunned when Carina dropped the bombshell about their dating history.
"What are the chances? I know. F sake. Am I gonna get a different guy or what?" an exasperated Carina exclaimed, frustrated by the unforeseen reunion.
She opened up about their brief encounter, saying: "We just FaceTimed and messaged, then went on a hike." Carina also explained why their connection stalled: "We were messaging, and I was going to see him on a Saturday night."
"Then he said he needed to take someone out, and I never spoke to him again. He ghosted me," she revealed.
Confronted with their unexpected past, Paul admitted his surprise recognising their history and acknowledged that he wasn't prepared for commitment back then.
"When we first met, I was in a bit of a pickle because it felt like the right person had come along at the wrong time. I was dealing with some tough stuff with work and family," he revealed.
"I had to let her go, even though I didn't want to. Seeing her now feels like the universe is giving me a second shot."
However, Carina's response to his heartfelt admission wasn't quite what he'd hoped for, as she said: "I wanted to go into this blind, not knowing the person. I'm just so disappointed about the whole situation."
Despite the uncomfortable start, Paul was still filled with optimism. "I want to prove I'm ready for this. She's a great person, and I just hope she's willing to give me another chance," he said.
But Carina's feelings were mixed. "He's saying all the right things, but my guard is up. I don't know if this is genuine or just because of our past," she confessed, keeping viewers anxiously guessing about the pair's future together.
MAFS Australia is launching today in Australia, while a UK release date is yet to be confirmed.
