Married At First Sight groom Steven Danyluk, known as 'Steve O', has opened up about the intense anxiety he experienced during his televised wedding, revealing he feared bride Rachel Gilmore wasn't attracted to him after her uncontrollable laughter at the altar sent him spiralling into self-doubt.
The Awkward Wedding Ceremony
Monday night's episode featured one of the season's most emotionally charged weddings as Steven, a 34-year-old softly spoken marine technician from Sydney, married warm-hearted Melbourne bride Rachel, 35. The ceremony quickly became notable for its palpable tension and awkward moments that left both participants questioning their connection.
Rachel, who had been single for 14 years following a seven-year situationship that left her feeling hidden and unchosen, arrived at the altar visibly nervous. She immediately broke into fits of laughter upon seeing her groom, a reaction that Steven initially misinterpreted as potential mockery rather than nervous excitement.
Steven's Crippling Nerves
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail after the episode aired, Steven revealed just how overwhelmed he was on the wedding day and why he froze during crucial moments. 'It was very surreal, daunting, confronting and super sweet,' he said of watching the episode back. 'It brought back memories of the actual day. I loved it.'
Steven admitted his nerves were already at breaking point before Rachel even appeared. 'I was nervous as anything. I was about to hit the deck,' he confessed. 'I was breathing heavily, my heart wanted to be on the outside, my mouth was dry.'
He revealed he had meticulously rehearsed the perfect introduction repeatedly in his head. 'I was going over it, thinking, "Hello, my name is Steve. You look beautiful. How are you feeling?"' he explained. 'And I screwed it all up.'
The Laughter That Triggered Insecurity
When Rachel walked down the aisle smiling and laughing, Steven said it instantly threw him off balance. 'The laughter happened almost immediately before I could even say hello,' he recalled. 'At the time I thought, "Oh dear God, what's going on here?"'
While Rachel's laughter eventually helped calm his nerves, Steven admitted his mind briefly went to a dark place. 'For a brief moment, I started to think, "Is she laughing at me? Is this a joke? Is this match a joke?"' he revealed. 'That's just my silly head running wild, but it did go through my mind.'
Years of Dating Rejection Resurfaced
Steven explained that years of dating rejection fed into his anxiety, along with a specific fear about Rachel's reaction to seeing him. 'One thing I had going through my head was, what if she has this big smile, and then she looks at me and it turns into a frown?' he said. 'That was playing on my insecurities.'
Despite planning to compliment Rachel at the altar, Steven completely froze in the moment. 'I definitely dropped the ball on that one,' he admitted. 'Watching it back, hindsight's a wonderful thing. That's one of the first things I would've done.'
The Emotional Fallout
The cracks soon emerged after the ceremony when Steven failed to compliment Rachel on her appearance at the altar or during the early part of the reception. This omission left Rachel quietly hurt and questioning whether he found her attractive, triggering old wounds from her previous relationship experiences.
The issue eventually surfaced in an emotional conversation, with Steven apologising and reassuring Rachel that he was attracted to her. This moment proved crucial in helping soothe years of built-up insecurity for both participants.
'Oh yeah, of course,' Steven said when asked if he wished he'd spoken up sooner about his attraction to Rachel. 'Rachel later admitted the lack of reassurance triggered old wounds - something I now deeply regret.'
A Turning Point at the Altar
Steven revealed that holding Rachel's hand at the altar was the moment his panic finally eased. 'That drained all the nerves out of me,' he explained. 'I felt comfortable around Rachel. There was something about her energy where I felt like, "It's going to be okay".'
He also shared that his family was initially unsure about Rachel, particularly during the giggling episode, but quickly warmed to her as the night progressed. 'My brother and sister-in-law said, "Nah, she's a good person",' Steven recalled. 'I started to see that too. Rachel's got a good heart and she's kind.'
Reflecting on the Experience
The groom, who has been single for more than a decade, said going on Married At First Sight felt like a very 'him' thing to do. 'I always seem to do things the hard way,' he noted. 'If there's an abstract way to do something, that's usually what I do.'
He added that friends would not have been surprised by his decision. 'If you asked my friends how I'd end up getting married, they'd say Married At First Sight,' he revealed.
Steven also acknowledged the show's portrayal of him as awkward and shy was not entirely inaccurate. 'I can be a bit awkward. A bit of a goofball. Bit of a clown,' he admitted. 'Somewhat accurate.'
Looking Forward
As for what viewers can expect from him and Rachel moving forward, Steven said they are still finding their feet. 'We're two genuine human beings trying to work things out,' he explained. 'We're both nervous, we've both got vulnerabilities, and we're trying to navigate that.'
While he wouldn't be drawn on future drama, Steven hinted his journey may still surprise viewers. 'You don't really know what you're going to get with me,' he said. 'I don't even know what I'm going to blurt out half the time.'
Embracing the Imperfections
Looking back, Steven said the awkwardness of the wedding is now something he values. 'It was unpolished and a little bit messy and I wouldn't want it any other way,' he reflected. 'All the funny moments, goofy moments, laughs and fails, I would not change them.'
Despite the rocky start, Steven insists he wouldn't change how their wedding unfolded. 'We're all human at the end of the day,' he concluded. 'And looking back now, even the giggling, it's a good thing.'
The couple's journey continues to unfold on Married At First Sight, with viewers watching closely to see if their initial awkwardness transforms into genuine connection or becomes another casualty of the high-pressure experiment.
