Fans of Married At First Sight often wonder whether the couples are legally wed, but the answer depends on the version of the show. In the UK and Australian formats, the ceremonies are not legally binding, while the US version features real marriages.
For the Australian series, a Channel 9 representative explained that to comply with the Marriage Act, which requires one month and one day's notice, a legal marriage is not conducted. Instead, participants take part in a commitment ceremony with a celebrant, with the intention of fully committing for the duration of the experiment. At the end, they can choose to continue or part ways.
The UK version followed the same legal marriage format for its first five series, resulting in real divorces for most couples. However, from 2021 onwards, producers switched to the Australian approach, replacing legal marriages with commitment ceremonies. Celebrant Kelly Hawes, who appeared on the show, confirmed in a TikTok video that couples do not register a legal marriage, describing it as a commitment ceremony to avoid adding to divorce statistics.
In contrast, the US version does feature legally recognised weddings. According to People magazine, contestants sign a pre-nuptial agreement to provide safeguards and receive support with potential divorce costs.
