After five tough weeks for our newlyweds,... Why aren't you two matched? Why don't you two just get married? ...the final therapy sessions... We're in such a great frame of mind. It's... Yeah, it's pretty awesome. ...had some laying everything on the table... AARON: Trust and loyalty, which are two massive things for me ` both of those have been kind of shattered. Kind of deal breaker-y things, like, if you mess those two things up, I don't really want a bar of you. ...and others wondering where their relationship was heading. Do you feel you still have the same level of commitment? I guess time will tell. Tonight, total commitment dates... This is D-Day, a final hoorah. ...reveal hidden emotions. ANDREW: Like, we get on so well now. If we get along like frickin' peas and carrots, we should fall in love. ANGEL: You wonder, 'Is he feeling the same way?' Like, has something changed for him? But after a week apart,... Maybe we can get married someday. ...who will stand up for their marriage? BRETT: I don't really want to be with someone that doesn't want to be with me 110%. So I don't wanna waste too much of my energy. And who will be left broken? Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017 ...with Jay-Jay, Dom and Randell for breakfast on The Edge ` bringing you Married At First Sight NZ. (CHEERING, APPLAUSE) PANI: Several weeks ago, we used psychology and relationship expertise to match these couples. Hi, how are ya? Nice to meet you, Vicky. You look beautiful. PANI: Since then, they've gone through challenges that most couples would experience over a number of years. Bungee! Whoo! (LAUGHS) (BOTH LAUGH) You lied to me and to all of my friends and family. I never lied to anyone. AARON: I have four weeks to decide if I'm going to drop my entire (BLEEP)ing life for you. She's the one telling me she wished she's matched with me, not me. Mate. She's saying Haydn messaged her. Haydn is saying Vicky messaged him. I'm (BLEEP)ing sick of it. Dom and I have decided to split. We've made the right decision, so... gone. DOM: If I could've turned the clock back, I would. I'm going to be forever regretful, wondering what could have happened. With just one week left in the experiment, the couples have planned a final date before they spend a week apart. Don't get it in the cup. (LAUGHS) Final date is the last opportunity for all of our couples to have a bit of alone time and to actually have a conversation around challenges that are going on. How long is the ferry ride over? I think it's like 35, 40 minutes. PANI: It's crucial for our couples not to leave anything unsaid. It's time to really put their hearts on the line. Have you done it before? No. TONY: It's a real opportunity for each individual to really put their final sales pitch out there, to really show the best version of them and to also really explore whether or not the person that they have been matched with is the right one for them going forward. Maybe another bush bath. (LAUGHS) They're moving towards having to make that decision ` are they going to stay committed to this relationship and committed to the process? (PING-PONG BALL CLACKS) (HOPEFUL STRING MUSIC) No, I wanna do one more. Do another one. All right. NARRATOR: Ben and Aaron's final date is on Waiheke Island. Waiheke is my favourite place to go in probably the entire country. Um, doing my favourite activity, which is wine, and yeah, it would be nice to just obviously spend the last day with Aaron. I think it will be good for us. AARON: Knowing that it's going to be sort of the last few hours together before the big break, I'm sure we're both going to have some things that we need to bring up and put out on the table and make really clear. Down for a sea kayak? Definitely not. Not today, Satan. This is D-Day, and, you know, those things need to be brought out. So I'm sure there's going to be some things that are uncomfortable to talk about. So, yeah. Vicky and Andrew's date is about to get wet and wild. I love white-water rafting. It's fun. We both quite like doing adventurey-type things. (BOTH LAUGH) (GENTLE MUSIC) Forward paddle! It's cool because we can just do something fun that we are both going to enjoy. ANDREW: Vicky and I totally wanted to be doing stuff like this. We love the relaxing stuff, but this is way more up our alley. It's probably going to be the best thing for us. You've got to have friendship, and you've got to do stuff that's, you know, going to build the bond. Brett and Angel's date is a day at Muriwai beach. ANGEL: One more day, babes. But the thought of a week apart is already affecting their mood. Brett Stephen Renall. (YAWNS) Don't like 'babes'. Yeah, I know. That's why I said Brett Stephen Renall. You said it before. It's not normal for people and couples to spend this much time together. You know, marriage and a relationship, you spend time apart, and that's normal. I feel like I've been to so many beaches, eh. You know, a week apart could be really good. We're about to go past where we got married. This is the first time we've been out these ways pretty much... since the big day. Just cos of the bubble we've been in, the life that we had in the apartment and, like, all these trips we did together, you wonder ` is he feeling the same way? Like, has something changed for him? On Waiheke Island, Ben is feeling good about the day he has planned with Aaron. BEN: We've done a lot of things that Aaron is always doing. Nice to meet you. Hello, guys. Ben. Nice to meet you. I'm Aaron. Hey, Aaron. I'm Fi. It's kind of good to finally do something that I enjoy doing. Aaron's not that much of a wino, so it's really good to, you know, get him on that wine tasting. This is fairly tannic, OK? So this is going to dry your mouth out. This is the first day in my life that I've drunk red wine. (LAUGHS) It's fine. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to ease you into it. You sook. Hey, I've tried something new. I thought I'd hate it. Blackcurrant. I like it more than I thought I would. My favourite is definitely this one. What do you think was your least favourite? Probably this. Yeah, of the reds. Yeah. Oddly enough, like, I think, like, the opposite taste in wine kind of, I suppose, illustrates our opposite taste in everything. We are very different people. We are like opposites in every single way. Pinot Gris is my least favourite. Pinot Gris, your least favourite. Really? Just too sweet? Too sweet. It's like drinking sugar in a cup. I just don't like it. (LAUGHTER) Obviously, the biggest road blocks we've had in our relationship is I'm not A) attracted to Aaron, B) we have nothing in common and C)... our location. Obviously, my partner had to live in Auckland. I'm not moving anywhere. So, Aaron, he has to move here. Even though you guys ` most favourite and least favourite... Interchange, yeah. Interchange. There's compromise everywhere. There's compromise in life, in relationship, in wine, in what's for dinner. So, um, all through, yeah. Keep on exploring the styles of wine you may or may not like and surprise each other as well. I'd like us to compromise and actually sort some stuff out, but it's hard to figure out where to draw that line and say, 'Actually, you know what? This is on you.' Vicky and Andrew's relationship has been a bumpy ride, but today, they're enjoying their final date. He looks like he's having a really fun time, yeah. He's very dramatic, (LAUGHS) but it's his first time, so of course, it's going to be, but it's quite funny. (LAUGHS) He's entertaining. I'll definitely give him that. It's a little bit sad, isn't it? Like, having our last day together before we have a week apart. I'm actually having, like, a mean-as time. Oh, she's a total babe, and I'm just like 'wah!' (LAUGHS) It's been really cool actually, being able to do an actual activity. It's so much easier just to even talk to him. The only thing I didn't like was the, um` when the water just goes all on my face. That was probably the funniest thing. (LAUGHS) Seeing her get pummelled, it was great. (LAUGHS) And I mean it in a nice way, like, it was hilarious. I just got my eyelashes done, (LAUGHS) and I didn't want the water to ruin them. It was just good to see her having a good time as well, and I was having a great time, but whether that can become more or not, it's just seeing where we go in six months or whatever. But right now, I'm just going to take a step back and just have some fun. (TENSE PERCUSSIVE MUSIC) On their date at Muriwai beach, Brett's life is in the hands of an Angel. ANGEL: Are you nervous? BRETT: Oh,... help me, God. (ANGEL LAUGHS) Whoa, whoa, yeah. Remember, it's quite slippery. See, no, you are going way too quickly. Like, if you go any quicker than that, you'll lose control. She's got a real lead foot, eh? Like, she's got no fear, that girl, eh. Yeah, no, way too quick. Way too quick. A bit, you know, like, 'Uhh!' (CHUCKLES) Slow down, slow down, slow down. Brake, brake, brake. (LAUGHS) Definitely was good after Angel's driving to, you know, sit down and calm my heart beat, yeah. Yeah, not to sound like a grandad, but yeah, you've gotta be real careful, eh. This is the last opportunity the couples have to work through any of the issues before the commitment ceremony. Were you actually scared? Yeah, you were going` You were pretty out of control. (LAUGHS) It's crucial for our couples not to leave anything unsaid. It's the last opportunity for the participants to express their romantic feelings. To Ben. No, no. To Ben! No. Why not? It's not how this works. All right go, just go. 29 days being married to the most difficult person on the planet. (LAUGHS) To Ben. Yes! All right, to Ben. Yeah, I mean, it's been a good day. We've had a few wines, been able to just sit down and relax. Four weeks in and we're still here. We're still together, and we're still planning on being together. The biggest challenge we have ahead of us comes down to, like, physical attraction and, like,... dare I say it, my sex life. It's very, very important to me. A big part of my life at the moment is my career. For me to move up here, I would need a 100% commitment that I would be able to finish my studies here, which is two years in New Zealand. Living here for another two years, that's awful. I want to move, like, now. There's nothing exciting. There's nothing new. There's nothing interesting, and literally, like, we are in the prime of our lives. Hang on ` nothing exciting, nothing interesting in Auckland? I've got a life as well. I've got goals, and I've got things that I want to do. I have an idea of what I'm going to be doing, and what I don't want to be doing is sitting at home waiting for you to finish, like, an essay. When I'm 30, I'm not going to be as hot as I am. Do you see what I'm saying, like...? Uh, yeah. Put yourself in my shoes. You've spent thousands of dollars, hundreds and hundreds of hours for this goal at the end, and if I... don't reach that end goal, I don't get any of it. Put yourself in my shoes. I've spend thousands of hours and thousands of dollars here, and I'm over it. I thought that me dropping my life and moving to Auckland would be enough compromise to be given two years to stay in Auckland. Not the case. Not interested. So, the only other thing I could think of would be doing that post-grad year overseas. I think that would be really good. It just means that if we were to live in Melbourne, obviously, like, I'm around the Pretty Committee and all those guys, so I'm able to... You'd be a happier person! I would be so much happier. Obviously, I am happy we've kind of come to a solution. I'm kind of annoyed that he didn't really, like, think about that in the first place. Like, it's literally been sitting in front of us this entire time. Now that we've got the location thing out of the way, this attraction thing actually all comes down to me. I went to my eyebrow lady, and she was talking about how she had an arranged marriage, and she said to me, she was like, 'Give it a year.' And this is from a person who does my eyebrows. My eyebrows are amazing, so I tend to kind of respect what she says and kind of trust in this person. And she's like, 'In most arranged marriages, there's this kind of, like, rule of thumb 'that you, like, give it a year, and you will become attracted to your husband.' If I can find this attractiveness towards Aaron, then there's still a chance, like, this is going to carry on. I feel like we've put everything into this, you know, like our relationship and our marriage. Like, we've put so much into it already that I don't want to, like, just give up on it. I would like him to have a little bit of peace of mind, if anything. Like, I wouldn't want him to spend that seven days just worrying and nail-biting. We're on a good page, and it's a good start to our week apart, I think, yeah. Chin, chin. Cheers. Cheers. Cheers to a cool day at white-water rafting and our last night in the apartments together. Yep, pretty much. So I guess tonight, being the last night, let's just frickin' have fun. Cut loose. Yeah, yeah, for sure. Let off some steam. We've had a really nice day together considering it's our last day together before we have a week apart. There's been, like, no trouble. There's been no pressure. Yeah, and there's been no pressure, that's what I mean. So I'm kind of like... In hindsight, like, I wish we'd done more fun shit. I wish we hadn't fought so much, like... Yeah, but we were locked up in a flippin' apartment. Yeah. If I was dating Vick, I'd probably be taking her out once or twice a week. That's what you do when you date. You don't just go 24-7, seven days a week. You slowly get to know someone, and who knows where, down the line, it might go. I'm really happy with this. It's great, but I will bring up this one thing that made me interested. You said you got a little bit jealous when you saw those messages ` what brought that up? I found the message in his phone... (LAUGHS) ...to another girl... that said I had a really good (BLEEP) over your photos last night. (LAUGHS) I didn't think I would be jealous, but I am a little bit jealous. So that's weird. I don't know if it was jealousy or if it was just the fact that I was kind of, like, I respect this guy, and he's supposed to respect me, but he's going behind my back, texting other girls while we are married, like, when we're trying to make it work. I'm not going to be a liar and say that I'm perfect ` I'm frickin' not ` but if she'd been a little bit more open and transparent about how she felt, perhaps that wouldn't have happened. We're only brand-new, and if this is happening already when we are only brand-new... (CHUCKLES) INTERVIEWER: Did you realise that she cared that much? No, I didn't realise that. If I had known that, I wouldn't have been saying that to other people. But that's not an excuse. I hope that you can, like, at some point, like, get that respect back cos... Well, I'm sure, at some point. (LAUGHS) We get along so well now. Like, if we get along like frickin' peas and carrots, we should fall in love. Why are we not in love? You're awesome, like I've said that a hundred times. I mean, you're really cool. Obviously, I wanted` like, I've always wanted to take things slow. I've actually enjoyed everything about today. Like, he's a real sweetie. Like, he's real kind. We have a really good laugh together as well. (LAUGHS) Made no sense. I don't know, give everything a chance, I guess. Don't write things off too easily, because you never know. ANGEL: So, we've got our week apart coming up. It's kind of hard to go from living with someone 24-7 to not being able to see them 24-7, I guess. Yeah, I'm going to travel with work and I'm going to spend time away. So, it's not like we're not going to have time apart, you know? Yeah, sure, and that's normal. I've been single for a while, and then to go and have someone there every minute is a massive adjustment. I think I'm the slightly more independent one of the two of us. We got married at first sight, but there's a lot more after that. It's not just like you get married and then it's all easy, eh? 'Yeah, like anything in life, there's always a little bit of doubt.' But nah, I am very thankful to you, Angel. You've been outstanding. You've gone above and beyond. You made me cry. (LAUGHS) Oh. It's pretty hard. You're like, 'Is this too good to be true?' Kind of riding on this wave at the moment, and you feel like it might break or something. It's very confusing in the noggin. NARRATOR: It's the final week of the experiment. Our couples are heading back to their home towns for a week apart with the pressure of their vowel renewals growing stronger. PANI: It's really important for the couples to spend a week apart in this experiment. This is so that they're not influenced by their partner and make a choice that's absolutely right for them. The individuals will certainly be weighing up the highs and the lows and exploring whether or not they're going to commit and renew their vowels or separate. Um, so, I've arrived back in Christchurch and... a bit of a fleeting stop. Are you all right? Hey. Nice to see you. Mum and I are very similar in how we deal with things and how we are, kind of, in relationships and in life. It's quite nice to be able to sit down with her and talk to her about what is going on and what she thinks I should do. All right, so, how's Ben? Give me the goss. Uh,... God, where to start? (LAUGHS) Um, I don't know. It's just been really stressful. Have you got any feelings for Ben at this point in time? Oh, yeah, definitely. Like, I really like him as a person. No intimacy yet, though? No. The issue at this point is he basically said, 'Look, if I was to stay in New Zealand for another two years, 'I would be miserable, and I would be unhappy. You would have to deal with that.' And it's kind of like, well, that's not really a compromise, is it? It's a blackmail. I'm kind of compromising a lot more than him for that move side of thing. So have you looked into how that degree is going to work in Aus? I haven't had a chance yet. Biggest worry about Aaron is making sure that he doesn't compromise who he is and what he wants to be. I still feel like I'm compromising and compromising and then saying, 'Right, here's my line,' and then I'm having to cross that line again. I keep redrawing it. I mean, you did say compromise is one of the big things in a relationship. Yeah. But... it's also... how he makes you feel and how you make him feel. I want him to be the best he can be and I'm` I want him to be happy. To be in love and to be... loved... is to make you and him feel better people. So if you're not making him feel that he is a better person being with you, and you don't feel that you're a better person being with him, then that's not going to work. I don't see it as working. Yeah. I guess I'm just kind of hopeful that once we kind of get back to some normality in life, things are going to start kind of heading more in the right direction. We've talked about it, and we've decided that we are going to stay together, renew our vows and kind of work on things from there. We are willing to give that a shot. Don't compromise your happiness... for the sake... of a ring on your finger. Yeah. As parents, we want the best for our children, and... hopefully the best will be together. (TENSE MUSIC) So, tomorrow is the day where you've got to, like, make your massive decision at the end of this five weeks. Mm. How are you feeling? Um, I am, like, a little bit, like, anxious. What is your gut leaning towards? Like, what are you...? I don't know. I have no idea. If I stayed married with him, it would be, like... it will be great because it will be like, you know, I'll have that companionship and someone to come home to and that kind of thing, which is what I was really after in the first place. And we could` You know, that could be really, really great. I mean, I might` I'd be with him, and I'd be here, and I'd be miserable, though, cos I'd be here in Auckland, so I'd be like, 'Meh.' I think there's the gut instinct to say no and to kind of be single and to be Ben, but there's probably that thing that made him apply for this in the first place, which is that, kind of, need to settle down and for something more than just fun. As a person, I think, you know, it's kind of taught me a lot of things. Like, obviously, to kind of give someone a chance and maybe not necessarily judge them based on their, like, physical appearance off the bat. I think from meeting Aaron to now ` way better place. Like, when I met Aaron, I was like, 'Ugh, no way. No freaking way.' He is becoming, like, more attractive and what I see attractive, so that's good. But like... I think also from meeting him at the wedding and then meeting him several times from then, he's kind of come out of his shell a whole lot more. Like, there are... He's grown other ways as well. Everyone was kind of, you know, 'Stick it out. He might turn out to be quite a decent person,' and he is. So, you know, no, I'm glad I've kind of stuck it out. So, it's kind of where I'm at. I mean, obviously, I'm writing my vows at the moment, and the vows are... really hard to write because I don't know what to say, and I don't know. I don't know where I'm at with... Is it easier or harder to write them again? It's harder. This time it's quite different, because I know Aaron now. I, you know, want to make sure I get it right. I want to nail exactly what I want to say to him and really just round out the last five weeks and be like 'this is how I feel'. OK, so you've got positives, you've got negatives, and now you've got one massive decision to make. (GROANS) Yeah. Come back here and not have her here, it's definitely quieter. Yeah, I think we've spent so much time together, I think this week apart, it's not the worst thing in the world. I skype Angel, and, yeah, it's definitely, um, makes it very real. ANGEL: It's pretty intense. Don't want to waste too much of my energy being worried about her and that, cos I can't do much. Long time no see, mate. How are you? Yeah, all right. Where's your wife? Come on, give me a wee hug. Hug it out. Mike, Geoff and Damo, they are guys that I regularly catch up with and have yarns and were at my wedding and stuff. So, yeah, I'm catching up with them. Yeah, it's been full on, eh. Um, yeah, we've had our honeymoon, and, yeah, she's been all go. It's been good, though. I've loved it, eh. It's been full on. It's definitely a bit faster in Auckland than down here in Lincoln. So, pleased to be home? Yeah, this is the quietest bar I've been in for a while. (LAUGHTER) Yeah, nah, it feels great to be here and to tell the boys it's nearly over. So, she's happy to move down here? Yeah. So, can she do what she does from down here? Nah, nah. Is it a big lifestyle change going from... I don't know if she lived in a town? Wellington. She lived in the city? Yeah. Did she`? Has she just previously lived in cities? Yeah. And now she's moving to Lincoln. It is quite a big decision relocating. She's going to be completely change in her life. Uh, small township also ` everyone knows your name. How's she going to cope with that? Uh, yeah, so guys, I've got to` I've got this big renewal, the vows thing coming up and, um, yeah, you've got any words of advice? Geoff, you're great public speaker. You write some good speeches. Quite the wordsmith. I'd say just be as honest as possible, mate. Like, don't` don't try and sugar-coat anything. Who cares what other people think? As long as you tell Angel exactly what you think, who really cares what other people think, to be honest? I guess my fear is that there might be external pressures. Yeah, there's always a little bit of doubt. I don't want to be naive. That sort of thing leads to heartbreak and being really disappointed. NARRATOR: Our couples have started their week apart, and Angel is finding it tough going. ANGEL: Um, officially started my time apart from Brett. I haven't even heard from him today. I've already lost the plot. Am I texting too much? Like, do I have to rewrite that text three times? (LAUGHS) That's stupid! That's something you usually figure out with someone, you know, in the first few days, but me and Brett have completely skipped that step, like, a mile off. So, you start, like, wondering, you're like, 'Hey,' (GIGGLES) and then you're like, 'Nah, nah, backspace.' And then you're like, 'Hello,' and you're like, 'Oh, that's better.' Two lady grizzles please, tea master. It will be really good to talk to my sister today a little bit more about maybe some fears that I've been having. Maybe she can give me some advice since she's been happily married and has two kids. Long time, no tea, babes. I finally made it to the end of my journey nearly. I know! I can't believe it. There is a lot of fears about this whole scenario. Like, what if this one week apart changes the way he feels about me and he's thinking, 'Oh, well, I don't really want to be with Angel'? (LAUGHS) Did you think I'd make it the whole way through? QUIETLY: Yep. (LAUGHS) It's just a real surreal, weird moment where you wonder if you were just living in a fairy tale and you were Cinderella with that glass slipper or` you know? So, you guys have spent heaps of time together, obviously. It's just been every day. Mm-hm. And now suddenly Brett's not here. It's real bizarre. Yeah. And it's not the usual way a relationship starts. Was it weird waking up this morning and he wasn't there? It is kind of weird, but it almost feels like it's a dream that the whole thing's occurred. It's been so intense. Can you imagine trying to live with that person all day every day? And that's not real life. That's not what it's going to be like once this is all over. You guys were both two independent people as well... Mm-hm. ...before you got into this. I don't even know life before Brett any more. Who was that girl? I've lost her. I've been living in the experiment bubble. It feels like so much like a dream that you wonder... if, like, will his feelings still stay the same? Like, is this... really real? We are at my place in, uh` in the hood. Time apart, you know, a whole week, it can sometimes open your eyes up to what's actually happened and give you a bit more perspective. How do I feel about Vicky? Whether she's the right person or not, I'm still not sure. She's, like, a great chick, and I mean, we get along so well, but I don't always like Vicky. (LAUGHS) It's hard. I mean, shit, we came into this to find love, and it's` When you've got someone else that's become your best mate, it's like... Honestly, my dream world right now is to have a best mate as my partner, especially when you're looking for someone as a partner for the rest of your life. Did you meet Vicky? Yeah, you met Vicky, eh? She's all right. What do you reckon, bro, eh? What should the vows say? Oh, it's been a big road, hasn't it? Yeah. He'll get over it. (CHUCKLES) I'm just happy to be home and have my family and my friends around. I want to talk to them about the whole situation, get their views on things. So, Tor, what's been happening, and how are you feeling? Um, I feel all right. We've got vow renewals at the end of the week, and so that kind of... I think we have to do a little speech to each other and kind of... Just saying what your decision is going to be. Yeah, like, talking a bit about, like` like, the time we've had together and, you know, things like that. So, I mean, I'm a bit` I'm not really sure what to say, because I'm not 100% sure on what my decision is going to be. Right. He does have heaps of amazing qualities, and he is really kind, and, like, he does do a lot of things for me. I do really like Andy, I really do. He gets along with everyone that I've` all of our family that he's met, and, yeah, he just seems like a nice genuine guy. He's a good guy, someone that puts me first. You're on a bit of a break now, aren't you? Yeah, so we've had a couple of days apart. So we get the whole week apart. I think it's good, and it will give them a chance to think things through. Yeah, hopefully the time will be the leveller that they need. Like, we haven't had a chance to really be away from each other properly and kind of miss each other and stuff, so I was interested to see, like, if I'd miss him or if he'd miss me. Are you missing anything? Like, I do miss him. Having this week apart, it's kind of opened my eyes a bit more. It's weird. It's a really weird feeling. I think, like, towards the end of it, we took the pressure off a bit by saying we'll just try as friends and see how we go from there, and, like, during that time, it was` we didn't hardly fight. Yeah, well, friendship is a good place to start a relationship. I think at the end of the day, like, I don't know how much he is into me. I just think he is too worried of telling me because he'll think I'll run away or something. I'm quite lucky to have actually got Andrew, because he's, like... At least you got a nice guy. At least he's, like, genuine. Well, whatever you do decide to do, we'll obviously be behind you 100%, like we have been this whole time, and we'll support you no matter what. Yeah, I guess I've just got a lot of thinking to do. NARRATOR: As our experiment draws to a close, the six remaining participants are on the verge of making their biggest decision yet. This is the point that I could be closing the book on my Wellington chapter. I've never really had a clear gaze and telescope of the future and had any real set plans. It's actually been crazy how much we've learnt about each other. It's hard to not bury every emotion that you're feeling. You almost have to protect yourself to a certain extent. The idea of something going wrong now is probably my worst-case scenario. You think you've conquered the experiment, but it's not yet, is it? It's, like, you've still got the most important part to go. I remember part way through our journey, I thought, 'This is too good to be true.' Was that too good to be true? Does he still feel the same way about me? How can you go and have the same expectations? BRETT: Yeah, it's still very surreal even at this point. It's definitely made me realise how life is full of ups and downs. Like anything in life, yeah, there is always a little bit of doubt, and I don't really want to be with someone that doesn't want to be with me 110%. AARON: Regardless of all the stuff we need to work on and that sort of thing, like, I do miss Ben. I miss his sassy humour, and yeah, like, he better be missing me as well. I hope he is. Writing the vows at the moment are pretty hard, because it's a lot more personal now, and you're really having to sort of dig deep and actually dig into your emotions. You kind of get caught up in all the stuff that you have to work on and the issues between you and that sort of thing, you kind of forget about all the good stuff that's happened. At the end of the day, although we've already talked about how we both kind of plan to stick together at the end of this, for all I know, he could change his mind in the next few days. I'm definitely trying to put my heart on the line, and I think that, if this is going to work, that's what I have to do. So I have to be really open and honest about it all and really say how I feel. BEN: Uh, emotionally, I am pretty` yeah, pretty exhausted. I knew the whole experiment would be, like, a challenge, but I didn't realise it was going to be this hard. We've got the vow renewal coming up. It's kind of hard to reface this as, like` cos I'm still in two minds of what I want to do, and literally, like, it's tomorrow. So it's coming down to crunch time, and I need to make a decision. So writing the vows is quite a hard thing to do, because I'm still not even sure like what I want... out of it. ANDREW: I haven't really spoken to her about it this week, so I don't know how she's feeling. And now I'm kind of thinking, well, maybe it is a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder. At the vow renewal, it would be nice if we can just kind of be level-headed and come out together and say, like, 'Hey, look, let's give it a crack and see what happens.' VICKY: He's completely different to, kind of, anyone I've ever dated before. At least I know that, being with Andy, at least I know that he does actually care about me and caring about my feelings and, like, how other people treat me and things like that. It's kind of opened my eyes a bit more and, you know, maybe the person for me is not the person that I originally thought it would be. NARRATOR: With their week apart over, our couples are heading back to Auckland to make the biggest decisions of their lives. PANI: Several weeks ago, we used psychology and relationship expertise to match these couples. Now we need to know if our couples want to continue with their marriage. The renewal of the vows is actually much more important than the wedding ceremony, as the couples are more invested in one another, and there's much more at stake. TONY: The couples will be feeling anxious going into the vow renewals, because the fear of their partner not wanting to stay with them intensifies. VICKY: I'm a little bit nervous for my vow renewal. I mean, I could lie about it and say that I'm not, but I am. I think everyone is. It's, like` It's a big thing. (SERENE MUSIC) NARRATOR: The time has arrived. Our couples are back in Auckland and will face their partners to begin their lives together... or end their marriages once and for all. BEN: It's the morning of our vow renewal, and I'm feeling very anxious. I feel a little bit sick, actually. My mind changes almost every day on what I'm going to decide and choose. Am I going to stay with him? Am I going to be with him for the rest of my life? Just stressed, stressed as hell. I'm feeling a little bit sick about it, because all of a sudden, I have this huge decision to make. AARON: We've come a long way since day one, and I think it would be a mistake to just kind of give it up now. The whole point of the experiment is to work through stuff, and I don't know why there's so much emphasis on this day in particular being this milestone mark of whether it's going to work or not. It's going to take a lot longer than six weeks to know whether it really is going to work in the future. BEN: I've basically put everything I have into this relationship. I knew it was going to be hard. I didn't know it was going to be this hard. So it's definitely been, like, a huge test. I look at, like, you know, other couples from the experiment who kind of tapped out when things got hard, and, you know, we haven't been without our hard times, but we've never tapped out. The dream is eventually that we find love and` you know, and live happy ever after. I don't want this to end. If we've gotten through all of this, and if we're crazy enough to do this, then we're crazy enough for it to work. I'd say I probably am the one that holds the cards today. Mm. Hey, you. How are ya? How are ya? Nice to see you. You too. How are you doing? Good. Good. You good? Yeah, I'm just, like... I feel more stressed than the wedding day. I know. Me too. Yeah. This is awful. (SIGHS) I hate this. We're good. We're good. Do we start? Is this`? Yeah? OK. (SIGHS) Right. Ben, to say that this journey hasn't been easy would be the understatement of the year. We've been through some tough, some sad and some extremely stressful times, but most importantly, we've had some really happy, fun and exciting times, and here we are standing together, six weeks later, with rings still on our fingers. I think this alone is a huge testament to us for sticking to our guns and working through our differences rather than running from them. Although our relationship isn't perfect, we've made huge leaps since that day we met at the altar. Let's be honest, though, it's been tough. I know that we've both had times where we thought 'Why on Earth have we been matched? He's not what I asked for and neither am I to him.' We've both vented to family and friends about our frustrations, and we've had our days where the last thing we want to do is be around each other. But also remember some of the great days we've had together. From our day hiking at the Gorge, to a trip to the light house, sipping wine on Waiheke, to having a boogie in heavy traffic, abseiling down waterfalls, to watching TV on the couch. These are the times that I want us to remember, and these are the times that I want to continue. What I want out of this relationship is clear. I want to be married to my best friend. I want to spend my happy and sad days with you, going on fun adventures and just lazing on the couch. I want us to enjoy being around each other, be excited to see each other when we get home, talk rubbish, dance in the car and be a world-class team in all that we do. Clearly this is something that won't come overnight. It will take time to grow between us, but I hope that, with time, we can overcome the issues that stand in our way, and our relationship will grow. Although I cannot yet make a commitment to move to Auckland to live with you ` I think we are both very clear on the reasons why ` I want to continue to work on our relationship, as hard it may be, through long distance, with the hopes that soon we can reach a point where we can make that commitment together. I know that I often struggle to put my feelings into words, so I want you to take this letter, keep it, and whenever you're struggling to understand how I am feeling, just read it, because I know that it will help make things clear. That was way longer than mine. (LAUGHS) (SIGHS) Tough act to follow. (CLEARS THROAT) Dear Aaron, today we stand in front of each other, much like we did six weeks ago at our beautiful wedding. Only this time, we are no longer strangers but two well-and-truly acquainted people. We've seen the absolute best and the absolute worst in each other. The past six weeks have been some of the hardest of my life, and I wouldn't have been able to get through them with anyone else. On our wedding day, we both had high hopes of what this experiment would bring us, and I'm sure I speak for both of us when I say we got a lot more than what we bargained for. You got a husband who is babe.com but an absolute handful, and for sticking it out this far, you 100% deserve a medal. I got a husband who is kind at heart, who is caring, who brings me coffee because he knows I'm a little brat in the morning without it, who puts up with Taylor Swift on repeat on our car rides and will always make sure there is a bottle of red waiting for me when I get home. Granted, these things are amazing, and I truly appreciate them. We've always had some speed bumps and some absolute brick walls. I found that when I needed you the most, you haven't always been at my side, and when I've needed the truth, I've always received a reassuring smile when that's not always what you've wanted to say. In a relationship, for me, honesty and loyalty are absolute cornerstones, and they haven't always been present as we've weaved through our time together. Although those have been speed bumps along the way, they were something you'd promised to work on, which I know you've been consciously doing, so... which brings me to our brick wall. From the moment we married, I've maintained you didn't fit the brief physically and who I was looking for for a partner. We vowed to stick out the experiment on the advice of the experts that, over time, it would grow. It's been my biggest challenge and a black dog, if you will, that's always hung around for me. Which is why today, sticking to our cornerstone of honesty, I can no longer carry on this relationship with you. (THUNDER RUMBLES, RAIN PATTERS) Being married to you will always be a part of my life I will always remember fondly. As other couples around us have tapped out of the experiment because things have got too hard for them to handle, it makes me deeply proud to say we've stuck it out and made it this far. Wherever you go in life, Aaron, you are always going to be someone people like being around. I'm sorry this hasn't worked out to be what we both hoped it to be as single guys anxiously getting ready for our wedding day. Thanks for that. You good? Yeah, yeah. Well, I guess, OK. I think the last six weeks have been enough of my time to try and invest in him, particularly into someone that I'm not attracted to. I've given that enough time, I think, but it just kind of` my time had kind of run out. Um, it's not nice. I don't feel good about it. I feel pretty low, but... it needed to be done. This has been a good challenge for me. I think, if anything, the only thing that I learned is that I kind of want to be single I think. More than anything, I've kind of missed it. I've missed just being` not answering to anyone and kind of just doing what I want to do and being unapologetically myself. He's always prided himself on being honest with me, and we had plans of how we were going to try and, you know, give this a go, and I thought that was kind of the least that we could do. That's the whole premise of the experiment. That is the point of it. You try not to take it personally, but it is personal. It hurts, and it's going to hurt. All I can do is kind of move on with my life, and I can say that I gave it a good shot and put everything I had into it. So, you know, that's all I can do. I think I'm just still a bit shell-shocked. VICKY: I'm a little bit nervous for my... vow renewal. Andrew texted me this morning, and he just said, 'I'm not sure about this.' So I mean, that puts a little bit of worry in my mind, because I'm not sure what he means. I don't know what he is going to do now. At the end of the day, we have all taken this chance, and no one knows the outcome at the beginning. No one knows what's going to happen, but even taking the risk is, like, quite like a big deal. You have the chance of getting hurt. You have the chance of finding love. You have the chance of things turning badly. Like, there's so many different things that could happen, and so it is a big deal. I think we've all been quite brave even doing this, because, I mean, it's not your normal thing. Like, nobody just goes out and marries a stranger. ANDREW: Of course I want to, like, have a relationship with her. Emotionally, I have invested shit tons into this. Vicky could be the one, for all I know. I can't just rule it out. It's not a case of just falling in love straight away, because that's bullshit. I don't believe in that. You actually have to work at it. The vow renewal ceremony is important because it's kind of` it's like a final decision for everyone,... and it lets the other person know kind of how we are feeling and things that we may not have been able to say earlier. It could flourish from this, and I don't want to just give up like that. Vicky and I are probably at a place right now that I reckon is, like, a sort of healthy place to start from. Today is the day to just leave it all on the table. Hey. Hey. (LAUGHS) How are ya? Good, how are you? Good. You look great. You too. How you keepin'? You nervous? Yeah. (LAUGHS) Are you? Yes. You all right? Yeah, I'm good. I'm good. I'm pretty much the same. I've got my vows, though, so.... (LAUGHS) You did write some. Yeah, I did. I couldn't on-the-spot it, eh. OK, so,... whoo! So, we came into this unsure, but at least now I can say I am sure of a few things. I am sure that we've had fun. I'm sure that we can get through anything. I'm sure that we have grown from this. I'm sure that I've met great people and friends and family. I'm sure that my life is richer for meeting you. I'm sure that no matter what happens from here, I will always be a phone call away. I'm sure that in the coming weeks, we are going to have a new adventure, but once more, I am sure that we can tackle anything, so we will be sweet. (LAUGHS) Wow-ee. And I'm sure that on long days when you want to hide, you can hide away and find yourself for six weeks in an apartment together. Um, I'll always love the time that I had with you, Vicky, and I hope to make heaps more memories, and it's hard to believe that this is the end, but I honestly hope it's not the end of us. So what I'm saying is I'd like to keep working at this. I'm willing to give it a go, even though we've talked about it, and I know I have feelings for you. I just need time to figure it all out. So, I'm being honest, and it's been important to you and I since the start. So, that's just me being honest. OK. And that's pretty much... what I've written. (LAUGHS) I guess it's my turn now. Yeah, yeah, I suppose. That was really nice. Are you all right? Yeah, OK. I stand in front of you today as your wife, and you my husband. It's a long way from where we were six weeks ago, us two strangers. One had a hen's, and one had a stag, anxiously awaiting our upcoming wedding. It's OK. I'm sorry. You're all right. This is stupid. No, it's not. OK. Going into the experiment, we both had an idea of what each other would look like and what we would be like as people. All our traits, good and bad, were laid bare as we lived together for four of the craziest weeks of my life. I quickly learnt that my husband is a guy who is the life of the party, has a passion for life and has an absolute banger of a smile. (CHUCKLES) A caring man with a big heart. Someone who would make me dinner... (BOTH LAUGH) I'm such a sook! It's OK. You can be a sook today. Someone who would make me dinner, bring me home a bottle of bubbles, and most of all, someone who would go in to bat for me against anyone, no questions asked. For everything that has been amazing, we haven't been without the hard times. We've had very heated arguments that are more often than not left unresolved. I often feel drained of my energy after a day with you, but most of all, I've found it difficult to calm you down after an argument, whether it be with myself or someone else. As I look to other couples in the experiment, it's a good opportunity to assess where we are, and for the most part, I feel like we've done a really good job. The experts have given us as much guidance as possible, and we've implemented these into our day-to-day lives. It is hard for me to deny, however, that the chemistry between us has been lacking from the start, and as I stand in front of you at the end of it, I am sad to say that it's still... I'm not there, which is why I have decided to... bring our relationship... to an end. Of all the men that I could have been matched with in this experiment, I am glad it was you. I know we will always be good friends, and I appreciate the time that we did spend together. You are an awesome guy, and I genuinely do think that the right person for you is just around the corner. You did such a good job, and I totally understand. Good. OK. All right, all right, OK. You did such a good job. Aw, thank you. I thought he was going to, like, say no, and then he said that, like` he said that he wanted to keep working at it. I feel bad for him, but he's so` he seems so strong. Like, he didn't cry, which is good. It just made me feel like a horrible person. It's just, like, a massive surprise, and my feelings just came out of nowhere. Like, I don't know why I'm so upset. I didn't` I honestly didn't even think I was going to cry today. I feel sad. That was way harder than I thought it was going to be. Hearing those words 'bring our relationship to an end' ` that sucks, man. That really sucks. I'm pretty sad, to be honest. It's just really hard to take on board that after all this time. So, yeah, I guess that's how I'm feeling. ANGEL: Right now, my stomach feels a little bit mixture of scrambled eggs and popping candy. (LAUGHS) It's so weird to think from our wedding day to this moment here. I cannot even describe... how... intense this journey has been. I've just spent six weeks of my life, and it feels like six years with him. It's like a pressure cooker for a marriage. We've hit the accel pedal. If we got down the aisle and Brett said he didn't want to be with me any more, I would probably... (LAUGHS) I don't know how I would feel, like, wow. God, I'd probably be shattered into a million pieces. I'd need a KG of tissues and probably a couple hundred blocks of chocolate. I came into this to find... the one, and so I am all or nothing. BRETT: Yeah, so it's the final day of the journey, really. I think I've done enough in this experiment. I've given it 110. It hasn't been easy at all. Talking about feelings and stuff like that is tough. I think I'd be kind of silly not to be realistic about it. (MOMENTOUS MUSIC) (DRAMATIC MUSIC) (DRAMATIC PIANO MUSIC) (MOMENTOUS MUSIC) (INHALES DEEPLY) Oh God. It's crazy! How are ya? Good to see you. (LAUGHS) (SIGHS) This is so weird. I'm going to... I'm sorry. It's going to be really hard. You'll be fine. As I was writing this, I realised being cheesy is inevitable, and also sorry in advance for the compliments you are about to receive. I don't want you to think I am being too nice. Yeah. (LAUGHS) This has been an insane pressure cooker experiment. Our journey has been so overwhelmingly positive. It made me wonder ` is this too good to be true? Coming into it, I was completely open-minded, positive and hopeful. I truly believed that this wedding, our wedding, would be the best day of my life. It was. (LAUGHS) I was hoping for an eight out of 10, but I didn't get that. I got a 12. (LAUGHS) Brett, I've been falling for you from the moment I met you at the aisle. You've bought me goodies left, right and centre, but you forgot to get me a parachute. I don't have broken legs from this falling, but I do have a very full heart that makes me feel so lucky to call you my husband. So many ridiculous moments, B, and so much tomato sauce. From our awkward bush bath in the middle of the Aussie outback to the launch of Bretto's Tours and the Woodpecker chef. I wanted someone that inspired me, and you've already taught me so much. From how to bird-watch ` you're really good at spotting shags ` to golfing, skiing, four-wheel driving... and also how to correctly wave at a four-wheel drive with a two-finger salute. Every day has been an adventure, and I can't wait for more. I have decided we should install a Pepsi Max tap in your man cave on the condition we get Manu the Frenchie first, followed by a Jeep and a bath, a big bath ` not a tub in the bush. We have lived in the now; however since I met you, I've also found my future. Brett Renall, there is no doubt in my mind I will spend the rest of my life with you. You are the one. (LAUGHS) Awesome! (POIGNANT MUSIC) (LAUGHS) My one is entitled 'My Beautiful Wife, Angel.' (LAUGHS) All right, you ready? Yeah, I think so. Just go. Before our wedding day, I was so nervous that I actually discovered for the first time what anxiety was. I was so nervous that you weren't going to arrive, and I definitely had some weird feelings going on in my stomach. It was the strangest and most nervous I'd ever felt in my whole life. I just kept the faith, and I believed that this was my journey in life. Then you arrived on our wedding day and walked down that aisle with the hugest smile on your face, and at that moment, I knew everything would be OK. This has been an amazing and life-changing experience. I could not have wished for a better person to share this epic journey with. You have accepted everything about me and have laughed and smiled from the moment I met you on our amazing wedding day. We have travelled all over New Zealand, from the Coromandel to Mt Hutt, and had the most amazing honeymoon in Barossa Valley, South Australia. We have done a lot of travelling, and it has been the raddest adventure. Barossa Valley will forever be our special spot, and hopefully we can return there one day. I feel very humble and blessed to be your husband. I look forward to laughing together, laughing at each other, adventures, 'Presbyterian' meals,... (LAUGHS) ...movie nights, date nights, you moving to Lincoln, hanging out with our awesome nephews and nieces and us getting a French bulldog and one day starting a family of our own. Your positivity is infectious, and the world needs more Angels in it. We've both lived in the now throughout this journey, and I believe that's been the key to our success, and right now, I truly believe I've hit the wife jackpot. (LAUGHS) That's fair! Yeah, I think we both were looking for someone to laugh and smile with. It's quite insane to think that six weeks ago Brett wasn't even part of my life, and now he is a big part of it. Life has changed, and it will forever be different, but it's a good different. You only regret the things you don't do. Don't regret it, and, um, anyone out there, even if it's something in your normal life you are thinking about doing, just do it, eh. I'm pretty stoked that we know already about our future, but we already knew this from the first day. (LAUGHS) ...when Jay-Jay, Dom and Randell catch up with the stars of Married At First Sight NZ... Tomorrow night ` I'm hoping there's going to be no drama. As the couples are reunited for the final time,... Oh, it's my wife! ...we relive the highs... The honeymoon was awesome. Probably the five funnest days I've ever had. I'll have to buy an engagement ring, I guess. (LAUGHS) ...and lows of the experiment. Oh, it was just really frustrating. I hated you. And sparks fly as our experts ask the tough questions. I know people out there are wondering... I'm not answering that. It has absolutely nothing to do with this show. Captions by Able. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. Copyright Able 2017