Juan From ‘Married at First Sight’ Chicago ‘Had Nothing to Lose’ By Signing Up for the Show [Interview]
Juan is embracing the unknown in the new season of Married at First Sight. After a series of “great but failed relationships,” the 36-year-old Chicagoan decided it was time to take a chance on an unconventional approach to finding love.
“Seeing that I’m nearing my 40s, and hearing that MAFS would be casting its 18th season in Chicago, I made the decision to give this approach a shot,” he told Showbiz Cheat Sheet in an email.
Juan wasn’t familiar with the ‘Married at First Sight’ process
Juan went into the Married at First Sight process relatively blind, having not seen previous seasons of the show. But once he understood the concept, he was intrigued.
“I felt like having the help of professional matchmakers made sense and I made myself open to the experience,” he said. “I had never watched the show to be honest, but after reading a little bit about the show and the process I felt like I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
Allowing the MAFS trio of experts to choose his spouse was a leap of faith, but it wasn’t a move that totally stunned those who knew Juan.
“My friends thought I was a little bit crazy for taking the MAFS approach, but at the same time, they were not surprised,” he said. “I’ve always been very spontaneous so this was right up my alley. No one tried to talk me out of being a part of the MAFS experience, everyone in my close circle was extremely supportive.”
Karla was following the signs on her ‘MAFS’ journey
Pastor Cal Roberson, Dr. Pia Holec, and Dr. Pepper Schwartz matched Juan with Karla, a fun-loving hairstylist. They thought the pair had similar energy and would bond because both are from close-knit immigrant families. (Juan is originally from Colombia, while Karla’s parents moved to the U.S. from Mexico.)
Karla, 33, wasn’t sure what to expect from her time on Married at First Sight, but she trusted that the universe was leading her in the right direction.
“I was not familiar with MAFS, and decided to participate after a series of events led me to believe there were signs to participate, signs leading me to the experts,” she said.
Her friends and family supported Karla as she embraced the unique process of marrying a total stranger. “They felt this would be the most magical way for me to meet my love,” she said.
Karla and Juan had high hopes heading into their wedding day
Karla and Juan both had high hopes that their Married at First Sight journey would result in them meeting a person with whom they could build a future. While Karla worried she and her husband might “clash,” she was hopeful for a meaningful connection and that their “ families [would] enjoy each other.”
Juan feared his future wife wouldn’t be “as open as I was about making this the best experience of our lives regardless of how we felt about each other,” he said. His dream? That he’d “be matched with someone that was going to be my forever partner.”
Follow Juan and Karla’s journey on Married at First Sight Season 18, airing Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
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