Skip to main content

Love is in the air in the Windy City. Lifetime’s Married at First Sight returned to Chicago for its 18th season. The show’s trio of experts – Pastor Cal Roberson, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, and Dr. Pia Holec – matched five couples, who met at the altar, moments before saying “I do.”

So far, things are off to a rocky start for the MAFS Season 18 cast. They’re battling a range of issues large and small, including disappointment over a partner’s living situation (Michelle and David), worries about a husband’s lack of swagger (Camille and Thomas) and awkward pet introductions (both Emen and Ikechi and Madison and Allen). But the marriages are still relatively new, and anything could happen before Decision Day. 

Fans will have to wait and see if any of this season’s couples decide to stay married at the end of the eight-week experiment. But what about the show’s first batch of couples from Chicago? Married at First Sight previously matched people in the country’s third-largest city in season 5, which aired in 2017, and one of those couples is still married today. 

Danielle and Cody 

Danielle DeGroot and Cody Knapek were one of three couples who tied the knot in Married at First Sight’s first Chicago season. Although they struggled with intimacy issues, they decided to stay together on Decision Day. Unfortunately, the relationship didn’t last. One year after saying “I do,” Danielle and Cody decided to divorce. 

Today, Danielle works as a dietitian and health coach in Nashville. She is in a relationship. “In another world, I was married to a stranger on a reality TV show,” she wrote in a 2022 Instagram post. “…It [led] me to a lot of personal and professional growth and some beautiful friendships and connections.”

Cody got engaged in February 2023, according to his Twitter. He now lives in Ohio, according to His LinkedIn profile. 

Sheila and Nate

The experts thought Sheila Downs and Nate Duhon were a perfect match, but they had a rocky relationship during their time on Married at First Sight. Though they said yes on Decision Day, they had serious doubts about their future together. Unsurprisingly, the marriage didn’t last. In November 2017, Sheila and Nate announced they were getting a divorce. In a series of social media posts (via People), Sheila accused Nate of being unfaithful, which he denied. 

Although Sheila’s marriage to Nate was a bust, she’s moved on and found love with a new man named Kurt. They tied the knot in August 2023, she shared on Instagram. Nate has also put his MAFS experience behind him. He’s now a dad to a little boy, who was born in December 2022. Earlier in 2024, he got engaged. He’s also the founder of Duey Juice Cocktails, a line of pre-mixed rum-based cocktails. 

Ashley and Anthony

Related

‘Married at First Sight’: Warning Signs Are Flashing for All the Chicago Couples

Ashley Petta and Anthony D’Amico are one of Married at First Sight’s longest-lasting couples. After getting married during the show’s Chicago season, they celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary in July 2024. Ashley was always confident things would work out with Anthony. Earlier this year, she shared a throwback photo of her and Anthony on their wedding day. “It was love at first sight,” she captioned the Instagram post. 

Since becoming husband and wife, Anthony and Ashley have become a family of four. Their first child, a daughter, was born in January 2019. Baby No. 2, another girl, was born in February 2021. They’ve also appeared on the spinoffs Married at First Sight: Happily Ever After and Married at First Sight: Couples Couch. 

Married at First Sight Season 18 airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime. 

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.

Best in Entertainment