Married at first sight changes the place of the wedding for the year 2022. The couples who agree to say yes, will now do so in Gibraltar.
There is a big change in the show Married at first sight This year. The unions will be formalized abroad and no longer in the Bouches-du-Rhône. This detail is intriguing, why such a place and above all, what legal value will these marriages have?
The newlyweds of Married at first sight, will experience two major changes. Moving from celibacy to marriage and living a union outside France. “We thought it was the right time to change. The candidates were used to Grans, so we had to get them out of their comfort zone”explains Virginie Dhers, Program Director of Studio 89 at Parisianbehind the TV program.
Usually the candidates who agree to unite, do so within the town hall of Gans, in the south of France. The production has chosen to relocate this stage to Gibraltar, this British province, located in the south of Spain and facing Morocco. The setting is idyllic but perhaps disturbing.
Marriages in Gibraltar but recognized in France
These marriages on foreign territory will still have legal value in the eyes of France. The spouses will indeed be married and if it does not fit between them, they will have to divorce in good and due form.
So why Gibraltar?
Marriages can be concluded very quickly in this British territory. This detail is not trivial. This region offers the possibility for non-residents to marry very easily and legally. Several celebrities have celebrated their marriage there. John Lennon and Yoko Ono or even Sean Connery and Micheline Roquebrune said yes to Gibraltar. Additionally, Gibraltar has been relatively safe from the covid-19 pandemic, which has helped avoid the marriage annulments that many couples have experienced in the past.
But that’s not what motivated the production by Married at First Sight. In reality, the idea of making them start this journey together abroad aims to bring couples closer together.
“From a psychological point of view, our experts explained to us that the loss of bearings leads to overinvestment in the relationship”, again explains Virgine Dhers to Parisian. Destabilizing them in this way could help the candidates to create stronger bonds and thus perpetuate the unions decided on a whim.