For the first time, the ceremonies of Married at first sight were not celebrated at the town hall of Grans. The mayor of the commune of Bouches-du-Rhône explains the reasons for this major change.
It’s a small revolution that awaits fans of Married at first sight. While season 6 should be broadcast soon on M6, we announced that the weddings had not taken place at the town hall of Grans this year. A first since the launch of the show in 2016. At the time, the councilor had to face many criticisms, as he explained to us. We wanted to know more with the main interested party, Yves vidal, whose mandate was renewed in 2020.
Already under discussion last season
TV-Leisure : Why weren’t the show’s weddings celebrated in Grans this year?
Yves vidal : I did it for five years. It’s good. This put the town forward, but we were not going to become the capital either! We had already talked about it in 2020 with the production, but a little late, everything was already planned. There, we talked about it at the end of last season. The production agreed to stop and look elsewhere. I’m still in contact with them, I have them on the phone from time to time. I like to stop things when they are in full swing. Like that, I don’t risk going back.
The decision therefore comes from you and has been well accepted by the production …
Yes, we took it jointly. In addition, with the health crisis, we couldn’t do that indoors, we had to reduce the number of guests, wear masks, test ourselves every two days … It was becoming complicated.
Do you know which municipality was chosen by the production?
No and I don’t want to know.
Regional influence
How do you see the show?
The first year was a surprise. We didn’t know the show, neither did the families. In the very first marriages, families were quite strained. Afterwards, it was chatting and laughing before the ceremonies. The atmosphere was not the same, it has changed a lot.
What conclusions do you draw from your participation in the show?
It’s totally positive. Wherever I go, I hear my name, that of Grans and that of the show. We have people who come to take their picture at the end of the municipal council. I prefer my town to be known in this way than with more dramatic subjects. And it also made the local economy turn. Before the health crisis, there were 20 guests per family, so 40 people per wedding, at the rate of six weddings per season, that’s 240 people. Plus the 30-40 people of the production who were there for two or three weeks in hotels and restaurants in the region.
His advice: forget about the cameras
Are you still in contact with certain participants?
I received two birth announcements, especially for the youngest (There is, born from the union of Laura and Matthew in season 5, editor’s note). We sent back a note and a small gift. It was nice ! We also have a family who came back to take pictures the following year.
What advice would you give to the mayor for this new season?
I would tell her not to consider that there are cameras and that it is recorded, to have a normal, traditional wedding. This is what I was doing. Besides, that was the agreement I had with the production. As much, when the families arrived, they sometimes brought them out, discuss, get up, sit down, as much when I attacked the marriage itself, they did not cut me, they did not tell me: “We redo it!“. I did not change my method of marriage. For me, it was a marriage, period.
Are you going to watch the next season?
Sure !