Married at First Sight alum Iris Caldwell is engaged to be married -- to a man she actually knows this time!
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"God doesn't make mistakes, this was written in his plan all along and for that I am blessed. #brideloading," Iris captioned engagement photos of the happy couple late last week on Instagram.
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Many members of the Married at First Sight family congratulated Iris on her big engagement news -- including Amani Rashid-Smith, Lindy Elloway, Elizabeth Bice, and show experts Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Viviana Coles.
"I could not be more excited to embark on this next chapter in my life," Iris told People.
"Loving Cam is the easiest thing I've ever done and our engagement marks the beginning of the latest part of our journey."
Iris, who revealed she was a virgin on Season 9 of Married at First Sight, shared how she is still saving herself for marriage and plans to abstain from sex until she officially becomes Cam's wife.
"My faith and values remain unshaken and have led me to my person," Iris explained. "From day one, he's risen to the occasion to respect me, my desires and morals and has never pushed me to compromise on what's most important to me."
The Married at First Sight alum added "I could not, for the life of me, wrap my brain around why America was so invested in my sex life and choice to remain a virgin! I'm just as proud today as I was then to say yes -- I am still a virgin and will be until I say 'I Do.'"
While Iris didn't find lasting love or her forever husband on Married at First Sight, she shared of the Lifetime reality dating show, "I will always appreciate the growth track that MAFS provided and the advice the devoted experts offered me."
Iris gushed about how her Married at First Sight experience provided her with "wisdom" as well as "valuable lessons for life," and she added, "I've used that wisdom to reach my next level and I'm so happy with my personal evolution."
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Last month, fellow Married at First Sight Season 9 alum Amber Bowles also got engaged to her boyfriend, Kevin, after eight months of dating. Amber and Iris have remained good friends since co-starring on the series.
When Iris posted about her engagement on Instagram, Amber commented, "CONGRATS!!!!!!! *screaming*."
Iris and her ex-husband and former MAFS co-star, Keith Manley, tied the knot in March 2019, and their North Carolina wedding aired on Married at First Sight's ninth season later that year.
On Married at First Sight's ninth season, Iris viewed her virginity as a gift to her husband, but her stranger spouse, Keith, apparently viewed it as a burden and it made for tense and awkward encounters as they tried to progress their physical and intimate relationship.
Keith seemed worried about taking Iris' virginity in case their marriage didn't work out in the long-run, and so once the pair got divorced, Iris remained a virgin.
On a Married at First Sight: Kickoff Special that aired in late June 2022, Kevin asked Iris if she had met a worthy man yet, someone she'd consider The One, but Iris revealed, "I mean, I think that there's definitely The One somewhere."
"You're waiting for that man?!" host Kevin Frazier asked, essentially asking Iris if she was still a virgin.
"I am," Iris confirmed.
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"Yes, I am, I am still waiting," added Iris.
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Iris and Keith's relationship ended on Decision Day with Keith wanting a divorce when Iris had been hoping to work out their issues and stay married.
Keith's choice to divorce Iris shocked many Married at First Sight viewers because they seemed to have a healthy relationship during the show with good communication.
The pair rarely fought during their eight-week marriage, and Keith and Iris supported each other during tough times -- including the death of Keith's beloved grandmother.
Iris was therefore devastated by Keith's unexpected decision.
Keith told the cameras on Married at First Sight that he wanted to split from Iris because of her alleged lack of emotional maturity due to her lack of sexual and relationship experience.
Iris, however, seemed to think during filming that Keith simply had an issue with the sole fact she's a virgin.
The topic of reconciliation for Keith and Iris came up during Married at First Sight's ninth-season reunion special, which aired on Lifetime in September 2019.
Iris noted she'd be willing to give Keith another chance if he'd be up for marriage counseling, but he expressed there was probably no hope of them getting back together.
Keith confessed he really wasn't ready for a wife, and he believed at the time Iris wasn't ready to be a wife either.
In February 2020, Iris admitted she and Keith were not officially divorced yet because in North Carolina, there is a one-year waiting period from when a couple separates and stops living together that they must wait before filing the divorce paperwork.
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Iris then revealed on Instagram in September 2020 that her divorce from Keith had been finalized. She called the divorce "official" and "final," and she wished Keith the best.
Following their divorce, Keith was linked to singer Ari Lennox. The pair seemed to publicly confirm their romance in early June 2022, only to have a source tell People a week later that they had split.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
