'Married at First Sight' recap: Jasmine and Airris wed, Domynique and Mackinley marry, Kirsten refuses to kiss Shaquille, and Nicole notices a "flag" with Chris

Married at First Sight featured Jasmine Secrest and Airris Williams getting married, Domynique Kloss and Mackinley Gilbert tying the knot, Kirsten Grimes refusing to kiss Shaquille Dillon, and a smitten Nicole Lilienthal noticing one "flag" about Chris Thielk during the Season 16 episode that aired Wednesday night on Lifetime.


The five Nashville-based Married at First Sight couples for Season 16 are Kirsten and Shaquille, Nicole and Chris, Domynique and Mackinley, Jasmine and Airris, and Gina Micheletti and Clint Webb.

RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' SEASON 16 COUPLES: MEET THE NEW COUPLES AND LEARN ABOUT THE CAST (PHOTOS)

Married at First Sight experts Pastor Calvin Roberson and Dr. Pepper Schwartz matched the five couples for matrimony in Tennessee.

The show will feature strangers meeting at the wedding altar and then spending the next eight weeks embarking on a honeymoon, moving in together, and navigating the joys and struggles of daily life together.


And at the end of the experiment, Married at First Sight's Season 16 couples will reach "Decision Day" and have to decide whether to remain married or decide to end their marriages and divorce.

According to Pastor Cal, this is going to be the "most intense season of Married at First Sight yet."

The Married at First Sight broadcast began with Airris' cousin Fallina calling his decision to marry a stranger ridiculous and "laughable." She let him know they could still walk away from this and he could change his mind, but Airris said he was ready for a serious, committed relationship.

"I'm done with my old ways... I'm retired. But if the woman who comes down the aisle, my wife, is the absolute total opposite of what I asked for, then I might have to give my cousin a look, like, 'Hey, can we still get up out of here?!'" Airris said in a confessional.

Jasmine's father is a preacher, and so she said divorce isn't really an option for her. She planned "to give 3,000 percent to make this work," and her father noted how this was a part of God's plan for her.


When Jasmine finally walked down the aisle, Airris' eyes lit up and he appeared extremely happy. He even clapped for his bride once she approached him in front of the officiant.

Airris told Jasmine that she's tall, which made her giggle, because she was a couple of inches taller than her groom.

Jasmine's family and friends wanted Airris to know that Jasmine leads with her heart and would be his cheerleader. They asked Airris to love her the way that she deserves and to not break her heart, or else his new sisters-in-law would be "watching like super hawks."

In turn, Jasmine was told that Airris is "super private" and communication isn't one of his strengths. However, Jasmine was informed Airris is loyal, passionate, driven, smart and an all-around great man.

In their self-written vows, Jasmine said she found comfort in knowing God had found another brave human to go through this process with her. She spoke to the "king" in Airris and promised to be honest, faithful, loving and dedicated to the growing of their relationship so it may one day lead to unconditional love.


Airris said love is giving someone the power to destroy you but trusting that they won't.

"I vow to trust you. Love is seeing something in someone that they don't see in themselves," Airris said.

"I vow to see you. I vow to be your teammate because we are in this together. I vow not to get frustrated when you can't decide what to eat, and I vow to always share my food."

RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)

The pair then shared their first kiss and were pronounced "married" and husband and wife.


Airris thought his wife was "beautiful," but he became concerned once he learned that the cheerleading coach has four dogs and nine puppies given she breeds mini Goldendoodles as a side hobby.

"That's going to take some getting used to. It's four! I'm getting a wife and a whole family! I wanted to wait to have kids for a little bit, but now we have four dogs -- boom! Right off the bat," Airris said with a sigh.

It then became time for Domynique and Mackinley's wedding, and Mackinley hoped his bride was going to be his "Future Baby Mama." Mackinley said he was ready to have a wife and start a family.

"I want someone who is nice and genuine and all these things, but I also want to have a physical attraction. I'm definitely a boob guy, and so all boobs are good," Mackinley joked in a confessional.

Mackinley previously dated younger woman without jobs, and so he hoped his wife was going to be established in her career. He said he had been dating to find The One -- and not just to date.


Mackinley was worried, however, that his wife would be turned off by the fact he was living at his friend's parents' home following his move to Nashville, where he envisioned his future unfolding.

Mackinley's bridesmaids were well aware that Domynique is a "giver" in relationships, and so they hoped she wasn't matched with a "taker" who would diminish her light and spirit.

Domynique hoped her groom was going to be a country boy and not a city boy. She hoped this man would be willing to get his hands dirty and hunt with her family.

Just in case the man isn't a hunter or rugged cowboy, Domynique, who wore cowgirl boots on her wedding day, said she had asked the experts for an "adaptable" partner.

Before Mackinley walked into his wedding ceremony, his mother admitted that she would've liked to have seen her son date a woman for two years, get to know her very well, and THEN marry her. Mackinley's mother wasn't pleased about this Married at First Sight arrangement, and she was very nervous for her son.

Domynique was also nervous before walking down the aisle with her beloved mother and best friend Toya. Domynique started crying, but Toya comforted her and expressed her love.


"I am tired of getting the short end of the stick. I've always wanted a serious, committed relationship. So I feel like if not now, then when?!" Domynique said.

Domynique then walked down the aisle, and Mackinley flashed a smile at her.

"You look gorgeous," Mackinley told her.

Domynique joked, "Hopefully you haven't married a stranger before," and he assured her that he hadn't.

Domynique's loved ones told Mackinley that he had a fierce but caring, outgoing, and selfless woman on his hands. Mackinley learned Domynique is a bubbly woman and Tomboy at heart who loves dancing, fishing and playing volleyball.

RELATED: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)


Mackinley's family and friends advised Domynique to buckle up because her husband enjoys driving fast cars and taking adventures. While he's a thrill-seeker at heart, Domynique was assured that her husband would like to stay home sometimes and just sit on the couch with her and watch movies.

Domynique was told Mackinley just moved to Nashville but wants to start a family, and the officiant added that Mackinley is a family-oriented dreamer, although he can be a bit "sassy" and occasionally "annoying."

In her vows, Domynique promised to give her best self, be open-minded, ask questions in times of misunderstanding, and to grow with him and be his shoulder to cry on as well as his biggest fan.

Mackinley told Domynique that he was excited to learn from her and grow with her into the best husband and future father possible. He said he had spent his entire life looking for a lucky ticket and on this day, he had hit "the jackpot."

Mackinley asked Domynique permission to kiss her, and Domynique went for it.

"She's gorgeous -- physical attraction, for sure. I am so pumped. We're going to spend the rest of our lives together, have a bunch of babies, and live happily ever after," Mackinley gushed in a confessional.


Domynique couldn't remember her husband's name after the ceremony, but she thought he was "handsome" with "a nice smile" and a good scruffy look. She also liked how he's 34-years-old, even though she's 25, because she desired a man with emotional maturity.

"I feel like I'm 38," Domynique noted.

At this point, all five couples of Married at First Sight's sixteenth season were married.

Nicole and Chris were then shown taking their wedding photos, and Chris noted how his wife seemed to be a very loving and caring individual. Nicole also noticed that Chris was a great communicator, who was always wondering how she was doing or what she needed.

"I feel really good about this, and I'm not just being hopefully optimistic. I feel it [with Chris]," Nicole told the cameras.

The pair also quickly realized they're both talkers, and Nicole said she didn't see any red or yellow flags with her new spouse.


Over at Gina and Clint's wedding, Clint revealed he had raced a sailboat in Italy and could sail in any country or destination. He looked forward to traveling with his wife and thought they had a lot in common, but Gina struggled to stop talking about work and her hair salon.

Gina confessed that she was a workaholic, and Clint was hoping to "get past the work stuff."

While Jasmine and Airris ate dinner together, Airris revealed that he doesn't eat pork, chicken or red meat, which shocked his wife. Airris said it was a personal choice.

RELATED: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)

The couple then learned they had "completely opposite schedules," with Airris working 8AM-4PM days and Jasmine mostly working nights.

Airris was also still hung up on "the dogs," complaining that owning 13 dogs "should be illegal."


"Is there someone I can call? Can I snitch on her to the county? Something's gotta be going on! I don't want to have a whole shelter at our crib," Airris joked. "That's going to be [me] practicing patience -- but marriage is patience, right?!"

Footage then flashed to Shaquille and Kirsten's wedding. The pair was served a salad with a big chunk of Burrata cheese on it, and the pair said at the same exact same time, "I don't want to eat this."

Kirsten and Shaquille laughed together, and Kirsten noted how everything so far was "good" because Shaquille was educated, smart and family-oriented. Shaquille also thought Kirsten was great, and he thought God had put Kirsten in his life, knowing exactly what he needed.

"She's outgoing, fun, a boss, educated, you know, the experts did a great job of matching us," Shaquille told the cameras.

Suddenly, Kirsten and Shaquille's wedding guests were clinking their glasses to make the couple kiss. Kirsten asked her husband to ignore the group, and she wouldn't kiss her groom.

Kirsten apparently found it "off putting" that Shaquille never asked to kiss her.


"I have high expectations," Kirsten acknowledged.

Shaquille then vented in a confessional, "I can tell my wife is a virtuous woman, but there's something deeper as to why she don't want to kiss right now. But I'm going to allow time to tell."

After wedding speeches and cake cutting, Shaquille was cornered by Kirsten's bridesmaids. Shaquille shared how he had prayed about this experiment, but Kirsten's friend Elease wasn't 100 percent sold on Shaquille, who claimed he was all about school and work.

Elease reiterated to the cameras how Shaquille was a total stranger and would have to put in the work and show up for his wife. Elease said she and her girls "kept it cute" for Shaquille on his wedding day but they planned to "grill him like a rack of BBQ ribs" the next morning.

Back at Domynique and Mackinley's wedding, Mackinley's mother admitted to the bride that she thought this experiment was "crazy," but Mackinley's sister said she was all for it, knowing her brother had the best of intentions and is a risk taker.

Mackinley's family also insisted they were totally accepting of this interracial marriage given Mackinley is white and Domynique is Black. Mackinley said his family has "open arms" for all races and ethnicities, and Domynique seemed relieved by that given she had grown up in the South since age seven.


RELATED: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)

Meanwhile, Jasmine's bridesmaids seemed a little worried when Airris revealed he had never lived with a woman before or had many committed relationships. Airris is also an only child who was used to his own space, which was very different from Jasmine's big and "involved" family.

Jasmine then told Airris' mother Laurie and cousin Fallina that she thought Airris was "fine."

Jasmine explained how she fell in love with "potential" and never had those relationships work out. She also confessed she can be stubborn but was working on that.

Fallina seemed turned off by Jasmine's answers to her questions considering Jasmine comes from "the pageant world" and was so put together.

"She's ready for a question. Any time you ask her something, she has a well-planned out answer on the spot," Fallina explained to the cameras, suggesting Jasmine may not have been genuine.


"[Is] Airris making a mistake. Is [he] getting into something he might regret later? That's just a little concerning to me."

At Clint and Gina's wedding reception, Clint told Gina's maid of honor that he was ready for marriage because he had "done the dating thing for so long" and learned so much from each woman he had previously been with. Clint said he was ready for an "enduring" relationship.

Clint said he had made smart choices and sacrifices in life and was ready for that missing piece.

When asked what Clint was excited for about the post-wedding night, Clint shared how he looked forward to getting to know his wife better. He confessed, however, he's "a sexual creature."

"In my younger years, that was the ultimate goal -- sexually driven interactions," Clint admitted in a confessional. "With Gina, I want to make sure we have a sustainable relationship, so I don't want it all revolving around sex."

Gina's bridesmaids advised Clint to "wait until the honeymoon" to make a move.


Over at Nicole's wedding, she told her bridesmaids how her one "flag" with Chris was that he was "going to be too nice" to her.

"I'm getting the vibe that he's almost too nice, and that's a great thing, but I never want him to feel underappreciated because he's always going out of his way to be nice when I'm trying to be nice all the time," Nicole explained.

"But I have limits and it seems like he doesn't, which is noble, but I want him to feel appreciated. So I'm going to work very hard to make him feel that way."

Nicole, however, cried because she said everything seemed "great" and "right," and she didn't want that feeling to change. She could tell Chris was a genuinely good-hearted person.

Chris was also optimistic about his marriage and told Nicole's father everything he needed to hear about his plan to be respectful and a good listener.

Sex was then the topic of discussion for all the couples as the night was coming to a close.


Domynique confirmed she didn't want to have sex that night so they could build tension between them, and Mackinley intended to behave like a gentleman.

Chris and Nicole also didn't think they were going to have sex because they didn't want to rush anything, but Nicole pointed out how she "wanted to" and definitely felt chemistry and a connection with her husband.

Jasmine then told her friends how she'd give Airris a 9.5 on a hotness scale from 1-10, but Airris only rated his wife an 8 if Beyonce is a 10. Airris quickly realized that was a terrible answer and he should rate his wife a 10.

Jasmine also said she wanted "to wait a while" to have sex, although she said that with a big laugh, but Airris seemed ready for a quick consummation of the marriage.

Meanwhile, Shaquille gushed about how his wife was beautiful and the "perfect picture" of what could have happened came to fruition. Shaquille told his friends that he was going to be respectful of his wife that night, especially since the couple had yet to kiss.

In the bathroom, Kirsten shared with her pals how she wasn't expecting a guy with a bald head and that's part of the reason why she didn't want to kiss him at the altar. Kirsten, however, said she became more impressed by and attracted to Shaquille as they got to know each other better throughout the wedding.


After a night of dancing, each couple headed to their hotel room for the evening.

Chris carried Nicole into their hotel room, and she said the amazing evening didn't even "feel real." The couple kissed a few times and couldn't wait to be dog parents together.

Chris said his beautiful wife had the personality to match and he couldn't wait to build on their instant attraction and immediate connection.

"This wasn't the wedding I imagined, but this is more perfect than I ever could've dreamt of. I'm so thrilled you were at the other end of the aisle and that I get to cuddle you and kiss you," Nicole told Chris.

Nicole then revealed to the cameras, "I can see myself falling in love with him, period. I can see it! This is the start of my lifelong love story!"

RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)


Interested in more Married at First Sight news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group or click here to view our Married at First Sight newspage!

And click here for more updates on former Married at First Sight cast members and info on where they are now!







About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski