Married at First Sight star Henry Rodriguez has admitted he was relieved he never met his bride before the wedding, and he's sharing his first impression of Christina.
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On Married at First Sight this season, Bennett and Amelia both recognized each other on their wedding day although they were each supposed to be marrying a stranger.
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The pair had actually met twice before thanks to a mutual friend, once at a party with and another time when Amelia went to see a band play and Bennett just so happened to be one of its members.
During Wednesday night's episode of Married at First Sight: Unfiltered, host Jamie Otis, who starred on Season 1 of MAFS, asked Henry what his reaction would have been had he already met his "stranger" wife prior to his wedding day.
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"That was one of the things I was most nervous about. New Orleans is a small city, which makes the dating world rather complicated," Henry explained. "I'm glad it wasn't me."
Married at First Sight expert Pastor Calvin Roberson joined Henry on Unfiltered and pointed out Amelia and Bennett's pre-existing relationship was a first for the franchise.
"We've had people who may have seen someone or might've had a slight introduction or what have you on one season," Pastor Cal noted, likely referencing how Season 8 couple Luke Cuccurullo and Kate Sisk met at a speed-dating event Luke had hosted several weeks before tying the knot.
"But no, this is the first time, and it's not surprising."
Pastor Cal explained, "New Orleans has around 400,000 people. It's definitely the smallest city that we've ever done Married at First Sight in. I'm glad that even though [Amelia and Bennett] met each other, it was a pleasant and productive meeting. So this is a good thing."
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It turned out Henry and Christina truly met as strangers at the altar, so Jamie was curious as to whether Henry found his bride attractive.
After all, Henry just muttered under his breath, "She's tall," as Christina walked towards him.
"Is she what you pictured your wife looking like?" Jamie asked Henry, who also noticeably avoided eye contact with Christina and was quiet during their wedding ceremony.
"You know, I really tried to keep, like, a really open mind," Henry revealed.
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"My initial thought was, 'Please don't know her and if [I] do, please let it be in a capacity that would be okay.' But I thought she was pretty and I was glad I didn't know her in any way. It was just the moment when everything became really real."
Henry was clearly nervous in the moments leading up to his wedding, but Christina appeared frustrated more than anything.
Christina vented about being tired of waiting for her wedding to commence, and she expressed annoyance over Diary Cam interviews and all the camera distractions.
"She seemed a little stressed, I guess. She seemed anxious," Henry admitted of Christina's behavior prior to walking down the aisle. "It's a big day."
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And Christina and Henry's first post-wedding conversation was also a little awkward and forced.
Henry told Christina after the ceremony she looked "very pretty," but his bride kind of had to pull the compliment out of him.
And for Christina's part, she told the cameras Henry seemed "very different" from someone she'd "usually date." Christina thought Henry acted very shy and reserved, and so she figured she would have to take the lead in the relationship.
But the wedding day got better as it progressed. Christina liked Henry's female friends and she liked learning about her groom through his loved ones.
The next day, the couple learned they'd be traveling to Mexico for their honeymoon, which was captured on the latest Married at First Sight episode.
Despite awkward silences and a lack of physical touch, Christina, a well-traveled flight attendant, said she looked forward to having adventures with Henry and teaching him things since it would be his first trip out of the country.
Married at First Sight's eleventh season also stars Miles Williams and Karen Landry, Woody Randall and Amani, and Brett and Olivia.
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