Married at First Sight star Olivia says she may not have gone through with her wedding had she been in Karen's shoes and discovered her groom's identity and social-media accounts the night prior.
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Olivia, a 30-year-old nurse from Bossier City, LA, was matched by Married at First Sight experts Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Dr. Viviana Coles and Pastor Calvin Roberson to marry Brett, a 35-year-old with a career in information technology from Gretna, LA, on the show.
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While both Olivia and Brett seemed excited about meeting their future spouse on their big day, Karen, a 30-year-old consultant from New Orleans, LA, began having major doubts and second thoughts about participating in the experiment once she learned she'd be marrying Miles, a 26-year-old who works with youth from Spartanburg, SC.
"I don't know how I would feel if I was in Karen's shoes," Olivia wrote in a blog post for Us Weekly that was published after Married at First Sight's premiere episode aired.
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"I don't know if I would have walked down the aisle if I knew my husband's name and social media. It definitely takes away from the experience."
The night before Karen's wedding, she received a text message that said her groom's full name, and she acknowledged, "I don't think I was supposed to get [this message]."
Karen therefore did some research and digging on Miles and found out who he is and what he does for work. She looked through his photos on Instagram and even watched some of his videos on social media.
"I will tell you honestly, like, he's not really my type," Karen admitted to a producer.
"He seems like a nice guy, but if you were my friend and said, 'Hey, check out this guy, would you be interested?' I would probably say, 'No.'"
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Karen complained that based on Miles' social-media content, he seemed "very emotional."
"Just talking about feelings and feelings and feelings," Karen said of her husband-to-be. "I have to live with this forever, and now... I don't know. I don't know."
Olivia apparently had a hard time watching back Karen's struggle hours before her wedding.
"I feel bad that she had to deal with those emotions on her wedding day," Olivia wrote.
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"That day was tough enough without that added stress. I think she will be pleasantly surprised when she gets at the end of the aisle -- if she makes it there!"
As Karen cried in the bathroom of her hotel room and tried to conceal her worries from her family and friends, Miles gushed about meeting his bride and anticipated being matched with the woman of his dreams.
Miles said he had every intention of being an amazing husband and treating his partner with love and respect.
But Karen already had her guard up going into the Married at First Sight experiment.
Karen had previously been in a relationship for five years and found out the man had a child with someone else while they were together.
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"I had no idea that Karen dealt with her ex having a child with someone else. I would 100 percent have walls up too," Olivia wrote in her blog, adding that she appreciated how Karen's mom supported her daughter even though she wasn't thrilled about the idea of marrying a stranger.
"I think Kathy and my mom would get along great!"
"As for Miles," Olivia added, "his grandparents, who have been married for 55 years(!) are adorable and very supportive. They just want to see Miles happy, and had valid concerns -- it sounds like Miles and Karen's life morals and goals add up."
Olivia also gave her thoughts and initial first impressions on Married at First Sight's three other Season 11 couples.
Olivia noted Amelia, a 27-year-old medical resident from Richmond, VA, seemed so talented and Bennett, a 28-year-old artistic director from Montvale, NJ, looked "so cute on his pedicab!"
"[Bennett] seems hopeful in the process... I love Amelia and her acro yoga and one-man band," Olivia shared.
"She has an amazing voice and I really like that she wants a stay-at-home husband. Her friend seemed worried that they wouldn't match her with someone who sees her artistic side but I think the experts nailed it with matching her with Bennett."
Olivia also apparently believes the experts got it right with Christina, a 30-year-old flight attendant from Houma, LA, and Henry, a 35-year-old clinical recruiter from Arabi, LA.
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"Christina and her emotional intelligence -- all I have to say is yassss," Olivia wrote, before mentioning how a man has never bought flowers for Christina before.
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"Flowers are overrated, but I hope Henry buys her flowers... I think Henry will be more reserved than Christina is used to. Hard life changes are not fun when you don't have anyone there to support you through it."
Olivia concluded, "I think Christina and Henry would definitely complement each other."
However, Olivia wrote that she wished Christina -- who essentially sulked at her bachelorette party and felt uncomfortable -- could have made the best out of their joint bachelorette party and had more fun celebrating with new friends.
And finally, Olivia said she couldn't believe it when she heard Amani, a 29-year-old non-profit worker who was raised in Chicago, IL, had dated a man who was lying about being married.
"Dating is super hard in [New Orleans]!" Olivia noted, before complimenting Amani's partner Woody, a 30-year-old teacher and coach from New Orleans.
"Woody, meanwhile, seems like a hopeless romantic and he has great style! He seems like he's in a spot in his life where he's ready for a wife, even though his friends don't seem to think he's ready to settle down -- their reactions are kind of hilarious."
Married at First Sight's second episode of Season 11 airing on Wednesday, July 22 at 8PM ET/PT on Lifetime will feature multiple weddings.
While Olivia gushed about hopefully finding a love that would last forever, she blogged about how she wasn't happy with what she saw of Brett in the season's premiere episode.
"It sounds like looks are everything to Brett, and the flirting ... eek! Some of the things Brett says are so shocking to me. He sounds like a playboy," Olivia wrote.
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