Unseen Engagements and Surprising Secrets: A Deep Dive into Love Is Blind

Consider your Valentine’s Day plans set.

In this new season, “Love Is Blind” debuts on Netflix on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. This time, the city hosting the reality show is Minneapolis, Minnesota. A total of 32 singles will be stepping into the pods, but only time will tell how many of them manage to get engaged and ultimately walk down the aisle.

Despite the show not having the highest success rate, with only 10 out of 37 couples still together after accepting proposals, hosts Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey believe that certain elements play a significant role in determining whether a relationship will endure. One of these factors is the depth and strength of their communication. In an interview with Brides, the actress emphasized, “The couples who make it or even those who don’t but find themselves, all communicate through it.” Other crucial traits for a lasting bond include mutual respect and commitment in both good times and bad.

Vanessa went on, “You can depend on your partner to provide a sense of security after a disagreement. And more importantly, they’ll treat you fairly, ensuring they listen to your perspective before jumping to any conclusions.

Apart from the contestants, we too gain something valuable from being a part of this social experiment. As Nick put it to the media, “It’s been quite therapeutic for us, offering an opportunity to reflect on our own marriage and relationship as we progress through each season.”

This current season marks five years since the debut of Love Is Blind, and it seems the show has no plans to slow down. Netflix confirmed its renewal up to season 10.

Curious about how this series came into being? Before season eight airs, join us as we uncover secrets behind the scenes of Love Is Blind.

The producer behind shows like “Married At First Sight” and other reality dating series, “Love Is Blind,” was described by its creator Chris Coelen as a collection of insights gained from various relationship programs. It originated from questioning whether love that began with a pure focus on the individual could endure beyond initial stages and survive external influences.

2. For approximately 10 days, the pods section of the study is active, initially involving around 40 to 50 optimistic singles. However, during the progression of the experiment, some singles are eliminated.

At some stage, we narrowed our team down significantly to concentrate on those individuals who were truly engaging with us. This move enabled us to give these key people more attention, reducing our numbers to approximately 20-25 members per group. (Coelen’s explanation)

3. On their initial dates, all the singles participated in a speed-dating format, rotating every eight to 10 minutes to meet someone of the opposite gender. After this structured phase, there were no restrictions on who could converse with whom, when, or for how long. However, they couldn’t interact with each other outside of the designated pods, as the production team arranged all meetings.

4. Similar to the reality show “Married At First Sight”, “LIB” brought all their season one cast together in one city: Atlanta. Coelen explained this choice, stating that it was a combination of practical and creative reasons, emphasizing Atlanta’s robust production support system and the vast studio space required for the pods. The second season took place in Dallas, while Chicago served as the backdrop for season three.

5. Producers didn’t anticipate more than five pairs getting engaged during season one. However, two extra couples (beyond the six featured in the show) also got engaged during the “pod” segment, leaving producers with unexpectedly numerous stories to follow and ultimately unable to continue filming their journeys.

Coelen explained that they desired to share a variety of authentic narratives. They weren’t certain about the direction these stories would take, but everyone seemed to have found their soulmate, and there was an overflow of story…yet unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time in the show to explore them all, which I find amazing.

6. One of the engaged pairs was Rory Newbrough and Danielle Drouin. Rory was known for offering advice to the other men, while Danielle was alongside him. For a week, they were in Miami, with the other engaged couples heading to Mexico to carry on filming. However, upon their return to Atlanta, they amicably parted ways when Danielle discovered she still harbored feelings for another cast member, Matt Thomas. “She decided to pursue that,” Rory shared with People. Unfortunately, Danielle and Matt’s relationship didn’t work out either.

7. In the unproduced first season, there was a romantic engagement between Westley Baer, who had a brief discussion about dating as a shorter man, and Lexie Skipper. Although they didn’t continue on the show, they dated for three months in Atlanta. However, Westley confessed to People magazine that his career shift led to their separation. “I made an unexpected decision to sell all my possessions and move to Asia,” he stated.

In the second season, two sets of couples – Caitlin McKee and Joey Miller, as well as Kara Williams and Jason Beaumont – announced their engagement, however, their love stories were not recorded on film.

8. It was whispered online that Mark Cuevas, the youngest bachelor from the first season, supposedly had a girlfriend during his time on the show; something he refuted later on.

He stated on the “Be There in Five” podcast that he didn’t have a girlfriend throughout that period. Before joining the show, he was unattached. As a solo man, you focus on your own activities. Since I hadn’t had a girlfriend before, it seemed there wasn’t time for a relationship during that experience.

9. As stated by Kenny Barnes and Kelly Chase, there were no intentions to tie the knot at the end of season one filming. In an interview with People, Kenny clarified, “We made it clear that we wouldn’t get married.” The engagement, they explained, was primarily to prolong the experiment. Both individuals remained committed to this arrangement. Kelly felt that they were destined to continue their relationship since that had been their agreement. However, things took an unexpected turn when Kenny confessed on their wedding day that he wasn’t emotionally prepared for marriage. “I felt quite rejected,” Kelly admitted. “I thought, ‘That wasn’t the plan! What happened?’

10. Jessica Batten, one of LIB’s most divisive cast members from season one, stated in an interview that she attempted to leave the show but was prevented from doing so.

As a lifestyle expert, I found myself in an unexpected predicament. Despite contemplating the possibility of stepping away, circumstances didn’t allow it. To complicate matters, my beloved canine companion fell ill, teetering precariously close to the brink during the show’s run. Amidst all this chaos, there were numerous other obligations demanding my attention.

She added, “It was truly aggravating as I had a feeling we wouldn’t make it. I did discuss the possibility of departing and even tried, but unfortunately, I couldn’t.

11. Were the cast members required to attend the wedding? According to Coelen, they were not. In his interview with TopMob News, he explained that the cast members had the freedom to make their own decisions regarding the wedding day events. On that day, given that I knew these individuals and their backgrounds, I wasn’t sure what would transpire.

I, a die-hard fan here, can’t help but spill the beans about an intriguing detail from season one: the weddings were filmed in autumn of 2018! That means our beloved couples, Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed, as well as Amber Pike and Matt Barnett, had to maintain their relationships under wraps for a staggering 18 months before the show’s premiere. Yet, despite the secretive start, these pairs are still going strong!

13. In spite of some doubts expressed by viewers, these marriages are genuine and legally valid, as confirmed by Lauren in an interview with Refinery29: “These are real, legally binding marriages. They’re not just for the sake of television; they’re a part of our lives.

14. Regarding who financed the wedding ceremonies, a Netflix representative shared with Women’s Health that production covers some essentials, but since these are actual weddings, it’s the couples themselves who decide how to spend their money. Consequently, they probably had to pay for any additional costs if they exceeded their budget.

15. Following one of the most jaw-dropping season-one conclusions, Damian Powers and Giannina Gibelli made up away from the cameras after Damian chose not to marry at the altar. “Since the series ended,” Giannina expressed during the reunion special, “it’s been an incredible voyage with you. ‘To understand you better, to observe how we intertwine in each other’s lives.’

Initially, TopMob News obtained exclusive information about the couple’s secret meeting from them. However, the two have parted ways once more, with Giannina now in a relationship with former contestant of The Bachelor, Blake Horstmann.

16. Love Is Blind could go on and on, with Coelen telling TopMob News, “I’m thinking season 15.”

17. Did Carlton Morton seem familiar to you? That’s because he appeared on a reality show set in Atlanta before, appearing on The Real Housewives of Atlanta when he was working as Cynthia Bailey’s assistant back in 2014. Fans of Bravo might recall the heated argument he had with Kenya Moore, who was new to the series at the time.

18. As reported by Sal Perez in season two, during their dates, the single individuals are provided with “discussion prompts” and “inquiries,” although they’re not obligated to employ them.

Kyle Abrams mentioned during his interview with TopMob News that the day’s topics were somewhat varied. It was convenient to have a small notebook as a backup, he said, so if there was a pause in the discussion, one could simply refer to it to keep the conversation going.

2025-02-13 21:21

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