Decision Day is finally here for the Married at First Sight Season 8 couples, and all four pairs had some serious thinking to do before deciding whether they would stay together or get a divorce.
In Tuesday’s episode of the Lifetime reality show, Stephanie Sersen and AJ Vollmoeller, Jasmine McGriff and Will Guess, Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth, and Kate Sisk and Luke Cuccurullo looked back on the unconventional beginning of their relationships as they looked to the future either together or apart.
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Keep scrolling to see which of the couples decided to stay married and which made the tough decision to part ways, and don’t miss the Married at First Sight season finale, airing Tuesday, April 9 at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
Stephanie and AJ
Even at the start of their unconventional relationship, Stephanie Sersen and AJ Vollmoeller had an immediate connection and chemistry that bonded them together as a strong couple.
While it was clear the pair cared for one another from the start, Stephanie struggled with AJ’s quick temper than came in moments in which he was frustrated. Heading into Decision Day, the couple appeared to be in good shape, but Stephanie was questioning whether she could deal with her husband’s temper for the rest of her life.
Stephanie and AJ
On Decision Day, AJ thanked the experts for finding “the right person,” thanking Stephanie for being “a little bit flexible” when it comes to his difficulties expression frustration appropriately.
“Today, I get to say ‘I do’ to the person my wife is, now that I know her,” he told her. “I couldn’t be more happy than that. I choose to stay married to you for the rest of my life.”
And while Stephanie admitted he did “start to wear” on her at times, she wanted to stay married as well.
“I think we’ve gotten so far up to this point, but part of it was forced,” she told a nervous-looking AJ. “So now it’s up to us to do it on our own. And I just want to make sure that we can still do that. That being said, I want to stay married to you.”
Jasmine and Will
Jasmine McGriff and Will Guess have had their ups and downs over the season, meshing well in their day-to-day life, but struggling to connect emotionally and sexually during their marriage.
With differing ideas about conflict and gender roles in a relationship, the two tried to see eye-to-eye when it comes to their responsibilities financially in the relationship, with Will looking to pursue his dreams in a role Jasmine didn’t think would provide well enough for their future family. Could the two come to an agreement on these fundamental issues on Decision Day?
Jasmine and Will
On Decision Day, Will told the experts that he had loved becoming “best friends” with his wife, but Jasmine feared the short time they had been together wasn’t enough to truly see what the future held in their relationship.
“I think … we have emotional connection issues,” she told the experts. “And I think that goes hand-in-hand sexually, because you have to have an emotional connection initially and then the sexual connection will come.”
She continued, “I think that Will and I have challenges, but I think that it’s a short amount of time, and it takes time to grow and really know someone. That being said, I do want to stay married to Will, because I think that because of this process, we haven’t really been able to grow together.”
Will agreed with his wife about their communication issues, but came down on the other side about their relationship, asking for a divorce.
“I think you’re missing out on a lot, because what she could contribute to your life would be stratospheric,” Pastor Cal Roberson told Will, echoing Jasmine’s condemnation of the move as “a little selfish.”
“I feel bad,” Will told the cameras. “I never want to hurt anyone, especially someone you’ve grown feelings for … but I hope that once that emotion does subside, she sees that was for the best.”
Keith and Kristine
The love fest between Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth started immediately, as the couple’s chemistry nearly popped off the screen since she walked down the aisle to meet her husband.
And while the two had one of the more steady relationships of the season, their opposing work schedules and differing ideas about when to start a family did begin to create tension between the two spouses leading up to Decision Day.
Keith and Kristine
On Decision Day, the couple was quick to affirm their affection for one another, with Kristine telling her husband she was really appreciating the effort he was putting in as he learned to take on an equal partnership in their home.
And while Keith had previously said he had “L-O-V” for his wife, with “the ‘E’ not quite there yet,” he professed his “L-O-V-E” for his wife in front of the experts.
“You bring the best out of me, and I feel like I’m evolving into a better person,” he told his wife. “If you keep pushing me and lighting that fire under me, I’ll be amazing some day.”
Kristine did bring up Keith’s antiquated ideas about marriage at the start, but quickly reassured him that she wanted to continue their lifelong partnership as well.
“We’ve started something great together,” she told him. “I feel like it’s done nothing but blossom since the day we met, and I think we can continue to create something great.”
Luke and Kate
Kate Sisk and Luke Cuccurullo’s marriage has struggled from the day of their wedding, with Luke confessing early on that he was not physically attracted to his wife.
From accusing Kate of drinking too much to some disquieting and distant behavior surrounding their sex life, the couple’s trainwreck relationship even had the experts hoping the two would call things off, despite their joint commitment to not getting a divorce.
And while Kate admitted to Luke going into Decision Day she could tell he “finally like[d] her,” it was unclear if the two would keep their marriage going or cut and run.
Luke and Kate
On Decision Day, Luke praised Kate for having an “attractive” personality, praising her for being a good friend and “putting in the time and the work to get to know me, even though I know it’s not easy.”
“I definitely enjoy being around you, and I feel like you get me,” Luke told her. “I find that attractive.”
Kate admitted she had been struggling with knowing Luke was having sex with her to make her happy, not because he wanted to, and that despite their relationship improving to the point of liking one another, she needed to divorce her husband.
“I think that I’m not sure this could get to a point where we would both have what we need in a marriage,” she told him. “I think it would be best for us to go our separate ways.”
Luke agreed that “overall, it’s not healthy” for the two to be together but added he was “devastated” at their divorce.
Even Pastor Cal was happy the two decided to split after all the dysfunction they had been through.
“I fight for marriages, I normally do, but not this time,” he told them. “I think you’re happier apart. And Kate, I believe you need someone who really wants to be married to you. Who desires you. Because you’re pretty special.”
Will the couples stay with their big decisions? Or will they change their minds? The Married at First Sight season finale (produced by Kinetic Content) airs Tuesday, April 9 at 9 p.m. ET on Lifetime.
Photo credit: Lifetime
