Married at First Sight groom Orion is sharing his Indigenous culture with bride-to-be Lauren. In a PopCulture.com exclusive sneak peek of Wednesday’s all-new episode of the Lifetime series, Orion passes along some of his turquoise jewelry to Lauren before she walks down the aisle, praying that she’ll accept his culture and how important it is to him as they become husband and wife.
In a note from her future husband, Lauren reads, “I chose to give you some of my turquoise. When we wear the turquoise, it allows us to be seen by our holy people and ancestors. I thought with this gift, my ancestors can see and come to know who you are and who you are to me.” The message, signed with a heart, clearly means a lot to Lauren, even if she hasn’t gotten to know more about her husband and his background just yet.
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It’s exactly the reaction Orion is hoping for as he shares more of his traditions – and his fears- with his groomsmen before taking the marriage plunge. “Indigenous men have a traditional bun that we wrap on our wedding day,” he explains, noting that because the hair represents rain, “the way you wrap it up keeps it all there so that when I have that bun in, I’m a clear mind you know, clear thoughts, clear emotions, things like that. So everything that comes through me, you know, is from my ancestors.”
Orion’s deep connection to his culture is something that he needs his future wife to respect. “The scariest thing about going into this – I would say it really comes down to just how she reacts to my culture,” he says. “You know, and the fact I’m an Indigenous man. …That’s really key for me. ‘Cause if my potential wife were to just not get it, it would be quite disappointing.”
Luckily, it seems that Lauren is already appreciative of what Orion has shared with her, even if they haven’t gotten to meet or speak about it yet. “I feel like he’s spiritual,” she tells her bridesmaids, “and that already means a lot for me that he talked about his ancestors.” Lauren then reveals that she also talks about her ancestors and “spirit guides” all of the time. “We’re already spiritually, mentally connected somehow,” she gushes, holding back her tears. “Alright, I’m ready to get married now. If there’s anything that made me feel prepared and ready for this, it was this.” Will Lauren and Orion connect on a deeper level when they meet? Married at First Sight (produced by Kinetic Content) airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET
