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MAFS NZ episode 3: Adorable Yuki marries Angel approved Dan and Tayler and Sam are matched

We think we've found our favourite bride in Yuki and hope against hope that things work out for her.
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“Fun loving” Yuki meets ‘positive’ Dan

We’re into the next set of weddings and first up we’re introduced to Yuki, a 31-year-old hairdresser from Christchurch. Originally from Japan, Yuki has lived half of her life in New Zealand.

Yuki is looking for “a good old-fashioned Kiwi bloke” according to expert Stephanie Dowse, who also describes our new bride as fun-loving, entrepreneurial and brilliant.

During Yuki’s introductory piece to camera she says she doesn’t know why she’s still single and quite honestly we’re not sure either. She says she’s been on “so many” dates that she “can’t even count.”

She usually goes for clean cut guys. And then she drops the bombshell that she likes ironing guy’s shirts.

“That’s my ultimate,” she says. “That makes me very happy.”

Yuki, just between the two of us – if you’d put that nugget of information on your Tinder profile we’re pretty sure you wouldn’t still be single!

Through tears (and ours too) Yuki says she’s ready to be a wife and to build a relationship together. She says she’s putting all of her faith into this experiment.

“I feel this is my last chance to find a husband,” she says as our hearts break a little for her.

The experts decide to match her with Dan and by God we hope they’ve got it right. Tony thinks it’s Dan’s positivity that will get them through.

“I really picked up on a raw genuineness between the two. Quite often we get the generic value statements, whereas I believe that these guys actually walk the talk.”

Trish agrees. “They’re quite adorable aren’t they. I think they’re absolutely perfect.”

No pressure, guys!

Her groom-to-be Dan is a 30-year-old electrician from Wellington. He’s been single for 5 or 6 years (he can’t remember which) and says he feels “lonely in that sort of aspect in life.”

Seeing his friends happily married with kids has made him realise what’s missing in his own life.

“Seeing their happiness and seeing their experiences you go, oh, I do miss that, I do want to have something like that, to be able to enjoy those sort of moments of my life with someone else.”

And wait… he’s friends with Angel! You know – one half of last season’s only success story. Judging by what we saw on the last season Angel is pretty much one of the nicest people around, so is he’s friends with her he must be a pretty nice guy.

“I just want someone who’s cute, bubbly, big smile on their face, someone who’s done a different type of life than I’ve had. Because I’ve done a typical Kiwi lifestyle,” he says. He wants “someone who’s a bit more cultured, someone who’s travelled.”

“I’m looking for a best friend. That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”

Just you wait Dan. Just you wait.

Dan gets Angel’s tick of approval.

But then, sadly, Dan reveals that his parents aren’t coming to the wedding.

“I knew they weren’t going to be too keen on the idea. They’re just worried for me, that’s pretty much what they’re concerned about. It would be nice to have someone there, but I can do this by myself. I just want them to be proud of me,” he says as his eyes well up.

Meanwhile, Yuki is inducing more heart-wrenching moments when she arrives at top bridal designer Jane Yeh’s Auckland boutique to pick up her wedding dress.

“It’s really really weird to pick up my own wedding dress,” she reveals, “because I never really thought the wedding day would ever come to me. I thought I was going to die alone actually, so this is almost like a dream come true really.”

Her parents are “super excited” about the wedding, but they can’t come because her father has just had surgery.

“I do have a little bit of pressure from my family. Each time I see them I feel just a little bit guilty that I don’t have a boyfriend.

She thinks “they’ll be very happy” that she’s finally making steps to find the right person.

Yuki tears up as she tries on her wedding dress.

“I don’t want to let my parents down,” she says. Showing them that she can create her own family and be independent is important to her.

“I’d love to be looked after,” she says, her voice trailing off.

The day of the wedding arrives, and Dan is busily telling his groomsmen how relaxed he is. So relaxed, in fact, that he spills beer down his tie. Little does he know that his wife-to-be loves ironing – maybe she enjoys a good spot clean too.

It’s OK though Dan, because it’s not just alcohol you’ll be smelling at the altar. Bride-to-be Yuki has a cheeky hand rolled cigarette before she changes into her dress. She stands out on the balcony and holds the ciggy with a hair clip to keep the smell away from her hands.

“Smoking is not socially a good thing anymore,” she acknowledges, but says she’ll be giving up eventually.

“Hopefully he can understand how I am and try not to change me.”

Dan’s best man backs up what the experts thought about his character.

“He’s a really nice guy and for someone to break his heart would be pretty rough. He’s such a genuine human being.”

And as the final confirmation of his sweet nature, he delivers flowers to Yuki before she leaves for the ceremony. The card was simple but sweet. ‘I can’t wait to see you soon’ it read, and it reduced Yuki to tears.

Dan, meanwhile, stops off for a nervous wee on the way to the venue. That’s why you shouldn’t drink too many beers before the ceremony, Dan.

“I really hope it’s happily ever after,” Yuki says as she’s waiting to walk down the aisle. And judging by Dan’s reaction when he first sees her, there’s every chance it could be.

He can’t stop giggling as he kisses her hello. That nervous, relieved type of giggle that screams ‘I’m so happy my wife is attractive!’

They seem pretty smitten with each other. Yuki is happy that he’s well groomed (important, for a hairdresser).

“Clean cut enough,” she says. “Well groomed and just looks nice, and nice smile, and good teeth I think.”

She’s rapt to find out that he’s a dog person.

“You can just see the smiliness and happiness in her face. I’m really happy to meet her. Really happy,” he says.

Yuki brings the house down when she promises in her vows to fill her new husband “with all the Asian goodness.”

Dan says her vows were amazing, but then admits that he didn’t actually listen to them because he was too nervous.

They share a peck on the cheek when they’re pronounced husband and wife, and Dan steals another one when they get outside for their first moment alone together as man and wife.

“We kicked arse,” he exclaims. They both seem equally as giddy.

“I think she’s really hot,” he tells the camera, grinning like a Cheshire cat. “The experts did really well on that one.”

“So far so good,” Yuki thinks. “He’s a really lovely guy.”

They’re forced to kiss for the photoshoot and in amongst the giggles Yuki says that sparks flew. But then she’s concerned there could be a catch.

“It’s almost too good to be true…. I’m just a bit worried.”

Dan aims to impress during dinner when he tells his new wife he did 3rd form Japanese – but then admits he failed the class.

They Skype Yuki’s mum in Japan, and Yuki tells Dan that if everything goes well with the marriage they’ll head to Japan for a proper ceremony. We can feel a MAFS special episode in the pipeline!

As they share their first dance the chemistry is obvious. Yuki rubs his back and then it happens – Dan leans in for a spontaneous kiss and the crowd goes wild.

They leave the venue hand in hand and cuddle on the couch when they get to their hotel. Unlike Ksenia in the previous wedding, Yuki is happy to share a bed with her new groom. She’s fully embraced this experiment – starting off as she means to go on and we applaud her for that.

“Incredibly attractive” Tayler is matched with “complicated” Samuel

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The experts get to work matching their next couple and Tony reveals he has a man crush on one of the grooms.

“Tayler is an incredibly attractive man. He’s an electrician. But Tayler brings limited relationship experience,” he says.

Tayler is 29-years-old and is an apprentice electrician from Christchurch. And he’s been breaking stereotypes since ages ago.

“I don’t think I sound gay,” he says as he uses air speech bubbles around the word ‘gay’.

“People are, like, so surprised when I come out to them, so I’m nailing those stereotypes right down to the ground,” he laughs.

He says his ideal man would look something like Chris Pratt.

He says he wants someone “down to earth, loving, someone who cares.”

“I’ve got a lot of love to give,” he says. “If I get to that altar and he’s exactly what I’m looking for I’m pretty keen to stick with him for the rest of my life.”

Tayler is looking for someone down to earth and loving.

The experts decide to match him with Samuel, who they describe as “quite complicated.”

Sam is a 25-year-old fashion content producer from Auckland. He says he has a large social media following. Cut to footage of him on his phone.

“Some people might use the word ‘influencer’,” he says. No word yet on whether he uses that word.

And it turns out he’s not the only groom this year with a connection to last season. He’s friends with Ben Blackwell, who was matched rather disastrously with Aaron Chisolm.

“I fully expect how that is going to look, me knowing Ben,” he says as they cut to footage of Ben’s most controversial moments from the last season. “But I’m in this for the right reason. I’m in here to find love.”

He reveals that he was in a relationship for two and a half years and he was heartbroken when it ended.

“The men that I’ve dated in the past, half the time they’re coming in to the relationship wanting to date someone for the wrong reasons.

“My ideal man I would like to be physically fit. Someone who takes pride in what they look like. Someone who is motivated. And to me a big part of this process will be communication.

“I’m 100% committed. I think this is going to be a big journey for myself.”

Sam says he’s 100% committed to this experiment.

Sam’s grandmother steals our hearts with her reaction to the news. She gets a bit teary when she tells the camera how happy she is for him.

“I’m very excited and overwhelmed and just concerned for Sam. He’s very special to me.”

“I just hope that everything turns out the way that you want it to be, and if it doesn’t, you know where I am.”

Turns out, working in the fashion industry, Sam is quite picky when it comes to appearance and it’s something the experts are concerned about.

“I’m very particular with clothes. How it fits on you, what it looks like – it’s a big part of my everyday life.

“A sense of style is important in my future partner. I mean, when I’m with someone I also want that to reflect on me and vice versa. So I’m hoping they dress great.”

Meanwhile, Tayler is grappling with more difficult topics.

“I don’t think that I came to grips with my sexuality until quite late in the game… it was definitely hard to try and figure out all of those things, basically on my own.”

He didn’t come out to his family until 5 years ago and they were shocked that he hadn’t come out to them sooner.

And then he proceeds to break out hearts. It’s amazing how some people have such different perceptions of themselves. Tony, the expert, thinks Tayler is an incredibly attractive man, but Tayler can’t see that.

“I personally don’t think that I’m a catch. Don’t think that I’m, like, say good looking.

“Everyone’s definitely scared of not being liked, or not being loved. Everyone hates being rejected.”

As the wedding day arrives, Sam’s nerves start to kick in.

“If he’s shorter than me I might just turn around and walk away,” he jokes.

Showing off his wedding suit to his bridal party, he wells up as the enormity of the situation hits him.

“At the back of my mind there is that thought saying ‘What the hell are you doing Sam’,” he admits.

We’ll have to wait until the next episode to see how this new union plays out…

Married At First NZ airs Sunday’s at 7pm and continues Monday’s and Tuesday’s at 7.30pm on Three.

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