The Married at First Sight Australia cast have had some pretty dazzling outfits this season, and with their amazing (and sometimes questionable) wardrobes, it does beg the question… do they get a clothing allowance?
While the majority of outfits you see on the show are BYO (God help Mitch and his Wiggles skivvy), the producers can take credit for the getups they wear on the most important days. Well, sort of.
As revealed in episode 169 of the So Dramatic! podcast’s AFTERMAFS series, 2019 groom Liam Cooper dished that they got legitimately nothing for their clothing allowance.
“I wish they gave us a clothes rack and let us go to town,” Liam said, after host Megan Pustetto asked if they got a budget for their 2019 Final Vows specifically.
“They kind of told you what colours to wear,” he said, before adding: “The entire time I wanted to always wear a navy blue suit. I thrive in that colour. They were like, ‘nup, you can’t wear it! You can’t wear it’.
“They wanted me to wear a white, cream suit.”
“They only gave us $150 budget and then the rest we had to put in and that’s all we were given as a reimbursement,” he dished.
Liam (who brutally dumped “wife” Georgia Fairweather), said that his suit was priced between $500 and $600. This meant he had to fork out at least $400 for the privilege! No thanks!
As for the rest of the season?
The cast had to pay for everything else including their hair and makeup!
MAFS Bride Beck Zemek Revealed Her Budget Went Up
Just two years later, the MAFS producers were a little bit more generous… but we mean, just a little bit!
According to 2021 bride Beck Zemek — who married Jake Edwards (remember him?!) — she too was given $500 for her wedding dress.
“It’s $500 for the wedding and $200 for the Final Vows,” Beck revealed to host Megan Pustetto in episode 170 of the So Dramatic! podcast.
That $500 had to cover everything including “hair, accessories, earrings, shoes, dress,” Beck spilled.
“Most people gave out dresses for free or for just $500 because they knew that it was going to go on TV. Mine was a $3000 dress,” she said.
As for her knockout Final Vows fit, Beck was given “whatever she wanted”.
“Because [an unlimited budget] was the agreement for me staying for Final Vows,” BOMBSHELL!
The former bride also spilled that prior to each dinner party participants have to present three outfit options to producers and they will choose which one is to be worn.
“You have to have three options and then they will choose one that you’re going to wear so you don’t colour clash with anyone,” Beck revealed.
Jaimie Gardner Reveals Her Budget-Friendly Wardrobe Tactics
2021 bride Jaimie Gardner shed more light on the MAFS wardrobe sitch, revealing exclusively to So Dramatic! that she curbed the measly budget by using a designer dress hire service. Smart!
She added that for the wedding each bride received $1500 for themself and an additional $500 for their wedding party (bridesmaids and groomsmen).
Honestly, have MAFS producers ever been to an actual wedding??
“Bridal party outfits also need to be approved by producers,” she spilled. Wut?
“[Producers] recommend you go to cheap wedding places as well, but I was like nup.”
When the entire nation is going to watch you tie the knot, we think it’s fair enough that you want to make sure you look your best!
The Cast Get an Allowance
After dedicating three months of their lives to the Married at First Sight Australia experiment, you’d think that the cast would walk away with a hefty sum.
However, the stars of MAFS don’t exactly make bank for their time in the marriage experiment — no matter how much drama, backlash or wine-throwing comes their way.
Multiple contestants told So Dramatic! that they got only $150 per day to participate and put towards expenses in the hectic AF show.
“We paid for all expenses,” one former star revealed. “Outfits, haircuts, food, bills… you name it.”Another contestant added that some people were “reimbursed [for] reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for [an] agreed amount”, too.
Doesn’t sound worth it, TBH!
Want even more goss? Listen to episode 169 of the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto below!
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