The 2020 season of Married At First Sight is almost over for another year, and while the first leg of couples took to final vows – including Michael and Stacey, KC and Drew and Connie and Jonethen – there was one defining moment that deserves our attention.
Watch Below: MAFS’ Connie calls out brides’ behaviour from girls’ night
Connie Crayden ended her MAFS journey in an entirely different way than we’ve seen before on the Channel Nine social experiment, and it’s something to be applauded. Entering the series portrayed as a lonely, introverted marine biology student, Connie ended her journey discovering who she was – despite leaving without Jonethen.
While we’ve seen her slowly come out of her shell over the past several weeks, notably including the last three commitment ceremonies where she wrote ‘stay’ while her TV groom wrote ‘leave’, the culmination of the journey came to a head with her powerful final vows. While the marine biologist regularly received disapproving comments from those who considered her to be stringing Jonny along, it’s with her parting words that we realise the journey was not about her budding romance, but her journey with herself.
She started, “Jonny, when I first entered the experiment I was an anxious and awkward introvert. I had very low self-esteem and I didn’t think very highly of myself. I desperately wanted to be loved and to love someone in return. But I was a girl that felt invisible to the world.”
“I knew the odds were against me, but I decided to defy my fears and the wishes of my family and take a leap of faith. That brave leap led me straight to you Jonny,” she continued. “I hoped you were the unexpected moment I had been waiting for and I put all my hope into you, a complete stranger. I soon learnt that you had confidence beaming off you, something I never had.”
She admits to her faults throughout the experiment.
“I took a turn for the worse, I started to lose hope and I lost myself. I made it almost impossible for you to love me. This was when I knew something had to change. I had to change.
“I needed to become the best version of myself possible. I could sense that you were ready to leave, so I made it my absolute priority to fight for us. And I refuse to go down without a fight. But despite all the effort, all the fight, all the determination, you checked out on us. On me.”
Connie continues, acknowledging it wasn’t easy.
“So, I had to make the hardest decision of my life – to quit and leave, or continue my journey and see it out till the end. I made a commitment not only to you, but to myself and to this experiment and I needed to honour myself and give this journey absolutely all of me.
“But, I had to put myself first for the first time in a long time. I stand by my decision, and although I didn’t find love with you I found something so much more important, something so valuable. I found that I am brave, I am strong, I am confident and I am worthy.
“Ultimately, I found myself. Before the experiment, I was a shy and insecure girl, and now standing in front of you is a confident and proud woman who now understands her worth in this world. The only love and approval I need is from myself. I become the love I was searching for. Thank you, Jonny, for this I will be forever grateful.
“This may be the end our journey, but it’s only the beginning of mine.”
While the series is focused on the drama (and eventual love story) between the couples, we haven’t seen such a raw, honest and clear transformation quite like Connie’s before. She admits her faults, acknowledges with respect the role Jonny played and ultimately leaves with an inevitable understanding of what she needs to be loved in the future.
Connie, we applaud you.
The 2020 season of Married At First Sight is almost over for another year, and while the first leg of couples took to final vows – including Michael and Stacey, KC and Drew and Connie and Jonethen – there was one defining moment that deserves our attention.
Watch Below: MAFS’ Connie calls out brides’ behaviour from girls’ night
The 2020 season of Married At First Sight is almost over for another year, and while the first leg of couples took to final vows – including Michael and Stacey, KC and Drew and Connie and Jonethen – there was one defining moment that deserves our attention.
Watch Below: MAFS’ Connie calls out brides’ behaviour from girls’ night
