Rhi Disljenkovic and Jeff Gobbels were utterly shocked during their MAFS Australia wedding as it *technically* wasn’t their first time meeting each other after dating for a few weeks in 2023.
The whole point of Married at FIRST Sight is to bring together two like-minded stranger who the experts believe will be a good fit, so tell me why we’ve already had multiple couples who knew of each other. The first was Carina and Paul, and now some have suggested that producers put Rhi and Jeff together on purpose.
“Producers were as surprised as anyone when Jeff and Rhi recognised each other. But they’re hopeful that this unexpected twist could actually work in their favour,” a source told the MailOnline. “Sometimes, a past connection can be a strong foundation to build on, and the experts believe they can help Jeff and Rhi reignite their relationship.”
So, when exactly did Rhi and Jeff first get together?
Rhi and Jeff in 2023 before going on MAFS Australia
Rhi & Jeff, Wedding Day
According to Rhi, she began dating Jeff in 2023 which was a full year before filming began for MAFS Australia season 12. The relationship was relatively short-lived too, and it “kind of just fizzled” out after just a month.
Speaking to 9Entertainment, the couple said they ended their brief fling on amicable terms which is why they weren’t completely disheartened to see one another at the altar.
“We dated for like a month last year. Luckily we ended on really good terms, as we’d both come out of long-term relationships,” Rhi said.
Jeff continued: “My initial reaction was pure shock. It was the last person I expected to see on my wedding day. We dated for about four or five weeks… the timing wasn’t quite right. We had a conversation about going our own ways, and it was very grown up and very mature and very mutual. If it wasn’t a mutual separation, it would have been very hard in the experiment!”
“Jeff is an amazing person,” Rhi added. “It was just pretty much a timing thing – that was the reason it did not go forward.”
They still remained friends after the breakup, running a half-marathon together and sometimes meeting up for a cheeky coffee.
Their previous relationship has helped their MAFS marriage
It was a huge surprise to see Jeff standing at the altar, but Rhi didn’t let their past experience get in the way of what could be a very fruitful marriage.
“It was surreal. You sign up for an experiment where you’re marrying a stranger. And then… I married someone who I’d already dated! It was a pretty crazy experience,” she told Daily Mail Australia.
“I think the look on my face and me stopping at the end of the aisle says it all. I remember thinking, ‘How is this going to work?’ That was what made me stop…I was so shocked to see him standing there!”
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Featured image credit: Nine
