Married At First Sight Australia has officially kicked off Down Under, and with it, the drama fans know and love is already in full swing.

The hit reality series returned to Channel 9 on Monday 2nd February for its 13th season, wasting no time diving into whirlwind romances and awkward first impressions. Viewers were introduced to the first two couples in this year's cast, Alissa and David, and Rachel and Steven, as they nervously met their partners at the altar and said "I do" to a complete stranger.

Their weddings were followed by the nuptials of Gia and Scott, and Mel and Luke - the latter proving to be anything but smooth sailing. Victorian farmer Luke raised eyebrows almost immediately when he forgot the wedding rings, leaving Mel standing alone at the altar in an already uncomfortable moment. Things only went downhill from there, when 30-year-old Luke was seen chewing gum during the ceremony, before casually spitting it out and handing it to his sister.

However, one particularly awkward moment didn’t even make it to air...

Mel, a communications specialist, later revealed there was a scene cut from the final edit that left her "feeling like an idiot."

Speaking to 9Entertainment, she explained that when the time came for the newlyweds’ first kiss, the moment fell painfully flat.

"When it was time to kiss, I went in to kiss him on the lips and then he went for the cheek," Mel said.

Combined with the other mishaps throughout the day, the 28-year-old admitted she was already struggling to feel any spark with her new husband. She confessed that the lack of chemistry left her worried about what lay ahead.

"I felt like, 'Oh god, this is going to be a terrible experience,' because I’m not feeling that way towards you," she explained.

Mel added that the reality of the situation felt like a let down, especially after going into the experiment with high hopes.

"I really went in there thinking I was going to experience a fairytale," she said.

With the experiment only just beginning, there’s still a chance Mel and Luke could move past the shaky start - but whether chemistry can grow remains to be seen.

Married At First Sight Australia 2026 will air on E4 early 2026.