Love Is Blind Season-Finale Recap: What Happened?

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Could you all speculate if there might be an episode of “Love Is Blind” where no couples end up getting married? I’m curious to see how Netflix would handle such a situation, but alas, it seems that scenario won’t come to fruition as season eight does result in one newlywed pair. However, before that, we witness three consecutive altar breakups. Many of these heart-stricken individuals maintain their faith in love being blind. I share their optimism, but not in the way they envision. This experiment isn’t about disregarding physical appearance or age or race as the officiants and Lacheys suggest during their short speeches – it’s about overlooking glaring incompatibilities when it comes to personal values and partner preferences. I can’t argue with any of the ‘no’s’ today, but I remain baffled as to why these relationships weren’t terminated during the pod phase. Let’s examine the weddings of our final four couples.

Sara and Ben

Who else joined in the excitement? Goodness, Sara’s actions in the last episode had me on edge. When she leaned over to Ben at the altar and whispered about their planned kiss, I was certain she would say yes because why else would she offer that reassurance? It seems she added extra drama by surprising everyone by expressing her love for him but admitting she had always visualized herself with someone more compatible. When he attempted to salvage the situation by suggesting they could carry on dating, she simply replied, “We’ll see.” Ouch. In the car later, she discussed the turn of events with her sister and mother. Her sister couldn’t help but chuckle upon hearing that Ben was unsure about his church’s stance on sexuality. Sara also mentioned his response to her questions regarding Black Lives Matter (which she asked before agreeing to his proposal). Instead of labeling him as intolerant, Sara highlighted the issue as his lack of curiosity.

Ben’s sons console him, but they can’t hold hands for an extended period because it feels unusual – and then they bow their heads in prayer. He admits that he’s feeling down but was being true to himself and couldn’t have acted otherwise. Before departing, he takes a moment to appreciate the roses in the vacant hall. I’m curious about what happens to the guests when there’s no event. Do they all get sent home? I can imagine myself getting frustrated if I made an effort, traveled, and didn’t even get to stay for some free reception treats. Let them enjoy the feast!

Looking back, Ben confesses he’s heartbroken and holds on to his feelings for Sara. I ponder that dating someone based on their promise may lead nowhere if they don’t realize it. Frankly, I never foresaw much potential in this pairing, not even before the Business Card Ben whispers started circulating.

Monica and Joey

Moving onto their second nuptials! Joey appears quite laid-back, while Monica, she’s making an effort to be tranquil. She believes in keeping expectations minimal to avoid being let down. She’s attempting to discuss Joey’s lack of verbal assurance about their relationship at this critical moment. It’s unfortunate that her hairstyle gives off a playful vibe instead of the seriousness she intended. Joey remains uncertain regarding Monica’s sister, Nicolle. Not surprisingly, Nicolle also seems hesitant about the wedding. One of Monica’s friends, excitedly, comments, “I really like Joey. He’s a man.

On the groom’s part, there’s a distinct tropical vibe going on with their Hawaiian shirts. It’s only now that I’ve come to notice we never witnessed Monica and Joey introducing each other to their friends, yet it seems they’ve spent time together. The guys appreciate her being “ready for fun,” and the scene concludes with everyone hopping around in a circle while shouting, “What’s the time? It’s Joey time!” Impressive. The ladies in his life tend to show their enthusiasm about the wedding with less exuberant displays.

In the meantime, Monica is expecting some emotion from Joey. If he doesn’t shed a tear upon seeing her in her dress, Nicolle jokes, “Straight to jail” is what she suggests. (She’s being a bit feisty today, and I must admit, I chuckle at her suggestion that Monica should feel this decision in her gut.) After her parents attempt to soothe her, Monica eventually walks down the aisle that Joey had already glided down wearing his striped socks.

Currently, Monica has expressed that she’d feel more comfortable if Joey agreed first, as her concern in this relationship stems from a need for greater reassurance. A considerate action would be to get the wedding officiant to pose the question to Joey initially. However, since we’re dealing with reality TV, such a scenario is highly unlikely. Consequently, when prompted, Monica declares that she can’t marry him at this time. She insists on absolute certainty before taking such a step, and Joey concurs that he isn’t quite there yet. The scene ends with them embracing tearfully as the audience applauds. Joey then delivers a heartfelt speech about finding positivity in every situation, inspired by his late sister who was memorialized during the ceremony through an empty wheelchair. The couple receives a standing ovation as they exit hand in hand.

Joey implies that the discrepancy between him and Nicolle in physical affection might have influenced Monica’s choice, but from her emotional confessional statements, it seems like she primarily felt unchosen. I can hardly believe Joey didn’t realize Monica was in love with him, and the first time she said “I love you” was on their wedding altar. If this is how things were, then they certainly shouldn’t have married. I’ve mentioned it before, but it seems like there were many aspects of this relationship that were unseen or internal, making it difficult for me to form a solid opinion about them. It would have been beneficial if we could see more of their conversations and the real-time dynamics between them as they lived together, perhaps even witnessing more of their day-to-day interactions.

In the end, it appears that Joey doesn’t feel ready to carry on with dating at this moment. He expresses his need to get over “feeling unsuccessful,” but in keeping with his sister’s spirit, he’s not walking away with any regrets. On the other hand, Monica laments that Joey could have been her ideal match, and she’s uncertain about her next steps. I suspect Nicole is hoping for a response along the lines of, “Not another chance with Joey.

Virginia and Devin

Last week, we discovered that these two individuals have contrasting political views. During his wedding day conversations with friends and relatives, Devin subtly referred to this issue along with the prenuptial agreement matter. He expressed his joy about resolving their differences, stating, “I’m just glad we managed to work it out, now we can focus on our marriage.” However, the question arises, did they have an off-screen discussion about politics since the prenup was signed? If not, it seems like there might not have been a substantial resolution. This situation reminds me of Ben’s overestimation that he and Sara wouldn’t encounter any issues. Devin astutely observes that his family, despite being optimistic, appears more anxious than him.

On Virginia’s part, she’s extolling Devin’s virtues while preparing herself. The atmosphere is remarkably cheerful and upbeat, which feels a bit excessive to me. A variety of individuals, including friends, family members such as her mom, dad, and stepmom, and also Devin’s family like his mother, sister, and niece/flower girl Hazel, visit her. The conversation revolves more around lucky ladybugs rather than any potential issues in their relationship. It’s refreshing to hear from Virginia’s aunt who serves as the wedding officiant. Instead of gushing about how perfect Virginia and Devin are together, she appreciates Virginia for having a “sharp mind, keen instincts, and unwavering faith,” making prudent choices throughout her life, and selecting whatever decision suits her best. Before the ceremony begins, some last-minute comments are made (Virginia’s friend suggests she should have a moment with God).

We’ve altered the atmosphere a bit. To be honest, I don’t find the monochrome decoration with candles particularly romantic, but it’s definitely an improvement over a basketball-themed setup. Devin starts off by reciting his vows, referring to Virginia as his best friend and expressing that he would do anything for those he loves. As Virginia walks down the aisle, she already starts to cry, but her emotions overflow again when it’s her turn to speak. She mentions how his messages throughout the day bring joy to her life and how she treasures their shared moments of laughter in bed until they’re both out of breath.

In simpler terms, the scenario describes that Devin was proposed to by Virginia in a marriage context. However, it seems Netflix exaggerated the silence before his response because it’s unlikely he would take that long to respond with “I do”. Instead, Virginia expresses her love but admits she isn’t prepared yet. This might explain why she was tearing up during her vows. The moment left everyone speechless, even Virginia’s parents. Both Devin and his mother begin crying. Virginia apologizes, then exits, leaving their daughter Hazel puzzled. She asks, “What happened? What’s going on?”

Devin was asked by Virginia if he wanted to marry her legally. It appears Netflix added suspense since it’s unlikely Devin would need a significant pause before saying yes. However, Virginia cried as she revealed she wasn’t ready yet. This could be why she seemed emotional during her vows. Everyone present, including Virginia’s parents, were taken aback by this revelation. Both Devin and his mother burst into tears. Virginia apologized and left, leaving their daughter Hazel perplexed. She inquired about the situation.

At the event, Devin embraces his parents and Virginia’s father, who praises him as a fine individual. However, this isn’t like Monica and Joey where loved ones are eager to cheer. The atmosphere seems strained as Devin and his mother walk past Virginia. I also sense some frustration when his mother later queries why Virginia appeared on the show if she wasn’t prepared for marriage.

During the ceremony, we kept seeing close-ups of the audience, and it’s unclear whether these shots were meant to emphasize the large turnout as we hear murmurs of disapproval in the form of tsks regarding what happened to Devin. It’s uncertain if any of this negative commentary reached Virginia, but she appears remorseful. She can’t stop expressing apologies.

When Virginia’s father inquires whether it all happened too quickly for her, she gives a nod in agreement, but later voices a broader array of issues in a private setting. She admits that there were specific subjects, such as politics, which Devin discouraged her from discussing, thereby preventing them from delving deeply into these topics, including their intimate relationship. This is ironic given that earlier, Devin had expressed concerns about Virginia not being open enough. As per Virginia, the political disagreements were not the root cause of the problems. Instead, it was his communication during those discussions that concerned her. She also hints at an instance where Devin failed to mention a check she knew was a wedding gift, which made her feel less trusting towards him.

It seems Virginia may have already decided against the wedding, feeling too timid to end things earlier due to her nonconfrontational nature. Yet, there’s an air of pride about her as she acknowledges that she’s only now putting herself first in relationships. However, it’s tough for her to grapple with the fact that Devin relied on her and many others were hurt by their separation. Naturally, Devin is heartbroken. If they had discussed politics more openly in the pods or earlier in their relationship, I believe they could have reached this decision sooner. While I can’t say they would have completely avoided the pain of a breakup, they might have spared Hazel from a potentially distressing core memory.

Taylor and Daniel

It appears we’ve got just one more wedding to go, and it’s the pair I felt most certain about at the start, which suggests a double “I do” is on the horizon. The day looks set for success. Taylor and Daniel have each penned letters; she signs hers as “Almost Mrs. Hastings,” and he presents her with the bracelet she crafted for him in the pods to keep them close throughout the day. Additionally, we discover that Taylor and Daniel are still virgins, sparking much amusement among their friends as they speculate about what’s to come tonight.

Taylor and Daniel appear to be striving to create this wedding ceremony as similar as possible to what it would look like if it weren’t under special circumstances. Taylor’s parents, who were unsure he would even be present due to his cancer, are the ones walking her down the aisle. Daniel’s sister sings, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen enter in color-coordinated attire. I must admit, I was taken aback that there wasn’t a large Christmas tree in the corner. I had anticipated extravagant holiday decorations based on the expectation of festive ornaments for guests to take home.

In my perspective, Taylor and Daniel penned down their heartfelt promises. Daniel’s words remain as graceful as ever, subtly incorporating “mother of my children,” which I know Taylor cherishes deeply. However, he momentarily strays from his prepared speech. Taylor, on the other hand, references a 2020 journal entry about the kind of man she was praying for, acknowledging that Daniel fits the bill perfectly. She confidently asserts that our souls have been acquainted for eons, though I must clarify that this isn’t a contest, but if it were, I believe Taylor would shine brightest. Unsurprisingly, they both respond with “I do.

It strikes me that this kiss might be our sole one for the episode, given that all other married couples in this series have parted ways. However, my assumption is quickly debunked as these abstinent newlyweds can’t resist each other, sharing multiple kisses throughout the episode. Their dancing at the reception? Let’s say it matches well, though she shows a clear advantage with the cake-cutting knife. The episode concludes with them announcing their plans for “operation consummation” and spending the night together. Frankly, I hope their intimate moment is more fulfilling than this season turned out to be.

Compatibility Tests

Who is getting hitched? Since we already know the results, it’s not fair to cast votes now. Let me instead check how well our predictions fared. Most of my colleagues from Vulture/New York Magazine whom I polled last week correctly guessed that Taylor and Daniel would get married, while Ben and Sara wouldn’t. We were almost evenly divided on Devin and Virginia; unfortunately, 56% of us thought they’d tie the knot (including myself). However, Joey and Monica took everyone by surprise, with an astonishing 89% expecting them to get married, but I was among the few who correctly predicted otherwise.

Investigation of the week: Why are Joey and Monica wearing those bright-green bracelets?

It wasn’t until the wedding outfits made them stand out that I realized they had worn those items before. As per a TikTok comment from one of his other siblings, Joey gave Monica the green bracelet as a remembrance of his deceased sister, who cerebral-palsy awareness is represented by this color. Since the significance of these bracelets seemed important to Joey and Monica that they decided to wear them during the ceremony, it seems odd to me that we didn’t get to see the moment when he gave her the bracelet or at least some mention of the bracelets. We heard about Mason discussing two different topics – the movie “Her” and Halloween – but not this?

A couple of last thoughts:

As a devoted fan of the Lachey family, I’m confidently looking forward to seeing Taylor and Daniel’s marriage intact at their upcoming reunion, provided nothing unprecedented occurs. It seems quite likely that they will display their festive Christmas card during the event. While there might be a bit of drama, I believe everyone will stand firm in their positions, and I don’t foresee any apologies coming from this lively cast.

Netflix has shared sneak peeks of the reunion outfits on Instagram, and I must admit, I barely recognized Madison! I was so accustomed to her sporting pink hair. It took me a moment to recall Monica too, and it’s remarkable how some individuals can change their appearance from the show. To be honest, I’ve never found myself struggling this much with recognizing faces during a season before. Perhaps next time, it might be helpful if everyone wore name tags?

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2025-03-07 17:23