David and Michelle Share How Their Dating Pasts Led Them to 'MAFS' (EXCLUSIVE)
"I have dated almost every turd in Chicago at this point," Michelle said.
Published Oct. 28 2024, 1:53 p.m. ET
Not every couple who meets on Married at First Sight does so with a list of previous partners and even a couple of great loves behind them — but for Michelle and David in Season 18, that's kind of the case.
David wastes no time on the show declaring that his "third love" will be the best one, while Michelle is open about her failed connections in the past.
Distractify spoke exclusively with the MAFS pair to learn about their relationships prior to the experiment and even a couple of deal-breakers they might have had, going into it.
None of the couples on the show have ever been a perfect match, but the experts take a lot of time in putting them together each season, and they all believed that Michelle and David could go the distance.
David and Michelle shared details of their relationship histories before 'Married at First Sight.'
Although this wouldn't be David's first time in love (provided, of course, that he does fall for his wife after the altar), he believes that he learned from his previous two loves.
Because of that, he is ready now, more than ever, to really settle down and commit himself to someone. According to him, he has those relationships to thank for part of his readiness.
"I believe the main issues were being young and dumb," David told Distractify, of why things went wrong. "Also, putting a lot of pressure on myself as in always wanting to provide, all caused a little bit of self-sabotage, not being willing to do the small things, not being vulnerable. Also, a major issue would be communication."
Michelle doesn't have quite the same mentality when viewers meet her on MAFS. However, she is no stranger to the dating scene in Chicago, and the failed relationships and connections from that time in her life left her feeling very "guarded," going into MAFS.
"I have dated almost every turd in Chicago at this point, which has caused me to be guarded in the sense where I keep a wall up and take a while to let people in," she shared with us. "It's how I protect myself from getting hurt by the love bombers and those who are looking to play games."
Money was somewhat important to Michelle before being matched on 'MAFS.'
When Michelle explains on MAFS what she is looking for in a man, she doesn't mince words about the financial aspect of having a partner. Even though having a partner with a sizable income wasn't a deal-breaker for her, she still wanted to be sure that her partner could hold his own and that, together, their income would be more than enough to sustain them.
"At my age, I am looking for someone who can match my lifestyle, and I don't make enough money currently to support myself and someone else in the life I want to live," Michelle admitted. "So I would need to be with someone who made as much as me. If I met someone in my 20's who made less than me and we were both growing in our careers then my answer would be different, but now that I am in my late 30's, this is pretty important to me."
David wasn't worried about his wife learning he lives in his parents' basement.
One thing that sets David apart from most of the other men in the MAFS franchise is the fact that he got married while still living at home. Well, sort of. He lives in his parents' basement. However, he also has a dual career as a social worker and a foreman and he lives with his parents by choice and he pays them rent.
"I may have been nervous about what my wife may think, but then again, I have two careers and I had my own place for two years before moving back, as I had to close down my establishment due to COVID," he shared. "However, I turned it into my bachelor pad which was not too shabby."
He added that he was fully prepared to change whatever he needed to about his social life, work life, and living arrangements, going into his new marriage, because, according to David, "it takes time, effort, and communication to make a marriage work."
David is also extremely close to his parents, so it makes sense for him to be comfortable living in such close proximity to them.
He told Distractify that, among other things, he learned from them that "to love one another unconditionally, [keep] open lines of communication, and enjoy life with one another" helps keep a marriage strong.
Watch Married at First Sight on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.