As ‘Love Is Blind: Brazil’ Just Showed, Saying “No” Can Be Okay

Netflix’s matchmaking hit, Love Is Blind, has allowed for singles ready for commitment to embark on an experiment in which they can fall in love and get engaged sight unseen. Although the purpose of the show is to prove that looks might be getting in the way of people finding their ideal matches, it has also garnered a reputation for casting people already in relationships before joining the program and even being sued by couples that weren’t given proper treatment during filming.

In spite of the drama involving the Netflix reality show throughout the years, it has paired off multiple lovebirds who remain in happy marriages and made way for other international versions of the US-originated project. Love Is Blind: Brazil is only one of the editions done overseas, with the same set of rules but apparent cultural differences that chime in while the experiment unfolds. The latest season of the Brazil program featured several engagements that led to promising results, but among so many “I dos”, a couple said “I don’t” in the most unexpected way to ever be featured on the reality hit.

Patrick and Marília Connected on The Pods

In Season 4, now rebranded as Love Is Blind Brazil: A Fresh Start, the singles selected to participate in the matchmaking experiment were all either divorced or in common-law relationships in the past and were eager to find a second chance at love. In this new iteration of the show, a total of five couples made it out of the pods merrily engaged. The duos included Alexandre and Renata, Ingrid and Leandro, Vanessa and Leonardo, Ariela and Evandro, as well as Marília and Patrick. The latter pairing hit it off in the pods right away, given their chill personalities and similar lifestyle. Although their connection was almost threatened by Patrick’s lack of note-taking in the pods, mixing up Marília for Renata, he corrected his mistake and proposed to his true match shortly after. When the time came for them to meet face to face, their excitement over each other seemed visible and genuine. Yet, like many other couples that have been featured in Love Is Blind, their journey in the real world made them reevaluate whether their connection through a wall was enough to instill in them the courage to get wed.

After spending their honeymoon at a cozy getaway in Santa Catarina alongside the other couples, Marília and Patrick seemed to be on the right track, addressing the rumor about his intentions when joining the show (not really looking for a meaningful relationship). Although that seemed to be the only obstacle in the way of their bond, it was only when they had the opportunity to share an apartment and return to their routines that more issues came to the surface. Patrick’s laid-back lifestyle, sleeping until later in the day and often scrolling on his phone for hours, proved to be a cause of commotion between the pair. At a pool party in Episode 7, their relationship was put to the test, with Patrick not only making a senseless joke that got on Marília’s nerves, but he also didn’t try to solve pending issues with Renata (the contestant he mixed up his partner for in the pods). When Ingrid, another participant, tried to advise him about being more affectionate to his fiancée, he didn’t take it well.

They Noticed Differences When Living Together

When the couple returned to their apartment, they argued about some of the insecurities that they were both feeling about their relationship. Marília shared that she felt lonely at home when her partner didn’t spend quality time with her and Patrick shared that he felt a bit daunted by his bride-to-be’s backstory and her maturity, saying that he felt afraid that he might not be as experienced in life as she is. After coming into terms with their issues, the couple began to focus on being more present in each other’s lives and work on their communication skills. Although they seemed to be on their way to saying “yes” at the altar, when their wedding day arrived, they opted for saying “no”.

Most weddings featured in Love Is Blind, where the couple doesn’t get married, result in awkwardness or melodrama. Usually, one of the two runs out of the aisle feeling blindsided by the person they got to know in the pods and later in the real world. However, this was far from what was showcased at Marília and Patrick’s ceremony. Instead of one saying “yes” while the other says “no” (which is often how things play out), both of them decide to say “not yet”. Speaking afterward, Marília said, “There was no other way to end this. We’ve always been honest and transparent. And we’ve agreed that now is not the time. We both believe that everything has its own timing and our time has not yet come.”

Patrick and Marília Agreed To Say No

This unexpected response from the participants came as a pleasant surprise, not because reality TV fans were hoping they would part ways, but because they came to that decision together. After Marília and Patrick endured a few obstacles along the way, primarily due to their lack of communication, it felt like the way they called off their wedding was filled with the utmost sense of respect. Through overflowing joy and happy tears, the couple didn’t say that they weren’t getting married because they didn’t want to be together, but because they still felt like they needed more time to build their relationship outside an environment monitored by cameras.

This wedding, with a twist, showed that it is possible to say “no” at the end of the matchmaking experiment through a mutual understanding prior to arriving at the altar. Marília and Patrick decided to call the wedding off after reaching an agreement, and instead of making a celebration go south with unpleasantness in the air, they decided to make the situation just as lighthearted as an actual ceremony gone right. Even though it is only after the reunion arrives on Netflix this Wednesday, on July 10, that viewers will finally find out if the duo remains in love, their relationship had a beautiful resolution by the end of Season 4 that will likely be remembered by viewers as one of the most epic wedding call offs featured on reality TV.

Love Is Blind: A Fresh Start is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.