Throughout Love Is Blind‘s history, several couples completed the experiment successfully, but not all couples stayed married from the reality series. When the Netflix series premiered in 2020, viewers were taken aback by its unique premises. Married hosts Nick and Vanessa Lachey declare this show more of a social experiment than a reality dating show. Similar to Married at First Sight, Love Is Blind is determined to prove that a physical connection is not the most important aspect in a relationship and couples can build a thriving marriage based on an emotional and mental connection. Unlike Married at First Sight, though, the engaged couple tests their relationship out in the real world before heading to the altar.
Season 1 began with 30 singles, 15 men and women each. The singles, like Jessica Batten and Mark Cuevas, are separated from their prospective partners and can only communicate through pods. They have about two weeks to form a connection with the other singles. If the singles form a bond, they can propose and enter the second phase of the experiment, much like the married couple from Season 1, Lauren Speed-Hamilton and Cameron Hamilton. However, during the entire first stage, all the men live together in their own lodgings, with the women living in their own space. This means the contestants are often aware of their partner’s other pursuits, incorporating an additional layer of suspense for Netflix viewers. In the second stage, couples have a mini vacation to focus on developing their intimate connection before moving into their new home.
Their mini vacation allows the couple, and Netflix viewers, additional insight into the potential success of their relationship and connection. Afterward, the next several weeks are focused on integrating their newfound relationship into their homes, families, work, and overall lives. If all goes well, by the end of the month, they will be standing at an altar waiting to prove if love truly is blind. The show’s premise is a perfect combination of suspense, betrayal, love, and drama-heavy relationships. In the total of six seasons, there was a potential for 90 couples. Only 32 couples, such as Jackelina Bonds and Marshall Glaze, got engaged. Of those 32 couples, only 11 got married. However, two of those couples are no longer together and got divorcedaout a year into marriage. Here is a breakdown of the only two divorced couples in the Love Is Blind series and what ultimately led them to their ill fate.
Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones
Cheating Allegations Surround This Season 2 Couple
Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones created a strong bond in the pods after he opened up about his near-death experience. About a year before filming Love Is Blind, a close friend stabbed the 31-year-old Healthcare consultant. To make matters worse, Jarrette spent a week alone in the ICU. No one came to visit him. He was forced to realize how cold and lonely the world could be. This traumatic experience was the driving force behind joining Love Is Blind. The Program Director appreciated Jarrette’s vulnerability and quickly fell in love. Although the two formed a solid connection, they also had a few red flags.
Aside from the 27-year-old Iyanna, Jarette also had his eye on another contestant, 32-year-old Mallory Zapata. The Love Is Blind star found himself equally attracted to both beautiful women and initially struggled to choose. Ultimately, he proposed to Mallory but was heartbroken when she turned him down for Salvador Perez. Since he was intent on getting married, he doubled back to Iyanna and proposed to her in the third episode. However, the healthcare worker seemed disappointed with his choice.
Upon the Love Is Blind reveal, Jarette claimed Iyanna’s voice didn’t “match what she looks like,” which sounded insulting, but claimed he was still satisfied with their attraction. In Mexico, the duo formed a physical connection that was “just as strong” as their emotional connection and all seemed to be going well for the new couple. However, problems began to arise after they left Mexico. Once the couple returned home to Chicago, more red flags appeared. They learned that their routines and preferences were drastically different. Iyanna preferred quiet, intimate nights at home. Meanwhile, Jarette enjoyed staying out late and living the bachelor life as a night owl.
Iyanna also struggled with being Jarette’s “second choice” and his overly playful attitude. However, the Love Is Blind couple was intent on solidifying their connection and improving their relationship. So, by the time they reached the altar, both parties said, “I do.” For a year, the couple settled into their newfound relationship and strengthened their connection. They even appeared on After the Altar, a spin-off dedicated to married Love is Blind couples celebrating their first anniversary. Unfortunately, though, by August 2022, the couple released a statement announcing their divorce.
In a joint Instagram announcement, the couple shared that they “will begin the process of divorcing.” The “decision was far from easy,” they claimed, and it came after “much thought.” The Love Is Blind couple kept the details of their separation hidden and only asked for “some space” as they closed the “final chapter” of their lives. Four months later, Iyanna appeared on an Instagram live sobbing, as their divorce became final. It wasn’t until the following year that the duo claimed the other had cheated. In her podcast, Feel in the Blank, Iyanna claimed she found out Jarrette cheated on her three days before After the Altar. She stated she received an email with “very specific details.” She stayed in the marriage for a few more months, attempting to fix their relationship, but the pair ultimately decided they were both “too unhappy” to stay together.
However, according to Jarrette, he never cheated on Iyanna. He admitted he made the inappropriate decision of inviting two women to their house, but he was never intimate with either of them. In fact, he claimed they saw the picture of Iyanna and said “Aw, hell no. Girl, this man got a whole girlfriend in here. Unh, unh, why’d he invite us here?” before they left. He also claimed the Love Is Blind contestant Iyanna was acting “shady” because she held a man’s hand as she drunkenly walked downstairs after a night out with the other women from Season 2. In the end, they both realized they rushed into their relationship, ignoring all the red flags, and were better off going their separate ways. They both appear to be single and ready to mingle currently.
Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson
This Season 2 Couple Swears Nothing “Interesting” Led to Their Divorce
Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson hit it off immediately in the pods, as they were the first couple to get engaged. Unlike Iyanna and Jarrette, there was no question about the connection and love these two shared. The Love Is Blind star Danielle was ready to marry Nick “tomorrow.” The attraction was mutual at the reveal and the couple seemed unstoppable. However, their relationship started to head south during the trip to Mexico.
While on their trip, Danielle became bed-bound with food poisoning. Instead of caring for his fiancé, Nick left her alone to have drinks with the other couples. When he returned, the couple got into a heated argument, or as Nick put it, he had to endure Danielle’s “toxic” outburst. Although Danielle had some insecurities, the couple appeared more than willing to work through them. Integrating into real life and meeting the families provided a few challenges for this couple, but nothing they couldn’t overcome together.
On the day of their wedding, the Love Is Blind couple seemed on edge and shared some pre-wedding jitters. Danielle admitted she wasn’t sure what would happen at the wedding, but in the end, they both said “I do.” During the first year of their marriage, they attended couple’s therapy to help strengthen their relationship and adjust to the rapid change in their lives. They claimed to still be going strong and were planning another wedding for their second or third anniversary. The duo seemed to be heading in the right direction and shared many of their favorite moments via social media with their fans. However, much like Iyanna and Jarette, by August 2022, the couple had split up.
The Love Is Blind duo didn’t share much information until the following month when they released separate statements on Instagram. Danielle claimed she’d always “care” about and “appreciate” their relationship, but “As a wise woman said — choose yourself.” In his statement, Nick claimed he was “heartbroken” and he did the “best” he could do. At the end of September, Danielle revealed that there was no “big” or “interesting story” about their divorce. “No catastrophe” happened. They simply decided to go their separate ways. In October, Nick confirmed that there “wasn’t a big catastrophic event,” but he did feel the relationship was lacking and that more red flags became evident with the cameras gone.
However, in May 2023, the pair sparked reconciliation rumors. Danielle, who later appeared on Nick’s podcast, shared more details about their reconnection. The same May day they posted the picture on Instagram, they had their “real” conversation in months that lasted “eight hours.” However, in August, Nick clarified that they were “cordial” and only “talk.” Currently, it appears both Danielle and Nick are single and looking for love.
In the end, Netflix viewers were saddened to see both the Season 2 couples file for divorce. According to Forbes, about 43% of first marriages end in divorce, and it seems as though the married couples from Season 2 were ill-fated. Although some of their red flags should’ve suggested their demise, given the short time frame couples have before marrying, it’s easy to overlook negative qualities in the name of love. While these couples may not have had a successful marriage, there are still 9 other married couples from the series who are happy and thriving. Netflix announced that Love Is Blind will return for Season 7 and the show will have another chance to increase the success of its experiment.
Love is Blind is available to stream on Netflix.
