Despite the extreme premise of Lifetime’s Married at First Sight, the reality television series has produced a handful of happily married pairs, including Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner. While most of the couples matched for the social experiment run out of steam before they get to live together as a couple in real life, Jamie and Doug are among those who have defied the odds for the long haul. They lead the pack of MAFS couples who are not only still together but have forged a meaningful life for themselves away from the cameras of the hit show.
Greenlit for seasons 17 and 18, which will respectively feature singles from Denver and Chicago, the series has thus far matched 64 couples. Of that number, 37 couples mutually decided to stay married after the eight-week experiment, but only 11 are still married. The failure rate of the show seems to affirm that entering into a legally binding marriage with a stranger isn’t a clever route for seeking a lifelong partnership. But then, Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner’s union suggests otherwise. They are en route to happily ever after, and it all began on the set of Married at First Sight.
Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner Are The Longest-Married MAFS Couple
Like other MAFS couples, Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner met and married at first sight on the set of the reality series’ first season, which aired on FYI in 2014. Alongside Jason Carrion and Cortney Hendrix, they were one of the two matched couples that decided to remain married on Decision Day. While Jason and Cortney ended their marriage five years later, Jamie and Doug have waxed stronger, thanks to their commitment to spending the rest of their lives together. Theirs has been a rollercoaster romance, but their relentless effort to build a meaningful relationship paid off in no small manner.
When they met on season 1 of Married at First Sight, they were hardly attracted to each other. Jamie wept when she saw Doug for the first time; she confessed that she didn’t fancy him, describing the moment as “the worst feeling.” Despite her disappointment, she decided to give love a chance, and it has been worth it in the long run. Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner gradually fell in love after exchanging marital vows as strangers. Now approaching a decade as a couple, they are happily married with a beautiful family life.
They Renewed Their Vows After Doug Proposed In March 2015
Barely a year into marriage, the couple had grown so much in love that Doug proposed to Jamie. She excitedly shared the surprise proposal on Instagram, proclaiming her love for Doug. They renewed their vows later that month and have been grateful they opted to remain married on Decision Day despite not being in love. In one of the many sentiments Jamie has shared about their marriage, she disclosed that the renewal of their wedding vows was the first time they genuinely chose each other. Recalling their time on the show, she said: “I didn’t want him to touch me or pretend we were some happily married couple just because we were filming a TV show.”
She also thanked Doug for being loving and patient, adding that they didn’t consummate their marriage until about eight to ten weeks. She said they “spent the first few months of (their) marriage building trust, respect, and friendship.” Upon renewing their vows, Jamie rewarded Doug’s patient by taking up his last name. “I’m officially Jamie Nicole Hehner,” she declared on Instagram, asserting that it was her anniversary gift to him and “the one more thing I wanted to do to be completely connected and committed to my hubs.”
When Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary in March 2023, Doug expressed that he was still amazed the MAFS experiment worked. “I painted a picture of what my perfect wife would be to the MAFS Experts, and they exceeded my expectations. Jamie, you are my world and my life, and I look forward to every year from here on out!” Jamie, on the other hand, described Doug as the love of her life and the best thing that’s ever happened to her while recounting their journey in a lengthy Instagram post. “If you’re on the fence about giving the nice guy… a chance…let this be your sign,” she admonished.
Jamie Otis-Hehner And Doug Hehner Are Parents With Two Lovely Kids
Given the pictures of their fun moments littered across each other’s social media pages, it’s tempting to imagine that Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner have had an easy romance. Like every other couple, they have had their fair share of challenges. What makes the difference is their equal commitment to their marriage and the resolve to confront whatever trouble they encounter together. Among other problems, the couple faced an ordeal with childbearing; they have suffered at least three miscarriages.
The first was in 2016 when they lost their son Johnathan Edward, whom Jamie delivered at week 17. They suffered another miscarriage in September 2018 and then again in January 2019. However, their efforts to start a family succeeded in August 2017 when they had their daughter Henley Grace Hehner. She’s the first baby born to MAFS couples, and her birth was documented in a spin-off series titled Married at First Sight: Jamie and Doug Plus One. Jamie Otis-Hehner and Doug Hehner also have a son named Hendrix Hehner; he was born in May 2020. The family of four moved into their “forever home” in June 2023.
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