Married at First Sight star Jasmine Secrest has explained whether the Couples' Retreat was truly a turning point in her marriage to Airris Williams.
ADVERTISEMENT
Married at First Sight's latest sixteenth-season episode on Lifetime featured the four couples -- Jasmine and Airris, Gina Micheletti and Clint Webb, Nicole Lilienthal and Chris Thielk, and Kirsten Grimes and Shaquille Dillon -- enjoying a Couples' Retreat in Gatlinburg, TN, with just over a week left of the extreme marriage experiment.
RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)
Except for Nicole and Chris, who had already professed their love to each other, the other cast members seemed unsure about what their choice was going to be on Decision Day.
Airris, however, was starting to see and appreciate Jasmine for her character and who she is.
ADVERTISEMENT
During last week's episode of Married at First Sight: Afterparty, Jasmine watched back a Season 16 clip of Airris praising her in front of their co-stars during a big dinner at the retreat.
"I haven't always done a good job of creating a safe space for her to feel comfortable enough speaking up, and I just want to salute you, [Jasmine], because that cannot be easy," Airris tells his wife in the footage. "I just want to congratulate you for, like, your strength."
Jasmine proceeds to cry in the clip because she finally felt seen and understood in her marriage.
On Afterparty, Jasmine told host Keshia Knight Pulliam that it was "so great to hear" Airris "salute" her and sing her praises.
"But are you saying this because everybody's around?" Jasmine questioned. "Because we have a lot of private conversations."
ADVERTISEMENT
Keshia therefore asked Jasmine, "So you don't feel the authenticity?"
"I feel the authenticity, but I think I would've rather it been in a private conversation," Jasmine admitted.
Jasmine reiterated how Airris had never said anything like that to her in private, allegedly.
RELATED: '90 DAY FIANCE' COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS SPLIT? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (PHOTOS)
However, Jasmine confirmed Airris' grand speech at dinner "was" definitely a turning point in her marriage.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I feel like it's still a turning point for us," Jasmine confirmed. "He was authentic and I felt like it was real, but I just need more action with the words."
Jasmine said if she and Airris were to take their relationship to the next level, it would mean more "kissing and holding hands." After all, the pair had agreed not to have sex -- or even talk about having sex -- until after Decision Day.
While Airris was clearly seeing positive attributes in his wife, he was still struggling with a lack of physical attraction to her. The pair didn't appear to flirt or have intimacy of any kind.
"This is a big issue and we've got to get around this," Airris acknowledged on a recent episode.
Jasmine wished her husband was smitten with her and wanted to talk to her, kiss her, and hold her hand.
ADVERTISEMENT
"He shouldn't do those things because they told him those are the things he should be doing," Jasmine vented in a confessional.
"I feel all those things should come natural, so I don't feel like Airris is all in. I feel he may be one big toe in and the rest of his body is out the door. So that doesn't put me in a good space."
But during a counseling session with Dr. Pepper Schwartz, Airris told Jasmine that he wanted to continue working on their relationship and he hadn't given up on her.
"I see a possibility [our marriage lasting]. I understand why we were matched. We have moments when we're 'dating,' those are some of our best moments, and I want those moments to last longer," Airris shared.
Jasmine said she previously felt "lost" in the marriage but Airris finally reassured her that he was still in it.
Airris and Jasmine then continued to bond at the Couples' Retreat by rock climbing together and having a good time.
Airris told his male co-stars that he just needed to be able to picture their relationship being happy and healthy after Decision Day in order to say "yes" to staying married. He said he didn't want to end the process with any regrets.
RELATED: 'MARRIED AT FIRST SIGHT' COUPLES NOW: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHO IS STILL TOGETHER? WHO HAS RE-MARRIED? (PHOTOS)
Interested in more Married at First Sight news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group or click here to view our Married at First Sight newspage!
And click here for more updates on former Married at First Sight cast members and info on where they are now!