MAFS Recap: A Black Man In Tune With His Emotions Is Nothing To Scoff At

Source: Mike Lirette Photography / Mike Lirette Photography

Woody

Woody seems fun. But the comments from his friends seem a little concerning. They flat out said that he doesn’t seem entirely ready for marriage. They offered him the patent phrase for Black folks who have a friend who does the most: “You a wild boy.” They said that Woody is used to doing his own thing and is perpetually in search of a good time.

But there is a sensitive side to Woody that I really enjoyed seeing. I love that he seems so close to his family members. He shed tears of love after speaking with his mother and grandmother and listening to his cousin’s toast at the reception.

His interaction with Amani seemed comfortable. It was heavy on the flirting but she was here for it. And in the midst of all of that, I really appreciated—and Amani appreciated—him asking for consent and permission to engage in physical contact.

Amani

Amani shared that she has some trust issues given the fact that the last man she dated was in a whole marriage. Rightfully so. Hopefully, the trust issues won’t pop up throughout the course these next eight weeks.

Woody has a big personality but Amani seemed willing to go with it. Which is a great sign. Also, of the brides she seemed to have the best support system. Her friend is willing to ride out and her married friend didn’t even pretend to offer any advice on how to be a good wife. C’mon honesty! There is no rule book.

Amani also picked up on the fact that Woody was centering her feelings throughout the night. The fact that she not only noticed but appreciated it are good things.

And on a random note, I loved that she told Woody that she’s Black and Black and we come in all varieties. That was a message for him and the Black men who think Black women aren’t “exotic.”

Source: Mike Lirette Photography / Lady Portrait and Wedding Photography

Christina

Christina has me worried. She’s had some issues with men beginning with an absentee father and the romantic partners she’s selected. But that’s cool. Plenty of women have been in her shoes. The most concerning thing about Christina was her behavior at the bachelorette party. I totally get her feeling uncomfortable. But instead of just stepping away, she seemed very rattled by it all. This might present a concern in doing things she’s never done, with a person she’s just met, in a new and unconventional marriage. A lot of things will have the potential to make her uncomfortable.

Henry

Henry seems sweet and like he doesn’t have the capacity to hurt anyone. But it’s still early. From what little we’ve seen of him, it seems that he might struggle opening up to Christina about his emotions throughout this process. And while his temperament suggests this, he’ll need a lot of patience in order to help Christina navigate this whole thing given her anxiety in new situations.

Brett

I’m worried about Brett, chile. Not only was he being way too inappropriate at the bachelor party, I fear that without sarcasm and snarky comments, he’s not that great of a communicator. While he shared that he was attracted to Olivia, after their ceremony he fell a little flat and she was left to carry the conversation.

He also told the cameras that he wasn’t going to change the insults his family uses as a bonding mechanism. Hopefully, Olivia is comfortable with all of that.

Source: Julie Verlindon Photography / Julie Verlindon Photography

Olivia

She seems sweet. I love that she bought the star for the two of them. And that she was so thrilled by the things that she and Brett had in common like owning cats and being left-handed. She seems to be going into this with the right attitude and I just hope she receives what she’s putting out.

Source: Mike Lirette Photography / Mike Lirette Photography

Amelia

Amelia, for all of her quirks, seems like the type of person who could get along with almost anyone. So it was a bit of a surprise to hear that she and Bennett had crossed paths before. Hopefully, things didn’t end on a sour note and they’ll both be willing to put forth significant effort in trying again.

Bennett

I like Bennett. He seems like a good judge of character based on his assessments of Miles and Brett from their bachelorette party. If anyone who would be Amelia’s ideal man, willing to stay at home and raise her babies while she works as a doctor, it would be him. I really, really liked the card he wrote for her and the gift he gave her on their wedding day. It will certainly be interesting to learn why these two didn’t work out in the first place.

Miles

I had my reservations about Miles on the introductory episode because he’s still in his twenties. But honestly, of the entire group, he might be leading the pack in terms of emotional maturity. I love how he comforted Karen during their ceremony and the ease of their conversation, which he seemed to lead afterward. The bond that he shares with his family and friends also lends credence to his character. His homies were right. He seems ready.

Karen

Y’all pray for Karen. She told the absolute truth when she said she is risk averse. So this whole thing is going to be a big step for her. Everything about her energy just says she’s nervous and hesitant. And after being with a man who had a whole baby on her, I can’t say that I blame her.

The red flags for me started sprouting when Karen said that Miles seemed to be more, based on his social media profile, more emotional than she would have liked. Ummm sis…that is not a bad thing. If you’re going to be in a marriage, you’re going to need a husband who is willing and able to tap into his emotions. I don’t know if she just wasn’t physically attracted to him and didn’t want to sound shallow by saying that, but that is concerning.

Thankfully, though she seemed to be much more at ease in Miles’ presence. She seems to have a good head on her shoulders so I’m rooting for them. But her trust issues, desire to move slow—despite marrying a stranger, and her overall apprehension might cause some friction.