There is no question Haley Harris and Jacob Harder had one of the rockier marriages of all the Married at First Sight couples. In fact, the honeymoon for these two ended…well… on the honeymoon. But that hasn’t stopped Haley from enjoying life and now that Season 12 is over, she seems to be living her best life.
On May 12, Haley posted a picture to Instagram, saying, “Season 12 MAFS…I hate to see you go but I love to watch you leave.”
The picture features Haley casually looking over her shoulder as if saying goodbye to what was most likely one of the more unique and difficult experiences of her life.
Haley appeared to be feeling a sense of closure, and most likely relief that the show was now behind her, so she could get back to her life.
Although the marriage had ended, Haley stated in the finale that she had learned many valuable lessons from the experience and did not have regrets.
She went on to say that she had learned several things about herself that she could take moving forward and into new relationships. It seems the picture of her saying goodbye to the show allowed her to put an end to the Married at First Sight chapter of her life.
Haley Harris moves on after failed MAFS marriage
After posting the “goodbye” picture following the show’s finale, there was a brief referendum where Haley did not post anything to her Instagram account and Married At First Sight fans held their breath, curious to see what the future might hold for the show’s newest alum.
Thankfully, Haley appears to be back to enjoying her life, post Married At First Sight. On June 2, Haley posted a picture beaming next to her gal pal Monica, both donned in beachwear, sipping drinks. The caption listed off the week’s activities, which included a housewarming, a birthday, and an engagement party.
Then, on June 6, Haley posted a picture cozying up with friends at Truist Stadium, enjoying a Braves game. Haley gushes “Came to see the Braves…stayed for the peanuts, hotdogs, and seltzers” as she cozies up to some of her gal pals, including her best friend Lauren, who was by her side throughout the entire Married at First Sight Process.
It looks like the social butterfly is spreading her wings once again, as she begins to get back to her life and carve out what her new normal is going to look like.
Where did Haley and Jacob’s marriage go wrong?
The Married at First Sight couples were matched by relationship experts and agreed to the marriage with their new spouse, sight unseen. The five couples then met their new spouses for the first time, on their wedding day. The couples exchanged vows and enjoyed receptions with their friends and family, taking time to get to know each other and their new in-laws.
Following the weddings, the five newlywed couples that made up the Married At First Sight, Season 12 Atlanta series, were promptly whisked off to their Vegas honeymoon, where the couples spent the next few days getting to know their new spouses and building connections.
Unfortunately, only four short days after saying their vows, Haley admitted she was not feeling a connection with Jacob, and the relationship never fully recovered. The couple fought over everything from Jacob’s clothing style to his quirky eating habits.
The couple’s fighting reached its height on the honeymoon, following an incident where Haley told Jacob she was out attending a “girl’s night” which, that in reality, turned out to be an evening that included all the other spouses, except for Jacob.
After Jacob discovered this, the couple’s fighting escalated with accusations of Haley being a “liar” and being intentionally deceitful, despite Haley’s denials. The couple then spent the length of the airplane ride home apart after Haley requested a seat change. The trip did not exactly bode well for the couple’s future.
Finally, after weeks of cringeworthy interactions, fights, and conversations, the relationship culminated in the couple deciding to call it quits on Decision Day, resulting in their subsequent divorce. Jacob was the first to express his desire to not continue the marriage, a sentiment which was quickly echoed by Haley.
Needless to say, it was most likely not one of the more positive experiences for Alabama native Haley Harris. Most would agree a failed marriage would be hard enough as is, but a failed marriage following a months-long nationally publicized battle to save it? Well, that’s just brutal.
Prior to the divorce, one of the major points of contention in Haley and Jacob’s short, troubled, marriage, was Haley’s vast friend group and a seemingly endless list of weddings and activities.
Her then-husband Jake was described by his friends and family, as a “loner” and Jake seemed to far prefer hanging out in his 80s themed home, to going out or being social.
Haley, a world traveler, had recently spent a month in Thailand “getting massages and eating Pad Thai.” Jake on the other hand did not even have a valid passport.
Haley seemed to always be right in the middle of a group of couples, while Jake’s off-the-wall comments and unique sense of humor, often caused the group to alienate him. While the couple struggled to adjust to their new life as a married couple, it appeared Haley’s social life and friend group took the back seat.
One of the hardest parts for the Married at First Sight alums will be figuring out what their lives are going to look like now that the cameras are gone and some of them are single once again.
For Haley Harris, it looks like leaning on her vast support system of friends and family and getting back to the people and things she loves. By the looks of it, she is not just surviving her experience post-Married at First Sight, she is thriving
Married at First Sight is currently on hiatus.