“Married at First Sight” Couple Who Matched but Had Their Wedding Canceled Ties the Knot 4 Years Later

Paul and Ally Todd were set to marry as strangers in March 2020, but never had the chance to meet at the altar as the global pandemic was unfolding

Paul and Ally Todd were determined not to miss their chance at finding their perfect match.

Back in early 2020, the two were preparing to marry as complete strangers on the U.K. edition of Married at First Sight when the global pandemic dashed their plans, according to OK! Magazine. They had been matched by the show's experts and had a wedding date set for March 22 — but they never got to meet at the altar.

As the world went into lockdown, their wedding was canceled. Both were left "devastated" by the sudden turn of events. Ally recalled experiencing a mix of emotions in the moment.

“We were all fearful about COVID at the time and, on top of that, anxious about marrying a stranger — this chosen person for you; your perfect match. Then all of a sudden, it’s not happening. It was emotional," she told the outlet.

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Still curious about each other, Paul and Ally convinced the show's producers to allow them to connect over Skype, and after a 90-minute conversation, they were more convinced than ever that they wanted to meet in person.

Ally told OK! she was smitten the moment she laid eyes on Paul. “He was exactly what I asked for looks-wise, so I really fancied him," she said. "I’d never believed in love at first sight, because I think you need to get to know a person to fall in love, but we did fall in love pretty quickly after that.”

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Since they were no longer strangers — a key element of the reality show's concept — the couple was cut from the season. Following their first meeting, their relationship progressed quickly.

They found themselves speaking on the phone every day for hours and, after several weeks, Ally — who was based in Worthing, England, at the time — traveled to Paul's home in the seaside town of Weston-super-Mare.

“I packed enough for two weeks thinking, ‘We’ll just see how it goes,’ " she told OK!, adding, "But I never moved back home."

Related: Married at First Sight Alum Iris Caldwell Is Engaged: 'I Could Not Be More Excited' (Exclusive)

Seven months later, in October 2020, they learned they were expecting a baby together, which Ally said was "a happy blessing."

Shortly before their daughter, Penelope, was born in July 2021, Paul made things official by popping the question to Ally during a trip to the beach. “When he got down on one knee, I think I asked if he was joking and started crying happy tears," she told OK!.

On June 8, 2024, more than four years after having their original wedding canceled, the couple tied the knot at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, England, surrounded by 60 loved ones. Fittingly, the guest list included the two people who helped make their love story happen — MAFS matchmaking experts Geneviève Gresset and Paul Carrick Brunson.

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“The experts are a huge support in our life, and that’s why we invited them to the wedding. Without them, we wouldn’t have our daughter, or our love,” Ally told the outlet, recalling how the usually stoic Paul "had tears in his eyes" during their vows.

Looking back on their special day, Ally said she and Paul are happy with how things turned out and relieved that their wedding didn't unfold on TV. They appreciated the more intimate experience of their nuptials without cameras in tow.

Ally told OK! she had "a knowing feeling" that she would find her life partner early on in the process of applying to be on the show, after four frustrating and fruitless years of online dating.

“It’s so strange, but I just had this knowing feeling it was going to work out for me," she said. “A lot of people doubted me and said I was making a big mistake, but I just so strongly knew that it was going to work. Obviously, I was right, which is very lucky, because I know that’s not always the case."

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