MAFS 2026: Shocking moment bride is left STRANDED at the altar as groom sparks wedding day chaos: 'Where's my husband?'

A Married At First Sight 2026 trailer has left viewers stunned after a bride was shown waiting alone at the altar with no sign of her groom.

In the dramatic teaser released on Tuesday, Sydney-based bride Mel Akbay is seen standing nervously at the end of the aisle as guests begin to murmur.

Now, insiders have revealed what really happened in the shocking moment that had fans convinced another runaway groom was on their hands.

According to sources close to production, groom Luke Fourniotis was forced to race back to his apartment with his sisters just moments before the ceremony after appearing to forget a crucial item for the wedding.

'It was absolute chaos,' one insider told Daily Mail. 

'Luke was hours delayed after he realised he didn't have his ring on his way to the venue and bolted back home to get it with his sisters.'

Mel, 28, meanwhile, was left standing at the altar completely in the dark as minutes ticked by and tension filled the room.

'Mel was confused and starting to panic,' another source revealed. 

'She had no clue why Luke wasn't there and no one could tell her anything.

'Everyone at the venue had no idea what was going on,' they continued. 

While it remains unclear whether producers played a role in the delay for dramatic effect, insiders insist the situation was very real and far from scripted.

'This wasn't some planned storyline,' a source said.

'People were genuinely stressed because it looked like the groom might miss his own wedding, nobody had their phones, and producers wouldn't tell anybody what was going on.'

Thankfully, the ordeal had a happy ending, with Luke eventually making it back to the venue just in time for the ceremony to go ahead.

'He made it in the end and the wedding did happen,' an insider confirmed. 

'Everyone breathed a massive sigh of relief once he walked in.'

Luke and Mel were ultimately paired together, with sources teasing that their relationship gets off to an unforgettable start thanks to the altar drama.

'After that, nothing was ever going to feel normal again,' one insider laughed. 

'It was one hell of a way to begin married life,' they continued. 

Elsewhere in the trailer, it seems things are going smoothly for Adelaide socialite Bec Zacharia and her husband Danny Hewitt.

'Can I kiss you?' she asks before the newlyweds are seen passionately smooching. 

It comes after Daily Mail revealed that Luke will be a fan favourite, and one of four grooms tipped to be a breakout star.

Quietly emotional with a tragic backstory, Luke earns sympathy early.

His vulnerability, mixed with moments of withdrawal, makes him one of the season's most intriguing grooms.

Meanwhile, Mel is unfiltered and emotionally driven, and it won't be long before her fairytale expectations collide with reality.

Expect her to be one of the most talked-about brides this year.

Married At First Sight returns to screens Monday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine.