Married At First Sight’s Paul Antoine reveals the REAL reason why he ghosted Carina Mirabile

Married At First Sight groom Paul Antoine has set the record straight about why he ‘ghosted’ bride Carina Mirabile after their first date. 

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia following their wedding episode, Paul, 30, explained the misunderstanding surrounding the alleged ghosting incident that occurred nearly a year before they were matched on the show. 

‘I don’t think I ghosted her – we just fizzled out,’ Paul insisted.

‘At first, we were texting a lot and trying to plan a second date, but life got busy. 

‘She was tied up on her side, I was busy on mine, and it just fizzled out,’ he continued. 

‘Looking back, I probably should’ve communicated better and told her where I was at.’

Reflecting on his mindset at the time, Paul revealed he simply wasn’t ready for a serious relationship.

‘I was in a headspace where letting anyone into my life wouldn’t have been the right thing to do,’ he admitted.

‘I should have probably said to her, “Hey, I think we should leave it there”, but I didn’t. That’s probably why she used the term “ghosted”, I guess.’

When asked why he decided to go all in this time, Paul said everything in his life had aligned perfectly.

‘Now, I’m ready to find my forever partner,’ he shared.

‘Everything has fallen into place – work-wise, career-wise, goal-wise, family-wise. It’s the perfect time in my life to let someone in and share my life with my forever person.’

Carina has admitted to having trust issues, but Paul is confident he can win her over.

‘I don’t play games,’ he said firmly.

‘I think she’ll see how genuine and down-to-earth I am and how much effort I’m willing to put in. I have all the right intentions, and I’m all in this time.’ 

Seeing Carina walk down the aisle 

Paul couldn’t hide his delight when he saw Carina on their wedding day.

‘When I saw Carina, I was surprised but so happy,’ he said.

‘I knew how good of a person she was from our first date a year ago. It felt so surreal knowing we were matched. What are the chances, right?’

Paul said connecting with Carina’s family was a highlight of the wedding day. 

‘Her parents reminded me so much of my own,’ he revealed.

‘Her dad is more reserved and harder to approach, while her mum is bubbly and so easy to talk to. 

They’re amazing people, and I felt such a connection with them. It was a really special moment for me.’

Regrets about the wedding edit 

While Paul loved watching his wedding episode, he admitted there were a few key moments he wished had made the cut.

‘I really wish they aired Carina’s beautiful speech at the dinner, my speech, and even her dad’s hilarious speech at the wedding,’ he said.

‘There was also a great chat I had with my best mate Johnny before the wedding, where I told him I was about to marry someone who I thought was a stranger. That was such a wholesome moment I wish viewers could’ve seen.’ 

Struggles with dating in Perth 

Despite being a good-looking guy, Paul revealed he’s struggled to date in Perth.

‘Looks aren’t everything,’ he explained. ‘I’ve had trouble finding someone who aligns with my values. 

‘I want someone down-to-earth, and that’s been hard to find. 

Dating hasn’t been easy, but I feel ready now to meet the right person,’ he added. 

On joining MAFS for love, not fame 

While this isn’t Paul’s first time on reality TV – he previously appeared on The Real Love Boat – he insisted his intentions for MAFS were genuine.

‘Honestly, I didn’t sign up for followers or fame,’ Paul stated.

‘Dating just wasn’t working for me, and I wanted to give it a real shot. I went in with zero expectations, just ready to ride the wave and see what happens.’ 

Paul believes both he and Carina have grown since their first meeting.

‘I think Carina would be impressed with how much I’ve grown, and I’m sure she’s done a lot of work on herself too,’ he said.

‘When we met last year, we were both coming out of tough times, but now I think we’re both in a place where we’re ready to give it our all.’ 

Paul and Carina have already become one of this season’s most talked-about couples, with viewers rooting for their love story.

‘I think people can see that we’re both here for the right reasons,’ Paul said. ‘We’ve both been through a lot, and I think viewers can relate to our story.’

Married At First Sight continues Wednesday at 7.30pm on Channel Nine