Like other Married at First Sight couples, Jamie and Doug first met at the altar and exchanged vows as strangers in season 1 of the Lifetime reality television series. Since the show’s premiere on FYI in 2014, it has produced several couples who choose to remain together for the long haul after eight weeks of experiment. Jamie and Doug are at the top rung of that ladder as the longest-married MAFS couple. They have demonstrated the boundless possibilities of love when the parties involved are genuinely committed to forging a future together. Although their journey hasn’t been all lovey-dovey, Jamie and Doug are an inspiring couple who have built a meaningful life.
Their story inspired the MAFS spin-off series Jamie and Doug Plus One. It premiered in December 2017, following the fan-favorite couple as they navigate through parenthood. The MAFS alums have remained in the limelight, sharing their love story with the public while fostering their marriage. In July 2023, Jamie Otis wept when she learned for the first time that Doug Hehner nearly died of an overdose years before they met. This shows how far she’s come to love a man she didn’t fancy the day they exchanged vows. From their experimental marriage to the loving family they’ve built, here’s a rundown on Jamie and Doug’s love story.
Jamie and Doug Met And Married At First Sight In 2014
One of the three couples paired for Married at First Sight Season 1, Jamie and Doug were strangers when they exchanged vows. Jamie was disappointed when she saw Doug for the first time. She wasn’t attracted to him, so she wept and questioned her decision to sign up for the show. However, she gave love a chance and grew fond of Doug. After weeks of experiment, the duo stayed married, alongside Jason Carrion and Cortney Hendrix, who ended their marriage five years later. Recalling their time on the show, Jamie related that she didn’t know Doug’s name until their wedding.
“They all laughed and mocked us when we said “I do” as complete strangers,” she said. “Back then, no one had ever done it before. I literally didn’t even know my hubby’s name until our wedding day, so maybe they had a valid reason to call us cray crazy,” added the Nurse. Jamie is grateful she ignored the backlash over her unconventional approach to marriage. “If I had listened to everyone’s criticism and never followed my heart, I would’ve missed out on growing a love like I’ve never known.”
Doug acknowledges his wife wasn’t attracted to him when they wedded. For him, marrying Jamie at first sight is the craziest and best decision ever. “…She wasn’t into me at our wedding, but I put a spell on her and she fell hard,” he told his Instagram followers. “I can’t imagine a world without Jamie as my wife. My life would not be as fulfilling, adventurous, romantic, or complete without her… I can honestly say the craziest decision I’ve ever made turned out to be the best decision of my life,” said the salesman.
Marital Breakdown And Renewal Of Vows
Jamie and Doug’s first year of marriage was a roller coaster experience for the two. They second-guessed their union because they weren’t crazily in love, which nearly drove them apart. When Jamie told Doug she still had feelings for her ex, it raised serious doubts about their future as a couple. But instead of giving up, they resolved to sign up for the spin-off series, Married at First Sight: The First Year, so they could get help from the franchise’s relationship experts to navigate the hurdle. The decision to partake in The First Year “was entirely for the purpose of getting as much help from the experts as we could,” Jamie told Daily Mail Online.
She expressed she didn’t feel loved and that they had stopped having fun. “I wasn’t feeling loved by Doug and I felt like that didn’t happen with my ex,” she said. Adding that she had a “healthy and loving relationship” with her ex, Jamie asserted that she and Doug didn’t have that chemistry. She was also concerned about the salesman’s reluctance to start a family. “I’m a bit nervous that Doug is putting off having a baby,” she said. On the other hand, Doug believed they started drifting apart because they harbored doubts. “The fact that we were not at a head-over-heels type of in love… created doubt and questions about whether or not this was really working out,” he told the publication.
Jamie and Doug got the help they needed to continue their marriage. After the latter proposed in March 2015, the couple renewed their vows. Jamie regards this as the first time they genuinely chose each other. To show Doug she’s committed to what they have, she took up his last name. “I’m officially Jamie Nicole Hehner!… We had already written our vows and had a more intimate, romantic wedding,” she shared in an Instagram post, avowing that the name change was the one more thing she needed to do to feel “completely connected and committed” to her husband.
Jamie and Doug Have A Happy Home With Two Kids
Now married for nearly a decade, the MAFS alums have demonstrated it takes lots of hard work to pull off a successful relationship. Since their tough first year of marriage, they have encountered various challenges but have stayed committed to working things out. This has made all the difference. Starting a family is probably the biggest challenge they have faced. Jamie and Doug have suffered several miscarriages, first in 2016 when Jamie delivered their son Johnathan Edward at week 17. Following the birth of their first child and daughter, Henley Grace Hehner, in August 2017, they suffered at least two more miscarriages in September 2018 and January 2019.
The following year (May 2020), they welcomed their son Hendrix Hehner. Jamie and Doug are proud parents currently trying to have more kids. The couple celebrated their 9th wedding anniversary in March 2023. Jamie reminisced about the beginning of their marriage on Instagram, thanking Doug for his steadfast love. “Thank you for loving me when I’m not very lovable. Thank you for lifting me up when I’m down. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me!” She declared. The salesman also celebrated his wife on the platform. “Happy 9 Year Anniversary… still can’t believe this experiment worked!” He stated that the MAFS experts exceeded his expectations for a life partner. “Jamie, you are my world and my life, and I look forward to every year from here on out!” He stated.
