Netflix reality shows have a funny way of making us believe in soulmates for about forty-five minutes at a time. When Perfect Match Season 1 dropped, everyone was rooting for the "day ones." You know the ones. Joey Sasso, the loud-and-proud winner of The Circle, and Kariselle Snow from Sexy Beasts. They had history before the cameras even started rolling, which made their televised engagement feel like a foregone conclusion. But then the cameras turned off. Fans started scouring Instagram for rings. The big question—did Joey and Kariselle get married—became the white whale of reality TV gossip for months.
Honestly, the answer isn't what the romantic edit of the show led you to believe.
The Proposal That Felt Like a Movie
Let’s go back to the villa for a second. Joey Sasso is a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve, and Kariselle is equally intense. Their relationship on Perfect Match was a rollercoaster of "we're meant to be" and "we’re going to kill each other." It felt authentic because it was messy. When Joey got down on one knee in the season finale, it didn't feel like a cynical play for the prize money. It felt real. They were the only couple to actually get engaged on the show.
They left the tropical paradise as a fiancé and fiancée, seemingly ready to conquer the world together. Joey even talked about how Kariselle was "the one" he’d been looking for since they first met years prior. It was the kind of television moment that makes you want to buy into the hype.
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So, Did Joey and Kariselle Get Married After the Cameras Stopped?
No. They didn't.
It’s a bummer, I know. Despite the grand gesture and the tears, Joey Sasso and Kariselle Snow never made it down the aisle. In fact, by the time the finale actually aired on Netflix, the relationship had already crumbled.
The breakup wasn't some quiet, mutual "we've grown apart" situation that you see in a PR-penned Instagram Story. It was heavy. Kariselle later opened up about the reality of their situation, explaining that while the love was there, the compatibility just wasn't. Life in the real world is a lot harder than life in a controlled environment where your only job is to "match" with someone.
Why the Engagement Fell Apart
Joey and Kariselle had a long-distance issue, for starters. Joey is deeply rooted in the Los Angeles scene, while Kariselle had her own life going on the East Coast. But it was deeper than just geography.
Kariselle has been vocal about the fact that they tried. They really did. But the pressure of being the "gold standard" couple from a hit show is a lot to carry. When you get engaged on TV, people expect a wedding date immediately. You aren't just dating; you're performing a commitment for a global audience.
Joey eventually confirmed the split as well, noting that they both have immense love for each other but realized they weren't each other's "forever." It’s a classic case of right person, wrong time—or perhaps, right person for a reality show, wrong person for a mortgage and a grocery list.
The Reality of Reality TV Contracts
A lot of people wonder why they didn't just stay together for the "clout." We see it all the time with Bachelor Nation couples who stay together for exactly one year to keep the ring. Joey and Kariselle didn't do that.
There's actually a lot of nuance in how these contracts work. While Netflix doesn't necessarily force couples to stay together, there is a massive amount of social media pressure to maintain the image until the reunion or the finale airs. The fact that they were honest about their split relatively quickly speaks to the fact that it was too broken to fix for the sake of a few extra followers.
Where Are They Now?
If you look at Joey Sasso's social media today, he’s still the same charismatic guy from New York (via LA). He’s been focusing on his acting career and his brand. He hasn't jumped into another high-profile televised relationship. It seems like the Perfect Match experience took a bit of a toll on his perspective on public dating.
Kariselle, on the other hand, has continued to build her brand as a singer and personality. She’s been open about her mental health and the struggles of being in the public eye. She doesn't post about Joey much anymore. The chapter is closed.
The Impact of "The Circle" vs. "Perfect Match"
It’s interesting to compare Joey’s two big runs. On The Circle, he was the solo hero. He won because people loved his authenticity. On Perfect Match, that same authenticity led him to a proposal that he probably wasn't ready for in the long run.
Sometimes, we want the "happily ever after" so badly that we ignore the red flags. On the show, Kariselle often expressed doubts about Joey's commitment levels and his "party boy" lifestyle. Those weren't just "edits" for drama—those were real concerns that eventually manifested as the reason they couldn't sustain a marriage.
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Why We Keep Asking If They Got Married
We ask because we’re invested. We spent hours watching them navigate "The Board" and fight off other contestants. When we see a couple like Joey and Kariselle, who have a history that predates the show, we want to believe that the show was just the catalyst for a destiny that was already written.
But the truth is, did Joey and Kariselle get married is a question with a "no" that carries a lot of weight. It serves as a reminder that "Perfect Match" is a title, not a guarantee.
The reality is that most of these couples don't survive the flight home. The adrenaline of the competition masks the mundane incompatibilities that sink relationships in the real world. Joey and Kariselle were the heartbeat of that first season, and their failure to reach the altar actually makes the show more credible, in a weird way. If everyone got married, it would be a fairytale. Since they didn't, it’s just life.
Actionable Takeaways for Reality TV Fans
If you're following your favorite couples from the latest seasons of Perfect Match or Love is Blind, keep these things in mind to manage your expectations:
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- Check the "Follow" Lists: If a couple stops liking each other's photos or untags themselves, the "did they get married" question usually has a negative answer.
- Look for the Ring: In Joey and Kariselle's case, the absence of the engagement ring in post-show selfies was the first big clue.
- The Six-Month Rule: Most reality TV contracts have a "quiet period." If a couple makes it past six months post-finale, they might actually have a shot.
- Listen to Podcasts: Kariselle and Joey both did the podcast circuit after the split. That’s usually where the real tea is spilled, far away from the polished Netflix editing suite.
The story of Joey and Kariselle is a classic Hollywood romance that burned bright and fast. They gave us great TV, a dramatic proposal, and a realistic ending. They aren't husband and wife, but they'll always be one of the most memorable pairs in the history of the genre.