It’s not often that Married at First Sight Australia produces an enduring relationship.
Season six’s Martha Kalifatidis and Michael Brunelli are among the few couples that have defied these odds, however. Some have gone so far as to label them a ‘MAFS power couple’.
WATCH NOW: Martha and Michael’s emotional birth video. Article continues after video.
It was in 2018 that the then 30-year-old makeup artist Martha Kalifatidis and a then 27-year-old primary school teacher Michael Brunelli met on season six of the reality show.
In 2023, Martha (35) and Michael (33) are still going strong. Now happily engaged, the pair have also welcomed their first child together.
“Lucius Brunelli. He’s here, he’s perfect,” the birth announcement post was captioned.
Since their 2019 television debut, the couple has kept fans updated with adorable family snaps.
From their engagement to the birth of their first child, here we look back at some of their cutest couple moments…
Martha shared an update to Instagram and posted these ADORABLE photos of Lucius.
“Bits n bobs just sitting in my favourites folder,” she penned.
Lucius tagged along with his mum to a work meeting!
“Bits n pieces from our long weekend,” Martha captioned her Instagram post in April 2024.
The family of three spent time camping over the easter long weekend.
“My boy. How could I ever put into words how I feel about you. I can’t. My heart is yours. Happy first birthday baby,” an emotional Martha shared to her Instagram on February 25th, 2024 to celebrate her baby boy’s first birthday.
Michael also marked the occasion on his Instagram by simply writing “Choch turns one!” as the caption to a carousel of images of a family birthday party held for Lucius who was clearly loving his birthday cake.
Shortly before his first birthday Lucius marked another exciting milestone – learning how to clap!
“I’m one of those annoying mums…but my baby learned to clap (feel free to unfollow me at this stage), Martha captioned these adorable photos shared to her Instagram account.
Travelling from the thick heat of summer to the cool winter temperatures of Lake Tahoe in California, the family enjoyed a snow day in February, Michael and Martha sharing happy snaps of their little man all rugged up and experiencing the snow for the first time.
What a cutie pie!
Cooling down in the pool with dad before getting some towel cuddles from dad to dry off prior to an international flight to Los Angeles.
“A very wholesome start to 2024,” Martha captioned this carousel of images from a family holiday over the New Year.
“We went camping on the Murray River with the family. No phones, a 20-minute drive into town to get reception, no plumbing 🚽, no skin care, no showers, just the Murray and a bar of soap to be precise.”
“We woke up to the kookaburras at 6am every morning and hung out around the camp fire every night looking at the stars,” she continued.
“It’s been my favourite getaway ever. We came home completely refreshed reset and ready for another busy year. Get out there 🏕️ I can’t recommend it enough!”
To wrap up 2023, Michael shared these two photos of Lucius whilst the father son duo were out running post Christmas errands.
We can’t believe how similar they look!
The Kalifatidis-Brunelli clan donned double denim for a wholesome Christmas 2023 photoshoot, with little Lucius stealing the show.
Lucius made Martha and Michael “very proud parents” after his christening this past December.
“Yesterday, we christened Lucius. I’m proud to have one of my most treasured friends be the godfather. Thank you Arthur,” Martha captioned the photos following the ceremony.
“A perfect day for a perfect boy.”
The family look absolutely picture-perfect!
Lucius channelled his inner Derek Zoolander with this model worthy face alongside his mummy Martha who was posing for the camera alongside him.
“My boy (definitely my boy, nailing the poses),” Martha captioned the photo.
“Happy Father’s Day to the best there is. You’re our champion @mbrunelli, we’d be lost without you…truly. You do it all, with a smile. Love you!,” Martha captioned this sweet tribute post to her fiancee.
Siri, cue the Lion King soundtrack!
During a family trip to the beach, Michael lifted Lucius effortlessly to the sky as the sun set behind them, absolutely adorable.
“Family dayzZZzzZ,” Michael captioned this photo of the family of three, Lucius wearing his own pair of stylish sunnies to protect him against the summer sun.
Too cute!
It looks like this aeroplane of soft food missed it’s mark, Michael shared the adorable snap of Lucius to his Instagram shortly after his meal time.
Just look at those eyes!
Little Lucius was a bonafide larrikin in these silly snaps taken during a family holiday to Greece, the baby pulling faces for his mummy as his daddy tried to capture a sweet smile from his baby boy.
Better luck next time!
Like father and son, both Michael and Lucias wore black jumpers, keeping warm during a cold Melbourne winter.
Martha and Michael take Hong Kong ft Lucius, Yoayia, and Papou.
Alongside Martha’s parents, this family of three jetted off for a holiday to Hong Kong and Macau in November, enjoying the sights, smells, and sounds of the bustling international city.
The family of three posed for some stunning pre-wedding snaps ahead of the wedding of two close friends in Lake Como, Italy.
Even Lucius in his blue onesie were dressed to impress (at least we think so).
In case you missed the news, Martha, Michael, and their bouncing baby boy are fronting the Bonds Baby Search for 2023.
Here, Martha captured a sweet behind-the-scenes photo of father and son yawning together in between takes!
He’s only a few months old, but already Lucius is following in his fashionable mother’s footsteps and donning some designer items of his own, modelling the latest baby range from Louis Vuitton.
“This time last year when we were in Rome we found out I was pregnant…..today you’re 5 months old and I still don’t believe you’re here and you’re ours 🤍,” Martha wrote during her July trip to Italy.
We wonder if Lucius has made the connection between Rome and his conception yet?!
In 2022, Michael and Martha shared they were expecting their first child together.
“It’s been a minute since we’ve been online, so we wanted to explain our situation and make a little bit of an announcement, and that is that Martha is pregnant,” Michael shared in their joint announcement video.
The pair were quick to share the realities of pregnancy though, with Martha revealing that she was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, also known as extreme morning sickness.
WATCH NOW: Martha and Michael announce they’re expecting. Article continues after video.
“It is like 24/7. I literally did not get out of bed for two months, I was so sick. I could not eat or drink anything. There were days that I did not even get up to pee,” she explained.
Speaking on the KICBUMP podcast, Martha also shared more about her experience with hyperemesis.
“When you’re in the middle of it, you are so sick that you would give anything to be out of it, it’s so hard to go back there.”
“This pregnancy though, it was the lowest, it was dark, it was depressing… It doesn’t end until you have the baby. Mentally and physically it just gets you at both ends,” she continued.
While her symptoms eventually settled with medical support, Lucius Brunelli was welcomed into the world on February 27, 2023.
Derived from Latin origin, the couple shared their son’s name translates to ‘light’.
While the couple continues to share updates on their family life, Martha recently shared with The Daily Telegraph that she avoids giving out parenting advice
“The parenting and mum community online is such an intense place – it can be amazing, helpful, and relatable, but God forbid you do something different to the next person – within hours you can have thousands of people commenting and reprimanding you, which would be so overwhelming for a new mum,” she said.
While she says comments have remained fairly positive, she’s adamant about maintaining this by being selective with the messages she shares.
She also shared with the publication that she’s finding motherhood “easy”.
“Sure I’m tired, but it’s nothing in comparison to nine months of nausea. With the risk of everyone reading this rolling their eyes, I’m actually finding it easy. It’s kind of all come naturally to me,” she said.
WATCH NOW: Martha Kalifatidis’ engagement ring. Article continues after video.
As for other exciting news, Martha and Michael announced their engagement on December 5, 2021.
“It’s crazy to think we started our relationship on TV and many of you saw the first time we locked eyes on each other. Fast forward 3 years and so many people are still following our life journey, something we are truly grateful for,” Martha wrote on Instagram.
She also thanked her followers for supporting their relationship, “You have stuck with us through the hate, the rumours, the trolls, and of course the good times! You’ve laughed with us and lived through our down moments, you’ve pushed us to do more and you’ve kept us accountable when needed.”
After laying eyes on his bride-to-be for the first time, then-27-year-old Michael Brunelli told the cameras, “She’s beautiful. She looked absolutely amazing. She’s got this huge smile and it just drew me in. I think I’ve struck gold.”
While Martha’s attraction to her now-fiancee was more of a slow burn, their connection throughout the series was undeniable.
The pair celebrated one year together on September 29, 2019. Who would’ve known they would be announcing their pregnancy three years later?
In 2020, the couple commenced a new chapter of their journey together. Moving to Sydney together, they certainly had their fill of time with each other in the midst of pandemic isolation.
“I’m willing to give up everything I have to relocate for you. And there’s only one reason why I feel the way I do about you. And that’s because I love you. And there’s no-one else I’d spend my life with,” Michael told Martha in his final MAFS vows.
