Emem knows one important person won’t be able to be part of her wedding day.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive sneak peek at the Oct. 22 episode of Married at First Sight, Emem’s bridesmaids give her a trinket to remember her late father as she prepares to tie the knot to Ikechi.
“It would be remiss if I didn’t just acknowledge, obviously, this is a special day, and someone’s not going to be here to experience it with you,” her bridesmaid Kristina shares as the bride tears up. “So, I just wanted to give you this as a little bit of a just a gift, because I know that throughout all of this, though we’re your cheerleaders, I know for a fact, your daddy would have been your cheerleader hyping you up this whole time.”
She adds that Emem’s late father would have been “supporting” her and had her back on her big day.
As Emem wipes away tears, Kristina reminds her that friends “came strong” for her before encouraging her to open the gift.
Inside the box was a necklace with Emem’s dad photo as well as a blue heart and “missing you” charms.
“But since he can’t be here to walk down the aisle, we just wanted him to be able to be here with you,” Kristina adds as Emem continues to break down in tears.
“Thank you all so much,” Emem responds. “Y’all know he would have been here. He would have rocked with me.”
If that wasn’t enough, another bridesmaid surprises the group by sharing that she had a message from Emem’s mother, who also couldn’t attend the nuptials in person.
“So none of you know, I made a trip to Mommy’s house last night, and we had a little chat,” she says. “She just wants you to find peace. Her prayers for you are all positive. She wants for this marriage to be the marriage that you desire.”
She continues: “And although she’s not here. She is. Her spirit is with you, those are her exact words.”
In September, PEOPLE exclusively revealed that the Lifetime reality show’s 18th season would follow 10 Chicago-based singles willing to put love to the ultimate test by marrying a complete stranger. After meeting their spouse for the first time at the altar, embarking on their honeymoon and moving in together, the couples must decide after eight weeks whether they’re in their marriage for the long haul or if divorce is the best route.
While twists and turns are commonplace on Married at First Sight, season 18 promises even more drama. According to a synopsis from Lifetime, an unprecedented cheating scandal will lead to a couple swap, “which is sure to leave viewers speechless.”
Married at First Sight — produced by Kinetic Content — airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Lifetime.