Carina Mirabile has lifted the lid on an unexpected behind-the-scenes moment from Married At First Sight 2025.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, the 31-year-old digital marketing manager, who runs fashion label, MIRAB, revealed that one of the brides slid into her DMs with a rather cheeky request for free clothes.
When pressed to reveal which bride it was, Carina confirmed that it was none other than Jacqui Burfoot, who messaged her on Instagram during the early days of filming.
The message came as a surprise to Carina, who admitted she initially had to double-check it was real.
Carina went on to explain that Jacqui’s message came just a few weeks into the filming process.
‘She said, “Hi, I am one of the MAFS brides of 2025. I love your pieces. Would love to get some clothes to wear on the show.”‘
At first, Carina thought the request might be a joke.
‘I actually screenshot it and was like, is this for real?’ she admitted.
‘We had only just spoken about it. I remember one commitment ceremony, we were in the lift — Jacqui, Rhi, and myself with our producers.
‘A lot of the weeks, we would go to the commitment ceremony together in one car, the three of us girls, and Veronica as well.’
During that ride, Carina recalled how Jacqui had praised her sense of style, encouraging her to launch a clothing line.
‘Jacqui said to me, ‘Carina, you really need to start a clothing label or something because your style is insane. You have the eye,’ Carina shared.
‘Rhi chimed in and said, ‘Oh, she actually has one.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got one, I just don’t tell anyone because that’s not my identity in this experiment. I came here for the right reasons, and I’m not gonna be boasting about that. It’s just not me.’
After that conversation, Carina and Jacqui began discussing business ideas.
‘I learned about Jacqui’s business idea. I was like, “Do you have Canva? Have you created the logo? Do you have Shopify?”‘ Carina explained.
‘I gave her a lot of ideas, like platforms to use. I told her, “Don’t use WooCommerce, use Shopify. Shopify’s the easiest thing to do.”‘
Although Carina didn’t directly help with the execution of Jacqui’s business, she was more than willing to offer guidance.
‘She said she bought all her samples and just needed to photograph them. It was great to have those conversations. I’m always open to helping people around me,’ Carina added.
‘I’m not gonna be a gatekeeper. I want everyone to win, especially those around me.’
It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed a wider controversy surrounding Jacqui’s alleged attempts to score free clothing from Australian brands during filming.
In text messages obtained by New Idea, Jacqui allegedly messaged multiple brands saying, ‘Hi there! I’m one of the MAFS 2025 brides. Just wondering whether you’d be interested in gifting any pieces for me to wear and showcase on the show and tag & create around during airing next year on Instagram / TikTok? The show is international and seen by millions of viewers! This is me! Let me know & I’ll be happy to send my address and/or preferences. I’m a size 8 xx.’
Sources have since revealed that Jacqui spent much of her downtime during filming online shopping and messaging Australian brands.
‘That’s literally all she’d be doing in the apartment most days – constantly online shopping, scouring for Aussie brands to score free outfits, and she was so proud of herself for doing it,’ an insider told Daily Mail Australia.
‘She literally filled the entire spare bedroom and its closets with clothing deliveries, promising she’d be a huge star and promote them on the show.’
One production insider went as far as to claim that when it came time to move out, Jacqui had 25 bags worth of clothing transported by her groom, Ryan Donnelly, in a large Uber.
‘It was ridiculous,’ they added. ‘Worth over $5k easily, I’d estimate in total. All the time she’d bring her laptop over and ask for Ryan’s opinion on outfits before requesting them from the brands.’
The insider also alleged that Jacqui shared a list of ‘willing’ brands with fellow brides, including Awhina Rutene, in an effort to help them score free items as well.
‘She had that f***ing spreadsheet of willing brands she sent to Awhina and the other brides to also score. Those poor little companies who were promised exposure with her ‘golden’ edit,’ the source said.
However, Jacqui has since addressed the claims, taking to social media to clarify that MAFS cast members are required to source their own outfits for events like dinner parties and commitment ceremonies.
‘Yes, almost all the cast collab with small local brands and business owners to help dress ourselves for the show!’ Jacqui explained in an Instagram post.
‘We are expected to provide three of our own outfit options for every dinner party/commitment ceremony, and it should be colourful.’
Jacqui also acknowledged the generosity of rental dress companies and hair salons that helped the cast with styling during filming.
She further explained that she relied on businesses like Only Dress Hire and Base Hair Extensions for assistance, adding that in return, the cast provided exposure for their brands.
Despite the controversy, Jacqui’s response suggests she views these brand collaborations as a necessary part of the show’s styling requirements, rather than an opportunistic attempt to secure free clothing, as some sources have alleged.