Awhina Rutene has addressed romance rumors after a video surfaced showing her holding hands with fellow Married At First Sight groom Dave Hand in Perth over the weekend. In an Instagram Story, the 31-year-old bride said the moment was lighthearted and clarified that Hand is a friend, insisting there was no romantic underpinning to the interaction. “Guys, Dave is a friend, this is a TT trend where it emphasises height difference,” she wrote. “I am single, and currently content not being in a relationship right now.”
The sighting, captured in footage circulating online, fed ongoing chatter about whether the 2025 MAFS cast was involved in post‑show pairings or “couple swaps.” Rutene, who indicated that she valued Hand during filming, stressed that her current relationship status is single and that the Perth moment should not be read as a romantic development. Fans had also noted behind‑the‑scenes clips suggesting chemistry between the two in the weeks after production wrapped, adding to the online debate about what might be happening off screen.
Meanwhile, fellow groom Billy Belcher has also sparked fan theories with a series of posts that some interpreted as pointed timing amid Rutene’s Perth moment. Belcher shared a photo of a mystery brunette walking along a Perth beach and added a poll asking followers: “Soft launch? Yes/No.” The timing of the post drew notice from viewers who had followed Belcher’s flirtation with Rutene after filming. Rutene has previously said their connection was playful but not romantic; she later described their relationship as a “close friendship.”
Belcher’s Bali‑era posts have continued to fuel discussion as well. He was photographed kissing a woman in Bali weeks after Rutene returned to Perth from the island, prompting fans to revisit the couple‑swap narrative. Rutene has consistently denied a romantic relationship with Belcher, telling Daily Mail that the pair were “just friends” and that their bond was forged in the wake of the show’s dramatic moments.
The network’s show included a notably dramatic “wife swap” arc, where Rutene’s partner on the show, Adrian, and his wife Sierah faced secret flirtations. In the years since, Rutene and Belcher have grown close in public appearances and on social media, which has kept fans speculating about how the on‑screen connections translate to real life. Rutene introduced Belcher to her son Landon, a step many viewers saw as an important moment given their filming history, and she has repeatedly emphasized that their relationship remains platonic. Still, many followers have noted the ease with which these former castmates navigate conversations about dating, which continues to shape the ongoing discourse around MAFS in 2025.
Daily Mail has reached out for comment to Rutene, Belcher and Hand, as fans scrutinize every post and clip for clues about the cast’s real lives beyond the cameras. In the meantime, Rutene’s Perth moment and the surrounding posts underscore the enduring pull of MAFS storylines for audiences, who continue to parse social media for potential romances or renewed connections after the elaborate realities of the show. Culture and entertainment observers note that the fascination with post‑show dynamics is a hallmark of this season’s discussions, demonstrating how the line between on‑screen narratives and off‑screen lives remains intriguingly blurred for the audience.