Start the clock, because the time for uncertainty is almost up for a new group of couples in The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On.
Five relationships on the brink of marriage or a breakup will feel the pressure, as the love experiment returns for Season 2 on Aug. 23. The faces might be new, but the concept remains the same. One partner in each relationship is ready to settle down and pop the question, while the other is dragging their feet to the aisle — so an ultimatum is issued. Over just eight weeks, the couples will split and enter into a trial marriage with a person from one of the other pairings to decide whether — you guessed it — to marry or move on for good.
Nick and Vanessa Lachey will once again oversee the couple-swapping chaos, as the contestants mix and match to discover whether their original relationship is worth fighting for or if the grass is really greener on the other side. And no matter which path they choose, they’ll exit the experiment with a newfound clarity about love, commitment, and themselves.
To learn more about the five couples risking it all on The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On Season 2, check out our cast guide below. And if you’re caught up and have seen the reunion, find out who’s still together and where the cast is now.
Consider Moorseville, North Carolina-based Kat and Alex a dating app success story, but will they go from Hinge to hitched? After Alex, a Pisces, relentlessly pursued Kat, a Scorpio, online, the two hit it off IRL and eventually chose to make things official. When Kat decided to take her nursing career on the road, Alex joined her on the journey. Since then, the two have leaned into a sense of adventure, traveling around the country together and embracing life’s many twists and turns.
While the couple is aligned over their love of outdoor activities, they couldn’t be more different when it comes to communication. Kat is conflict avoidant, preferring to defer to Alex instead of making her own decisions. He, meanwhile, wants to be challenged by a partner who feels like his equal and isn’t afraid to speak their mind. Kat’s heard his concerns, so for once she’s putting her foot down about marriage and giving Alex the ultimatum. Kat “can’t imagine her life without” Alex, but his “logical and practical” mindset has kept him from taking the plunge.
Lisa and Brian of Charlotte, North Carolina aren’t exactly strangers to ultimatums. After six months of casual hookups, Lisa, a Gemini, locked down their one-time situationship by making Brian, a Sagittarius, choose once and for all between love and friendship. He decided to exclusively commit to Lisa and the two have been together for a year and half. Brian loves how Lisa pushes him to be the best version of himself, while it means the everything to Lisa to see her 10-year-old daughter bond with Brian.
Now, the couple has arrived at another crossroads, as they’re at odds over a timeline for marriage and starting a family together. Lisa is issuing Brian the ultimatum because “if he’s not ready to propose, then [she’s] ready to move on.” But Brian is hesitant to pop the question due to Lisa’s jealousy issues and her tendency to turn disagreements into explosive arguments. Unless Lisa and Brian can learn to communicate effectively, their future together remains in serious jeopardy. To find out what Brian and Lisa are up to now — especially after the major twists in the first batch of episodes — click here to learn more.
After nearly seven years together, Ryann and James of Kingstree, South Carolina are proof that high school sweethearts can stand the test of time. The former prom queen and football player started dating at just 16 years old, so naturally growing up has come with some major growing pains. As adults, they’ve been plagued with communication and trust issues, which only worsened while James finished his education in another state.
Now, Ryann, a Virgo, is giving James, a Capricorn, the ultimatum because after all this time she believes he “should know for sure” that she’s his forever partner. And if not, then Ryann doesn’t want to waste another minute. James, meanwhile, is intent on starting their lives as a married couple on stable ground. Before they walk down the aisle, he is hoping to first land a job secure enough to begin their next chapter on the right foot. But if Ryann doesn’t get a ring on her finger soon, their journey might be cut short.
Trey, an Aries, couldn’t believe his eyes when he first came across Riah’s dating profile, assuming that she must be a catfish. But Riah — and their love for one another — turned out to be the real deal, as they’ve now been together for two years. After initially dating long distance, Riah, a Cancer, moved into Trey’s place in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, where their connection strengthened and the couple settled into a beautiful partnership.
But, as time has gone on, romance in their relationship has been seriously lacking because Riah feels Trey has been slacking on date nights. He, meanwhile, wants to measure Riah’s sky-high expectations, which he thinks have have been warped by social media. Now, Trey is giving Riah the ultimatum, as he’s eager to create a life just like his parents, who’ve been together for more than 30 years. But growing up, Riah has never “seen a happy healthy marriage,” so she can’t say with 100% certainty that a wedding — or a life with Trey — is in her future.
From the moment that Antonio, a Leo, laid eyes on Roxanne, a Sagittarius, he knew that she was wife material. She felt a strong connection as well, but the two wouldn’t get together until years later. Once they eventually reconnected over social media, it was clear to both of them that they were meant for each other. Now the Atlanta-based couple has been together — on and off — for the last four years and life has only gotten sweeter.
For Antonio, marriage is the natural next step in their relationship, but the last thing on career-focused Roxanne’s mind is planning a wedding. She first wants her forever partner to match her income and business ambition and Antonio just hasn’t met her expectations. While he admires her entrepreneurial spirit, Antonio wishes that she’d pay him more attention, particularly when it comes to demonstrating her affection. Now Antonio is giving Roxanne the ultimatum because he believes “that kind of pressure needs to be applied” for her to seriously consider accepting a proposal.
