Parents' Guide to

Marriage or Mortgage

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Light reality about money choices has some drinking.

TV Netflix Reality TV 2021
Marriage or Mortgage Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

MARRIAGE OR MORTGAGE is a reality series featuring couples who are deciding between spending their money on a house or on the wedding of their dreams. Each episode features wedding planner Sarah Miller and real estate agent Nichole Holmes meeting with a couple to determine what kind of wedding they want, and what kind of house they'd be interested in buying. After checking out potential venues they can afford to rent, and touring potential houses they can afford to buy, each pair must decide if they are going to spend their money on a wedding bash or on a love nest.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

This lighthearted series shows couples from all walks of life trying to decide if they're going to spend their money on a once-in-a-lifetime wedding event, or invest in a home that gives them long-term benefits. Each pair of lovebirds have their own dreams about their nuptials. They also have long lists of what they want their first home to have. As a result, couples often experience sticker shock as they learn the true costs of both.

Marriage Or Mortgage isn't the most exciting of shows, mainly because the overall series feels contrived from start to finish. The working relationship between Nichole Holmes and Sarah Miller is a professional mismatch, and how they go about ‘surprising' the couples with bonuses to entice them to choose one option over the other feels preplanned. Nonetheless, it's fun to see what the couples choose to do, and how it turns out in the end. Ultimately, it's worth tuning into if you're looking for some reality fluff.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the real costs associated with a big wedding. Why do some couples choose to have one, despite the expense? Does media reinforce the idea that big weddings have to be big or expensive?

  • What messages does Marriage Or Mortgage send about the importance of owning a home? What about the significance of having a wedding? Where do these ideas come from? Are they accurate?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended tv lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate