Newly single Married At First Sight brides Bec Zacharia and Mel Akbay attended the Sheep Dog Dog House launch party at the Newtown Hotel in Sydney on Thursday night.
The reality television stars celebrated their return to single life by posing for photos and enjoying drinks inside the venue's bright pink photo booth.
Bec Zacharia, 36, wore a fitted black turtleneck paired with a satin miniskirt featuring a delicate lace trim. The Adelaide socialite completed her outfit with sheer stockings and wore her brunette hair loose around her shoulders as she clutched a cocktail and poked out her tongue for the camera.
Celebrity Guests at Sydney Launch
Mel Akbay, 28, opted for a casual style in a black top, loose-fitting blue jeans and an oversized black coat. The communications specialist added a bright orange Sheep Dog cowboy hat to her ensemble while striking animated poses inside the fluffy hot-pink booth alongside Zacharia.
Love Island Australia contestant Phoebe Spiller also attended the invite-only event. Spiller wore a fitted black crop top, wide-leg jeans and a brown blazer while posing between two male friends in front of a colourful Sheep Dog display.
Other attendees at the venue included Married At First Sight alumnus Tristan Black, who made a rare appearance pictured alongside singer Tom Jay Williams and Daily Mail reporter Ali Daher. Newly married Jackson Garlick was also present at the Sydney celebration.
Dog House Pop-Up Features
The Thursday gathering launched the Sheep Dog whiskey brand takeover at the Newtown Hotel, which runs from August 13 until August 30. The Newtown Hotel is an entertainment venue located in the inner-west suburb of Newtown in Sydney.
The dog-themed pop-up offers visitors peanut butter and jelly cocktails, ice-cold shots and a dedicated photo space called the Bark Booth. The takeover includes activities designed for guests and their dogs.
The venue's program features Yappy Hour drinks, dog-friendly dining, trivia quiz nights and drag bingo. A pooch grooming event will also provide dogs with nail painting and blow-dries during the residency.
Reality Television Relationships
Zacharia appeared at the launch following her turbulent relationship with real estate agent Danny Hewitt on Married At First Sight. Married At First Sight is an Australian reality television dating experiment where single strangers are matched by experts and marry upon meeting.
Zacharia was left devastated at Final Vows after expressing her love for Hewitt, who revealed that he viewed her only as a friend and could not see them starting a family together. Zacharia later described the separation as one of the hardest experiences of her life, saying Hewitt completely cut her off shortly after filming and that she spent several days in bed crying at home.
Akbay experienced a similarly brief television marriage with Victorian farmer Luke Fourniotis. The couple clashed shortly after meeting at the altar, experiencing ongoing tension due to differing personalities and expectations. Akbay stated that she felt no romantic connection, leading both participants to leave the show separately prior to Final Vows.
Spiller previously found romance with Mitchell Eliot during season four of Love Island Australia in 2022. Love Island Australia is a reality dating show set in a luxury villa. Spiller and Eliot finished as runners-up after connecting on their first day on the show, before announcing their split in July 2024.
