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We know your wedding day is made up of so many very important moments, from the time you get into your wedding gown or tux to your walk down the aisle to your thrilling grand entrance at your reception. You'll remember all these things for years and years to come. But we just want to focus right now on a tiny few seconds that perhaps will be more significant and more memorable than you might think... your first kiss!
In this case, obviously the “first kiss” is not the first kiss you’ve ever shared! And if you've had a "first look", it's not even your first kiss on your wedding day. But here, we're talking about that first kiss as spouses, the one that takes place at the conclusion of most marriage ceremonies. You probably haven’t included this item in your checklist of wedding day tasks to ponder, but we think you really should put just a little extra thought into your first kiss before your wedding day arrives.
The first kiss after the marriage ceremony really is a significant wedding tradition. History suggests that this practice dates all the way back to ancient Roman times when the first kiss conveyed an actual legal bond, finalizing the marriage contract. Other historians believe its roots lie in the religious custom of priests bestowing a 'holy kiss of peace' on the groom, who then kisses the bride.
Today, it’s that moment that commonly signals the end of the wedding ceremony and the celebration of a new union. Even though you'll still be married even without the kiss, it’s a very special few seconds in your new life together! You don’t want to regret that your first kiss wasn't momentous... that it was too quick, messy, awkward or uncoordinated.
And while we agree that there's historical and emotional significance in your first kiss, we also have other reasons to suggest that your first kiss is eventful and should be discussed and even practiced before the big day.
First, when the kiss is announced, all eyes will be focused right on you. No one is going to miss that sweet moment, so you definitely want to look and feel your best! But most importantly, you’re going to have this moment as a keepsake, a treasured memento of your wedding day, forever captured in your wedding video and photos. It may seem silly now, but you want to be sure that the angle is right, you feel relaxed, ready and comfortable and that you’ve allowed for video and several great photos to be taken.
Kissing Tips
If this is important to you too, check out some sage advice to help make your first kiss both feel and look perfect:
First, relax and take a little breath if you're nervous about kissing in front of an audience. Circle back to those tips from your high school public speaking class and imagine that it's just the two of you in the room.
Have a plan for your hands! Decide ahead of time if you're going to hold hands, embrace or hold somewhere else, such as around the neck or waist.
Pause for a second's worth of eye contact with each other first, then kiss however you naturally kiss. Keep it real.
Don’t tilt your head too much. We don't want to see only the top of your head.
Keep your mouth mostly closed, although a partial smile is nice. This is not the time and place to make out!
Hold it for 3-4 seconds so your photographer gets the perfect shot and your videographer captures the scene.
Go in for a second short kiss if you want!
Let yourself smile, cheer or do whatever else feels natural after your kiss. If you want to do something extra, like gently lift or dip your partner afterwards, make sure you've discussed it ahead of time so there's no awkward surprises.
We know you already have a lot of items to track, decisions to make and schedules to maintain in your wedding planning. But we don’t think that adding 'kissing practice' a few times before your big day is such a chore, is it? Have fun!
Just wanna see some more kisses now? Check out a brides.com photo series of wedding day kisses for inspiration!
