Lifestyle

SAY YES TO THE STRESS

Groom Goes Viral for His ‘Horrible’ Reaction to Bride’s Dress

“I would’ve called off the wedding.”

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

PublishedApr 22, 2026, 10:33 AM EDT

UpdatedApr 22, 2026, 11:05 AM EDT

Updated Apr 22, 2026, 11:05 AM EDTPublished Apr 22, 2026, 10:33 AM EDT

Comments

An Olympic athlete drew sharp criticism for his initial reaction to his wife’s wedding dress—a moment caught on camera in all its cringeworthy glory.

American sprinter Noah Lyles, 28, married Jamaican track and field Olympian Junelle Bromfield (now Lyles), 28, in a Georgia ceremony on April 4. Now, a video taken just before the couple’s wedding is going viral on social media for all the wrong reasons.

Before the ceremony, Lyles and Bromfield shot a “first look” video, in which the groom sees the bride’s dress for the first time and a videographer captures the groom’s genuine reaction.

To many social media users, however, Lyles’s reaction was a bit too authentic.

After Lyles turns towards Bromfield and sees her dress—a stunning, crystal-covered white ball gown with an asymmetrical strap—he starts backing away from his bride.

“Oh, wow. OK. Oh, wow,” he says in the video. “I didn’t think you’d go with the princess dress.”

Then he observes his bride from different sides, holding his hands to his chest.

THE BOOK OF LOVE

Kurt Russell Reveals His Relationship Pact With Goldie Hawn

Roosa Rahkonen

“Yeah, this is good,” he says, appearing unsure.

After looking at the dress from the side, he adds, “Dang, that’s a train. And we’re supposed to spin in this?”

Later in the video, while holding his bride’s hands, Lyles says he has already seen their guests, and everyone looks great.

Then, after a moment of silence, he starts laughing so hard he has to lean down.

'watch me do it'

Top NFL Reporter Starts IVF at 47

Roosa Rahkonen

Online commenters were not convinced about his “liking” of the dress, with some calling his reaction “horrible.”

On Instagram and TikTok, the video—posted by celebrity wedding photographer Stanley Babb—racked up over 3.5 million views. Still, positive responses to it are few and far between.

“He didn’t give her one single compliment,” one person wrote on Instagram.

Another one added, “He hates it. I would have turned around and canceled EVERYTHING,” while a third one questioned why Lyles was not able to give a more enthusiastic reaction, writing, “Does he even like her?”

Many even suggested they would have called off the wedding if their groom had shown the same reaction.

In response to the backlash, Bromfield posted a high-resolution TikTok of the moment with the full sound. This version shows Lyles complimenting his bride-to-be, telling her, “This is nice. I like the jewels. I like the jewels a lot.”

Still, viewers remained unconvinced.

The top comment, which racked up over 100,000 likes, reads, “As an overthinker, this reaction would ruin my whole day, and more.”

In response, Bromfield filmed a sit-down video on TikTok addressing the hate

“So, I’ve been seeing a lot of mixed reviews on our first look,” she said, explaining that there was more to the story than meets the eye.

IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR

Reality Star Hospitalized Follwing Botched Body Injections

Roosa Rahkonen

Bromfield said she was disappointed on her wedding day because many of her closest ones, including all of her sisters and her best friend, were unable to attend the ceremony due to visa denials.

In addition, the person who was scheduled to give the first speech was a no-show, and the ceremony was about to begin.

To her, Lyles’s reaction was “exactly what [she] needed” in the moment.

“He tried to make me happy,” she said, adding that her groom’s joking was a great way to get her relaxed and talking.

Fifth time’s the charm

‘Real Housewives’ Star Posts Boob Job After Years of 'Shame'

Roosa Rahkonen

“All I wanted was to laugh, to smile,” she said, adding, “And he did exactly that.”

The comments on the video were turned off. Since then, Bromfield has posted additional wedding material on TikTok, including their heartfelt vows and her first dance with her father.

Roosa RahkonenReporter, The Looker

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast.