A Texas couple who waited until their wedding day to share their first kiss say they have no regrets – even after facing a wave of online criticism.
Kaytlin and Drew Brown, both 22, were best friends in high school before their relationship turned romantic in early 2021.
From the start, the pair, who are non-denominational Christians, decided they wanted to wait until marriage to have sex. Soon after, they agreed to hold off on kissing too.
“For us personally, we knew our top love language was physical touch, and in knowing that we wanted to be wise in our approach to boundaries,” Kaytlin told the Daily Mail.
“We decided that kissing could be a gateway that leads to physical intimacy that we wanted to save for marriage.”
To help stick to their decision, the couple even avoided being home alone together.
“This was another way we tried to implement boundaries to pursue purity in our relationship,” she explained.
While their families supported the decision, Kaytlin said the pair faced plenty of backlash online. “People have had a lot of different opinions about our relationship and asked so many questions,” she said.
“But honestly, Drew and I love getting to answer those questions and share insight into our relationship, as well as the why behind our decision to wait.”
Earlier this month, surrounded by 160 friends and family members, the couple finally said their “I Dos” — and then shared their first kiss.
“Our wedding day was truly magical — one of the best days of our lives,” Kaytlin said.
“When we finally shared our first kiss, the eruption from the crowd was unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It’s a moment I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”
She admitted that waiting wasn’t always easy. “Drew and I love each other so deeply, so of course we had the desire to be physically affectionate while dating and engaged,” she said.
“But the pros far outweighed the cons. I look back on our relationship with zero regrets – it was so incredibly worthwhile, and I love that waiting was part of our story.”
Now, Kaytlin hopes their story will inspire others to set boundaries that feel right for them. “Convictions and boundaries can look so different from couple to couple,” she said.
“We are by no means perfect, but we are so passionate about encouraging others that no matter your past or story, if you want to set emotional or physical boundaries in your relationship, you absolutely deserve a partner who respects that.”
Images: Instagram
