Can Love at First Sight Really Lead to a Successful Marriage?

We have all thought that our feelings for someone new are love at first sight. Naturally, you may wonder if love at first sight can lead to marriage. Well, learn the answers in this article.

Most romantic relationships take time and effort to grow. Constant nurturing, reassurance, trust, and care produce a healthy and lovely relationship. However, we have all heard about love at first sight. 

Some couples could swear they fell in love the first time they saw each other. These claims and testimonies might make you wonder if you can be lucky with your perceived “love first sighting.” 

Does love at first sight exist? What causes love at first sight? Can falling in love at first sight lead to marriage? Learn all the answers to these questions in the following paragraphs. But before we dive in, let’s check the meaning of love at first sight.

What is love at first sight?

Having a well-rounded knowledge of love at first sight might help to answer the question on many people’s lips – what is love at first sight?

Love at first sight means falling in love with someone immediately after seeing them. It depicts a strong attraction and emotional connection you feel towards another person in an instant. The phrase “at first sight” describes the immediacy with which you feel this connection.

Indeed, such a feeling is real. The intense spark and reaction you have to win seeing someone for the first time happen much more than you can imagine. However, going by the definition of love, can we call that emotion love? Could falling in love at first sight describe real love?

The truth is love at a first sighting isn’t love. It is best described as a spark or chemistry between two individuals who haven’t met before their first meeting. It is a physical and emotional connection you experience after a short interaction with someone. 

Labeling it as love within a short moment might be erroneous. But people have been calling such feelings “love at first sight.” Of course, they have, but that phrase can pass on as a proverb which helps convey our words better.

The intense emotion you feel upon first glance might be heavenly and pure. You can feel engrossed in love and care less about other things except for the stranger who has stolen your heart. 

Your attraction to the new person often results from your preference for a potential partner. The new person has all your favorite attributes, mesmerizing you almost immediately.

Moreover, the strong feeling you feel when meeting someone for the first time might be love at first sight, but your desire drives it. Also, it might happen due to your experience, likeness, and, importantly, their appearance.

Is love at first sight real?

Is it possible to fall in love at first sight? Is there something called love at first sight? Is love at first time real? Absolutely. You can have an intense attraction and reaction towards someone you are just setting your eyes upon. Many people have experienced or will have this feeling at some point. 

You see someone new, and everything becomes a standstill in your eyes. Then, you become lost in this stranger’s eyes, yet the only thing that can make it better is to be in a relationship with them. However, it isn’t real love.

After a brief interaction or first glance, you can’t describe your feeling of true love. Love at first sight is more about an overwhelming sensation and passion that erupts upon the first sight of someone. The real love we all envisage takes time and effort to build. 

To truly describe love, we have to consider something. Love is kind, passionate, and gentle. It involves trust, commitment, intimacy, and passion. 

These are elements that the term “love at first sight” doesn’t have. In addition, there is an immediacy factor that doesn’t only give time to see and experience these components.

One may see why our brain sometimes interprets this first meeting as love. It all starts with an intense attraction. In other words, when you meet someone you live with, there is a chemical reaction in the brain. 

It then leads to high levels of dopamine and norepinephrine flooding your body. This swells up and makes you have this strong physical attraction. It makes you feel so close to your partner that nothing else matters but this stranger. 

In this case, your body, not your brain, is speaking for you. You can’t process your feelings fully because of the chemical reaction in your body due to the appearance of a stranger. 

To back this up, researchers believe that a term called positive illusion could be responsible for making people think they are or they have been in love since the first day. In the real sense, true love takes time to achieve, and it can never happen in an instant.

Does love at first sight work both ways?

Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Yes, you can get attracted to someone the first time. However, can it work both ways?

It’s hard to tell. Usually, love at first sight begins with someone who feels intense attraction first. It is typically one-sided, but when “love at first sight” develops into a relationship, the other person may agree that it was the same experience for them. 

In other words, partners may recollect their first meeting and decide they were equally attracted to their partner.

In addition, it’s safe to say that love at first sight is two ways if the attraction is met with the same energy. Upon meeting a person, if you try to converse with them and they agree, you can tell if they feel the same way. 

Indeed the person may be attracted to you in their subconscious but is unaware of it. However, if they reciprocate with the same effort and seem enthusiastic when approached, they may also feel a strong connection.

Watch this video to learn about the stages of a relationship in this video:

What are the disadvantages of love at first sight?

A strong physical attraction can make you want things to happen so fast. It also makes you think that not making a move can make you lose the opportunity of meeting your other half. 

Before you rush into making any irreversible decision, it is best to consider some disadvantages of love at first sight. Here they are:

1. You may get caught up in your feelings

One of the common downsides to first at love sight is getting caught up in your feelings. Feelings can sometimes be deceiving, especially if it comes with the urge to make a decision. Truly, the physical rush in a new relationship is one of the best experiences. 

You do many things at this stage that you don’t realize. 

Therefore, it’s too easy to get wired up in emotions and sensations rather than act with your brain. These feelings often drive most of your actions, which in most cases might make you make rash decisions. You might not be thinking with your head.

Related Reading: 14 Tips on How to Control Your Emotions in a Relationship

2. You don’t have time to observe the new person

Another reason to pause your “love at first sighting” adventure is that there is no time to check the new person’s character. Love at first sight often leads people to instant relationship syndrome. 

In this situation, you want to be in a relationship with someone almost immediately or after a few interactions.

The disadvantage to these similar situations is that they need to give time to observe their characters and personalities. There is no time to check their behavior, or you might not even see the need to do so. After all, what’s not to like about them?

Unfortunately, it’s easy to put on a show to deceive people. You can pretend to be who you are not. However, take your time to observe a person. 

In that case, it’s only a matter of time before their true colors surface, regardless of the facade they advertise. If you don’t take your time to test another’s character, you may be a victim of a dangerous situation.

Related Reading: What Is Instant Relationship Syndrome and Why It Is Bad for You

3. It might affect your principles 

Going ahead with your perceived love at first sight might make you blind to some things. Also, it might make you betray your core principles and values. 

When you rush into a relationship, thinking it’s love at first sight, it might make you ignore certain red flags that go against what you stand for. 

Unfortunately, it’s hard to see through this effect when “you are so in love.” For example, the new person may not share your hobbies, interests, or religion. At that moment, it won’t matter. 

However, you are content to end up with someone who doesn’t value or respect anything you stand for.

4. You ignore obvious red flags

Another way rushing into love at first sight might not help you is that you condone many relationship red flags. You overlook issues that might cause potential problems in the future. Although every couple fights and occasionally disagrees in their relationship. 

However, they usually find an amicable way to resolve it by communicating and working on a plausible solution. When rushing into a relationship, you ignore many problems or make excuses for some bad behaviors. 

Consequently, these behaviors pile up and become too much for you to handle.

Related Reading: 30 Red Flags in a Relationship You Should Never Ignore

5. You create a false image of your relationship

Although you can believe in love at first sight, the consequence sometimes is that you think you have something special. 

Every relationship is unique in its way. But when you insist that yours is love at first sight, you tend to act in a manner that revolves around this belief. You think it will last forever and focus on irrelevant things.

For example, instead of building your relationship and making an effort, you are stuck in the fairytales of perfect love. You do everything to avoid fights between you and your partner, and you wouldn’t want to annoy them. You need to wake up and focus on other things in the relationship.

5 myths about love at first sight

What causes love at first sight? Many things, but most people often believe some things about love at first sight. 

While many healthy relationships can bloom from love at first sight, some things have, in many ways, given people a false idea about what love is generally. Let us bust some common myths and misconceptions about love at first sight.

1. Love at first sight is divine

It’s hard to tell the forces at play when two individuals meet for the first time, and the chemistry between them happens. 

However, one thing is certain – a strong physical attraction beats logic and common sense at that moment, thanks to dopamine release in the body. These feelings are sudden, fast, and unpremeditated. Therefore, it’s easy to believe it’s natural.

2. Love at first sight is destiny

Love at first sight can be overwhelming. It makes you feel deeply in love. However, it isn’t pre-written that it will happen. Someone might have told you you would meet the love of your life one day. Such a statement doesn’t mean any other thing than mere speculation. 

What you feel and regard as love at first sight is a chemical reaction – a match of endorphins between two people. Thinking it’s a perfect destiny would have you having some unnecessary expectations. It doesn’t mean it will last a lifetime.

While physical attraction is the basis for emotional connection and an overall healthy relationship, you would need more to sustain a more compatible sexual and long-term relationship.

Related Reading: 20 Keys to a Successful Long Term Relationship?

3. The feeling is mutual

Another misconception about love at first sight is the thought that the feeling is mutual. Although some couples swear it was the same feeling for both of them, most times, it’s one person who feels “love at first sight’. Some people only agreed later that the connection was mutual. 

Meanwhile, this must have been after they had been in a relationship or married. Couples fall in love at the same time only on rare occasions. Eventually, the person who thought it was love at first sight realizes they can’t condone some behaviors.

4. Love at first sight means the feeling is permanent

Don’t exhibit an instant relationship syndrome by rushing off to tell your parents or going to the altar. Having a physical attraction instantly doesn’t mean it will happen again if you meet. 

Many things might have contributed to your interest the first time, including the person’s dress, clothes, hairstyle, or accessories they carried. 

If you see them the next time, you might not have this feeling if they don’t appear like the first time. Therefore, take your time to study them. See them on another occasion and under different circumstances. Check if you still feel the same way.

5. Love at first sight means it will last

No relationship is guaranteed, whether love at first sight or growing love. Every relationship you see out there takes effort from both partners. Like any other relationship, you and your partner will face challenges together, fight, and argue occasionally. 

These factors can shake the foundation of your marriage if you are not careful. However, as long as you are willing to work out your issues, you will be fine. Love at first sight, doesn’t mean it will last. It’s just a phase in your relationship that will soon pass off.

Can it lead to a successful marriage?

Does love at first sight exist? Yes! Is it possible to fall in love at first sight? Yes! But can it lead to a successful marriage? 

The answer to this question is dicey. The chance of any relationship leading to a successful marriage depends on the individual involved and their circumstances.

Remember, love at first sight is no different from any other romantic and committed relationship. It starts with physical attraction and progresses to normal stages in any relationship. 

Whether it leads to a successful marriage depends on the commitment between the partners, their goals, and how they settle their differences. 

Once partners are always on the same page, the chances of their love at first sight leading to a successful marriage are higher. Nonetheless, it isn’t guaranteed to lead to a successful marriage. The odds are stacked against couples who think their love is divine at first sight. 

That’s because they might resist certain changes that will happen to their relationship eventually. For example, a usual argument might escalate to a more significant issue because they weren’t expecting it. 

On the other hand, they may ignore potential problems because they feel “our relationship is perfect; we shouldn’t fight.” When these issues pile up, they become insurmountable and too much for the couple to handle.

Commonly asked questions

Check out these questions on love at first sight and their answers:

• Why is love at first sight false

Love at first sight is probably false because it’s not true love like many people believe or claim. 

They have a strong attraction at first glance or an instant emotional connection to another person. While it’s easy to convince yourself and others that love at first sight is real, you are probably showing likeness for your preference as seen in the appearance of another person.

• Should you trust love at first sight

It is best not to trust your feelings or the strong attraction you feel toward another immediately. Instead, try to know more about the other person and meet them under different circumstances before you can trust the “love at first sighting.”

Takeaway

Love at first sight is a common expression among lovers. While it’s often seen as divine or true love, it isn’t. The strong emotional connection you feel when you set your eyes on a stranger is an attraction. It’s too soon to tell if it’s true love, and it certainly isn’t perfect. 

If you want to know if love at first sight can lead to marriage, this article has explained it in detail. In addition, going for couples counseling can help you describe your feelings in the best way.

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Rachael Pace Author

Rachael Pace is a noted relationship writer associated with Marriage.com. She provides inspiration, support, and empowerment in the form of motivational articles and essays. Rachael enjoys studying the evolution of loving partnerships... Read more and is passionate about writing on them. She believes that everyone should make room for love in their lives and encourages couples to work on overcoming their challenges together. Read less