Meet the man behind the TikTok viral groom reaction video
Although you might not know this man's name, you've probably seen a video of his emotional reaction after seeing his wife walk down the aisle.
Meet Anthony Cortesi from Chicago, Illinois. A clip from his wedding has garnered more than 52 million views on TikTok and has become one of the latest trends to take hold of the internet.
"If this isn't my future husband, I don't want it," one user wrote beneath the post, which was first shared on Aug. 31, 2022.
Social media users have since started using Anthony Cortesi's reaction to express their love for anything from their beloved pet to their new high-power leaf blower.
Anthony Cortesi said he had such an emotional reaction because he felt like the moment was a long time coming.
"We both worked really hard for this for a number of years," said Anthony Cortesi, who proposed to his now-wife Lindsey Cortesi in 2020 after six years of dating. "We planned it out, found the perfect place and everything like that. So that's why I had the reaction, I feel like we just have great love and family support."
Lindsey Cortesi said nothing could have prepared her for seeing her husband's reaction on the day of the wedding.
"Just to see him, the way he just turned and his emotion. [They say], 'You'll know when he's the one,' and it was like, I knew it," she said. "It was just a beautiful moment."
The couple's wedding videographer caught the special moment on camera and knew it was a "one in a million" reaction.
"I do a lot of wedding videos, we shoot like 40 to 60 a year. We always make the joke when we talk to the groom that we'll bring a little bag of onions or we'll step on a toe to get the reaction…. As soon as I saw [Anthony Cortesi] cry, I was like, 'Oh, he really loves this woman and I'll tell you that much,'" said Michael Gonzalez, who co-runs the wedding media business Aspen Avenue with wife and photographer Nicole Gonzalez, who posted the video to TikTok.
"Just seeing it in person felt so real," said Nicole Gonzalez, who is also the bride's step-sister.
"It was such a beautiful moment [...] just seeing it come to life," she added. "And I was like, 'This is this is going to go next level [on TikTok]."
Anthony Cortesi said he was shocked that his reaction went viral, but is glad that people are enjoying the moment.
"A lot of guys at work are like, 'Yeah, I've seen your video' and they're sending me videos on Instagram and messenger and text, all kinds of stuff," said Anthony Cortesi. "I didn't expect this to happen, I just thought it was gonna be you know a few likes."
He noted that going viral "doesn't bother me too much."
"Oh, he loves it," added Lindsey Cortesi.
Editor's note: This was originally published on April 11, 2023.
