--- description: A new meme is popping up to replace the distracted boyfriend: a photograph of a groom distracted from his bride by a passing beachgoer. title: Distracted Groom Meme Is a Step Up From Distracted Boyfriend image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # The Distracted Groom Memes Take the Distracted Boyfriend Setup to New Heights  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 1, 2018 10:02 PM CUT  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 1, 2018 10:02 PM CUT If you’ve spent any time on the internet over the past year or so, you’ve probably come across the [“distracted boyfriend” meme](http://time.com/money/4918422/the-photographer-behind-the-distracted-boyfriend-meme-isnt-making-any-money-off-its-popularity/ "undefined"), a humorous appropriation [of a stock photo](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/distracted-boyfriend "undefined"), that a Swedish court recently found to be [sexist](http://time.com/5405680/distracted-boyfriend-meme-sexist/ "undefined"). But now there’s a [new meme](http://time.com/5405680/distracted-boyfriend-meme-sexist/ "undefined") with a similar vibe in town — and this time it’s a candid shot of a bride, a groom and a very fit beachgoer. The shutter on the outtake must have clicked just as the groom has turned his head in the direction of the Speedo-wearing swimmer, away from his bride in her white dress. And the internet can’t help but raise its collective eyebrow at the narrative captured in the three-person shot, calling it an “improved version” of the distracted boyfriend of yore. After all, not every meme features the drama of swimwear and romance. Like its predecessor, the “distracted groom” proves to be a flexible image; just slot in any word or picture on top of the beachgoer’s face, and you have an instant meme of whatever new, appealing thing is making the rounds or grabbing your attention these days. It seems that the image first popped up [on Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/bi%5Firl/comments/9k2zub/bi%5Firl/ "undefined") over the weekend, and has since migrated over to Twitter, where meme fame is made. > [](https://twitter.com/skylxrksays/status/1046656943257866240) > [](https://twitter.com/visakanv/status/1046753965444984839) > [](https://twitter.com/iamsimonadler/status/1046751984546721794) > [](https://twitter.com/mikeyil/status/1046759098988089344) > [](https://twitter.com/chewystuey/status/1046670739024293888) > [](https://twitter.com/justinboldaji/status/1046765804576882688) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5412058/distracted-groom-meme/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5412058/distracted-groom-meme/"},"headline":"The Distracted Groom Memes Take the Distracted Boyfriend Setup to New Heights","datePublished":"2018-10-01T22:02:50.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:55:12.105Z","description":"Another day, another meme","url":"https://time.com/5412058/distracted-groom-meme/","keywords":["Newsfeed","viral"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5412058/distracted-groom-meme/","name":"The Distracted Groom Memes Take the Distracted Boyfriend Setup to New Heights"}}]}] ```