Knowing someone before you hear too much about the person from another can make so much difference when it’s the other way around. Of course the former is always better as you do not have any preconception (personality, character, status, wealth, occupation, ties, connections, materials) of the person from another’s eyes, you know the person’s heart before you know the person’s “accessories”. That way you can better appreciate the smile. (It’s like having dessert before the main dish, because dessert is always the best [at least to me]!)