Is it normal for things to be awkward when you start dating a friend?

So recently one of my guy friends of around a year and a half confessed that he has really strong feelings for me. I had a feeling he did but I didn't know for sure until he told me. We've recently started seeing each other a bit more seriously/romantically and things sorta feel a little awkward, but I know it's just in my head. Kissing him feels sorta weird sometimes and imagining sex with him also just feels kinda unnatural. I find him attractive so it's not like that's the issue. I'm used to my past relationships just being very romantic from the start, and I've never went from friends to dating before. Is this normal when you go from being friends for so long to dating one another?