I will discuss the relevance of wetting and relative substrate affinity of fluid mixtures in capillary dynamics. I will consider the classical problem of capillary imbibition, which has a broad range of applications, from microfluidics to agriculture. I will analyze different geometries and scales under which imbibition takes place, and will use them to highlight the subtleties of the dynamics of liquid interfacial dynamics. In particular, I will discuss the relevance of the interplay between relative substrate affinity and the impact that the asymmetric dissipation among the different fluid phases has in the capillary dynamics of the advancing front. This general approach will allow me to address validity of the well established Lucas-Washburn law. I will also address the impact that lubricants has in liquid imbibition. This is a situation relevant for slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) and lubricant-impregnated surfaces (LIS), where a lubricant film eliminates direct contact of the invading and displaced fluids with the solid. I will discuss the impact that the asymmetric dissipation among the different fluid phases has in the capillary dynamics of the advancing front.