Best wedding processional. Ever. Now, the backstory...

Deacon's Bench ^ | July 25, 2009 | DEACON GREG KANDRA

[NYer]

Well, the couple who launched this terrific wedding video are speaking out about their exuberant nuptial boogie.

They popped up a couple days ago on TODAY:

Most couples wait until the reception before breaking out into the Funky Chicken on their wedding day, but Kevin Heinz and Jill Peterson figured, why wait to unleash their unbridled joy?

The 28-year-olds floored their wedding guests by having their whole bridal party — including seven bridesmaids, five groomsmen and four ushers — boogie down the aisle in a choreographed dance more at home in a Broadway musical than in a somber church.

Groomsmen split into sides as Heinz did a somersault in front of the wowed crowd — and the gown-clad Peterson quickly followed, shaking her hips to Chris Brown’s “Forever” while pumping her bridal bouquet into the air during the June 20 ceremony in St. Paul, Minn.

Of course, some things are too good to keep to yourself. And when Kevin posted the wedding dance routine on YouTube, it quickly became a viral hit — some 700,000 people have already shared in the couple’s novel way of showing their matrimonial joy.

Heinz and Peterson (she’s keeping her maiden name) appeared live on TODAY Friday to tell their story of how their artistic self-expression on the biggest day of their lives captured America’s imagination and made them Internet stars.

After watching the video, TODAY’s Matt Lauer told the couple, “If that was a ceremony, I don’t know how you survived the honeymoon!” He then asked the couple who came up with the idea.

“It was mine,” Jill told Lauer. “I danced growing up and was a dancer through college and loved dance as a way to express yourself and share joy. So it was something I always thought about doing.”

The dance was bride Jill Peterson's idea.

It didn’t take her fun-loving husband Kevin long to agree to the idea, saying the decision to dance was “the first thing we really decided about the wedding that he wanted to do.”

They then broke the news to the parents that their wedding processional wasn’t going to take on the more reserved joy of a typical wedding. Jill admitted that her mom “was maybe a little nervous,” and Kevin said his parents were “definitely apprehensive,” but didn’t try to talk the two crazy kids out of their plan. They swore them to secrecy so other wedding guests wouldn’t know what they were up to.

Next up was a dance rehearsal for the wedding party. Anyone seeing the YouTube video might think the whole party was composed of dance professionals — the bridesmaids alone, with their waving-hands routine at the altar, are worth the price of admission. But Jill said it was actually more seat-of-the-tux than the final result would indicate.

“We [practiced for] an hour and a half,” Jill told Lauer. “A lot of that, people were sort of making up as they went, people just got really into it and went for it. We just gave them a general layout.”

The wedding party rehearsed the dance for just 90 minutes.

While guests were clearly overjoyed at getting a floor show even before the champagne flowed at the reception, Kevin and Jill are adamant they weren’t seeking a quick kiss of fame by posting their dancing high jinks on YouTube. Like many other viral video sensations, it was originally intended for friends and family.

“I put it up because her dad had been really harassing me to get it out to some of his other family members, and it exploded,” Kevin said.

TODAY’s Meredith Vieira noted that fans of the video are in for a special treat — the whole wedding party will appear on TODAY Saturday to do an encore of their now-legendary aisle dance.

Lauer was clearly amused by the couple and their video.

“If you can have that much fun at the wedding, that much fun will carry over also into your marriage,” he told them. “What a great sign and what a great gift.”

UPDATE: Mike Hayes, the venerable God Googler, has his own take on this controversial conga-among-the-congregants. Check it out here.

And if you just can't get enough of the "Forever" dance, check out the live perf the wedding party recreated for the TODAY show (personally, I like the original a lot more, and I'm starting to think their 15 minutes are just about up...):

[mware]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVR7I72-KrE

[madison10]

SWEET! Great dancers, too. What a way to start a marriage!

[IrishCatholic]

I feel sorry for you.

[GOPJ]

Fun post! Thanks for sharing.

[vladimir998]

Cute video...but it seems to mock marriage to me. They could have done it at the reception.

Yes, I’m an old fogey. Deal with it.

[vladimir998]

I bet every last one of them voted for Obama too.

[Lurker]

An Irish Catholic feeling sorry for me? Man, do YOU ever need a life.

[mware]

This is my favorite dance (during the reception)

The fun begins at 1:35

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QujA8YYgTWU

[library user]

Absolutely! This is best done at the wedding reception.

Yeah, but the lighting at the reception hall isn't as good as in the church. This isn't about God or marriage, it's about getting the most hits on YouTube.

[Northern Yankee]

You're right... this should not take place inside a Catholic Church. Save it for the reception.

Although it was cute to watch, I'm pleased that it did not happen in front of the Eucharist.

[Colonel_Flagg]

I’m probably the only person on FR who is completely appalled by this spectacle.

[mware]

To be perfectly honest I am amazed that it was permitted in a religiously service.

[SuziQ]

Catholicism...sucking the fun out of Christianity for 2,000 years....

LOL! Don't know may Catholics, do you?

[HungarianGypsy]

Yea, a Catholic Church is the last place on the planet one would encounter an example of pure unbridled joy.

Shhh! Then, I won't tell you about the parish I go to.

[biss5577]

Let’s just say that it’s probably the TWO of us! Hey, I am all for fun, but there is a time and a place. Oh well, I guess I’m a 53 year old dinosaur.

[SuziQ]

It did not take place in a Catholic Church, nor would it be appropriate.

Maybe not as part of the MASS, but as part of a simple Marriage Ceremony, I'm not so sure it wouldn't be. It's certainly different.

The "Googling God" blog author had a wonderful take on it; simply expressing joy at beginning their lives together.

[library user]

Don’t you know FReeper ‘Lurker’ is actually Christopher Hitchens?

I have a hard time believing Christopher Hitchens grew up listening to bands like Black Flag.

[Kleon]

I was kind of shocked this was happening in a church when I first saw it. Some of the dancing steps the wedding party does, especially those “strapless” bridesmaids, are nothing more than simulated sex moves.

[IrishCatholic]

Why? Because I feel for those with darkness in their hearts? It is the Catholic in me to pray for those who choose hatred and evil. It isn’t a bad life. I wish you well and will pray for you.

[Drango]

especially those “strapless” bridesmaids, are nothing more than simulated sex moves

Projecting and Freudian train-wreck! I saw the video twice and didn't see what you were seeing.