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...):

[ReneeLynn]

I’m not ‘completely appalled’ I just think it’s childish. Like something you’d do at graduation.

[DejaJude]

I watched it. I got a kick out of the surprise and enjoyment of the guests. My first thought was that they must have really liked Mama Mia (or any other Broadway musical) and wanted real life to imitate art. I don’t have a problem with them doing what makes them happy. Not anything I would do, but it takes all kinds.

[Minn]

Yea, a Catholic Church is the last place on the planet one would encounter an example of pure unbridled joy. Now if you're looking for guilt, and an extra helping of that ridiculous concept 'original sin', a Catholic Church is the perfect place to go.

Which is clearly in evidence by all the hooting, hollering, and beer drinking that goes on during bingo night in the basements of Catholic churches.

Take your childhood memories of knuckle slapping nuns, or whatever it that makes you such a bitter pathetic soul, somewhere else.

[madamemayhem]

i think it’s cute. people should lighten up a bit. so they danced in church. does God care if they danced in church? nope. you see, God, unlike some humans, has a sense of humor. don’t believe it? go to the zoo, look at the giraffe, then you will understand that God does in fact have a sense of humor and would approve of dancing in church on such a joyful occasion as a wedding.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

The dresses aren’t strapless...and ‘simulated sex moves?’ are you sure you got the link to the correct video? LOL...I have watched now about half a dozen times...and I don’t see it.

Its one fun little wedding ceremony, in Minnesota...not the degradation of faith in the US. Honest...lighten up folks...

[maggief]

Loved it!

[MrEdd]

2 Samuel 6:16 - 6:23

16 As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

17 And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord.

18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts

19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

20 And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

21 And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will make merry before the Lord.

22 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.”

23 And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

---

I guess it wouldn't do to pass up an opportunity to condemn dancing as being sexually suggestive, now would it?

[MrEdd]

Ping

[AnAmericanMother]

Mozart and Handel were the boogie artists of their age.

Um . . . . No.

Popular music of the time was completely different from both Mozart and Handel.

Just for one example, John Gay and Dr. Pepusch wrote The Beggar's Opera specifically to make fun of Handel's "Italianized" music. And it did so by using English popular music. You can get the score from the Hammersmith theater revival (in 1923, iirc), which very kindly points out the original popular songs from which the melodies were taken.

[AnAmericanMother]

To be absolutely fair, I don't think that getting hits on YouTube was anywhere on the radar screen.

It's just young people having fun. If the minister didn't have a problem with it, neither do I.

[AnAmericanMother]

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

Are you serious? THAT explains an awful lot!

< Emily Litella voice > Never mind! < /Emily Litella voice >

[AnAmericanMother]

That's what I meant -- it's obviously not a Catholic service, so it's o.k. to dance I guess.

I woulda saved it for the reception, but we were Piskies when we got married (in a very prim and proper cathedral. The Dean would have had kittens if we had done anything like this -- not because of the presence of the Eucharist, but just because That Sort of Thing is Not Done.)

[HairOfTheDog]

I think it’s terrific.

A wedding I would have loved to have been AT! :~)

[Lurker]

Take your childhood memories of knuckle slapping nuns,

You're confusing your personal sexual fantasies with my childhood memories.

Stop that.

L

[Lurker]

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

Hitchens is an atheist. I'm not an atheist. Nor am I a Catholic.

I'm neither.

I'm a Christian.

Best,

L

[Coleus]

i saw the preview on the today show and was late for work because of these idiots, i had to see how they disgraced their marriage and in what church they did this. they acted like unruly teenagers going to the prom 10 minutes before they made a lifelong covenant oath with God.

[Miss Marple]

No, you’re not the only one.

I consider it a sign of the fall of civilization.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Your particular judgment is going to be a real hoot, chump.

[Lurker]

Your particular judgment is going to be a real hoot, chump.

Judge not, lest ye be judged Senor Buttclench.

L

[swmobuffalo]

“people should lighten up a bit. so they danced in church. does God care if they danced in church? nope. you see, God, unlike some humans, has a sense of humor. don’t believe it? go to the zoo, look at the giraffe, then you will understand that God does in fact have a sense of humor and would approve of dancing in church on such a joyful occasion as a wedding.”

I agree! Some folks need to lighten up. It was different, unique and an amazing expression of the couple’s joy for the occasion.