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We Love JK's Wedding Entrance Dance
Filed under: Media, Funny Stuff, Relationships
The Youtube phenomenon known as "JK (Jill and Kevin) Wedding Entrance Dance," a home video of a wedding party, bride and groom, dancing down the aisle to the catchy Chris Brown song "Forever," has spawned more than ten million hits and 50,0000 comments. This weekend, the entire group was also invited to reenact the dance on NBC's "Today" show, to the hoots and cheers of its live Rockefeller Plaza audience.
So, why all the fuss? What's so special about a group of St. Paul, Minn. friends getting together to plan and surprise wedding guests with a funky dance down the aisle?
It's simple: The unadulterated joy and fun they had is both undeniable and contagious. My husband and I watched it together for the first time with our nine-year-old while we were all lying in bed and I was catching up on e-mail on my laptop. Someone had forwarded the link and I casually asked Sean and my daughter if they wanted to see it.
From the moment the music came on and the first dancer began to bust a move, we could not stop smiling. The wedding party was having so much fun! These friends were really putting it out there, celebrating this day and taking a risk for the sake of fun and, yes, love.
Truth be told, not all the dancers had perfect rhythm, but it didn't matter. It wasn't about the quality of the dancing. The novel idea of foregoing the traditionally solemn march down the aisle for a choreographed surprise wedding entrance dance could have easily fallen flat with wedding guests or not translated well to video or simply not inspired the viral forwarding. But it did, because you just can't fake that kind of joy. The finale -- the beaming, dancing bride -- really brought it all home for me.
While there have been discussions about the appropriateness of the aisle hop in a house of worship, by and large, most people have chosen to put theological and decorum issues aside to focus on the fun, and authentically happy spirit in which it was executed. Put simply what so many are responding to in this cheesy, grainy, wedding-video-gone-viral is the beauty of friendship and love. It makes us believe that there really is a happily ever after.
So, why all the fuss? What's so special about a group of St. Paul, Minn. friends getting together to plan and surprise wedding guests with a funky dance down the aisle?
It's simple: The unadulterated joy and fun they had is both undeniable and contagious. My husband and I watched it together for the first time with our nine-year-old while we were all lying in bed and I was catching up on e-mail on my laptop. Someone had forwarded the link and I casually asked Sean and my daughter if they wanted to see it.
From the moment the music came on and the first dancer began to bust a move, we could not stop smiling. The wedding party was having so much fun! These friends were really putting it out there, celebrating this day and taking a risk for the sake of fun and, yes, love.
Truth be told, not all the dancers had perfect rhythm, but it didn't matter. It wasn't about the quality of the dancing. The novel idea of foregoing the traditionally solemn march down the aisle for a choreographed surprise wedding entrance dance could have easily fallen flat with wedding guests or not translated well to video or simply not inspired the viral forwarding. But it did, because you just can't fake that kind of joy. The finale -- the beaming, dancing bride -- really brought it all home for me.
While there have been discussions about the appropriateness of the aisle hop in a house of worship, by and large, most people have chosen to put theological and decorum issues aside to focus on the fun, and authentically happy spirit in which it was executed. Put simply what so many are responding to in this cheesy, grainy, wedding-video-gone-viral is the beauty of friendship and love. It makes us believe that there really is a happily ever after.
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
7-28-2009 @ 4:34PM
Jo said...Although I agree with those that say the spirit of the "dancing wedding party" was one of joy, happiness, and love, I must say (although I'm sure everyone will disagree with me!) that I honestly feel that their performance would have been much better suited for the reception instead of the church. It would have been a great way to kick off the reception and enter the room when announced, rather than a way to walk down the aisle to approach the altar, which in most churches is a very sacred place. Don't get me wrong, I love a fun wedding and dancing (who doesn't?), but I just feel that the handstands and some of the dance moves really didn't belong in a church. Just my opinion, and I wish the obviously very happy couple the best.
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7-28-2009 @ 7:33PM
Astounded said..."handstands and dance moves dont belong in church"? Really? Check out your bible - Exodus, Second Samuel, Ecclesiastes, Psalms, and Corinthians all have passages about people dancing before God... If a joyful celebration dance of two people getting married in a House of God doesn't qualify, what does? Just because you felt uncomfortable with seeing something out of the ordinary from a traditional stodgy wedding march doesn't make it disrespectful to God, it just means it doesn't fit in the perfect little box that you personally feel is appropriate.
Not trying to flame you, just trying to point out a different perspective!
7-28-2009 @ 5:44PM
Kathy said...Personally I think it's a fun dance, but it was inappropriate and disrecptful for a church.
It would have been much better as a way to enter the wedding reception.
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7-29-2009 @ 1:09AM
Eprom said...inappropriate and disrecptful for a church?
What makes a church is the gathering of people and their faith, not brick walls Sharon
7-29-2009 @ 3:44AM
Daisy said...This video put a smile on my face and I believe that God must have been dancing as well, the love and joy was in the house of God. It was by no means disrespectful, if the people have fun so does the Big Guy.
http://www.womansindex.com
7-28-2009 @ 5:55PM
Michelle said...It's a wedding celebration and everyone is happy...I don't know what God would think would be wrong with that. A nice change of pace from the Wedding March or Pachelbel's Canon if you ask me!
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7-28-2009 @ 8:22PM
Sharon said...Beautiful....I could not stop laughing. I don't think it was disrespectful at all. It was a joy to watch. Fun Couple = Happier Marriage!
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7-28-2009 @ 9:38PM
Sifrina said...I thought it was great, but then I'm not religous (though I spent a LOT of time in Mass, voluntarily, while living in an Opus Dei residence in Venezuela and I still shudder when I see strapless outfits in Church, and other similarly inappropriate things). One thing I loved is that they seemed to not lose sight of why they were doing this. I sure hope it was for real and not some publicity thing (we do get cynical, don't we?).
Ordinarily I say that your wedding day does not equal your marriage (meaning folks spend WAY too much time on the flowers, DJ, couture dress, caterer; losing sight of what matters), but if this couple's happiness is for real (as I truly hope), I'd say they have a happy, loving future together...forever.
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7-29-2009 @ 12:36AM
queenoqueens said...I thought it was fabulous, although I never would have had the guts of choreographic talent to pull it off. I would have been too worried about inappropriateness. Phooey!
I'm sure God was grateful to not have yet another dreadfully boring procession into the church. The dance was probably the only thing that pulled away his attention from football game outcomes and other priorities he has to attend to.
Many props to this couple.
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7-31-2009 @ 10:24AM
J said...It was funny and all, but not terribly original. I've seen this done a bunch of times and the first time was like 10 years ago on "A Wedding Story".
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7-29-2009 @ 9:37AM
Jo said...Astounded, please relax...I just gave my opinion (we all have them) that I personally thought it would have been better suited for the reception rather than the church...big deal. I never used the term, "disrespectful to God", and I never said it made me "uncomfortable"...no need to quote the Bible and get all worked up and make this into some serious religious debate. What's with your "perfect little box" remark? What did I say that prompted that? The reason there are so many different types of weddings and receptions is because we all have different tastes, styles, traditions, etc...to each their own. By the way, your insinuation that I would want a "stodgy" wedding couldn't be further from the truth...I am Greek, and love a fun, joyous, dance 'til you drop wedding as much as the next person...I just personally save the partying for the reception, not the church...again, it's my opinion, no need to be nasty to me for it.
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7-29-2009 @ 9:48AM
Allison said...It was wonderful and joyful and a pleasure to watch. Weddings are happy occasions! My husband and I couldn't stop beaming through our own ceremony. As long as they are taking their marriage vows seriously (and I didn't see anything to indicate that they were not), I don't have a problem with them expressing their joy through dance in a church.
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7-29-2009 @ 9:58AM
JHZ said...Astounded, let's not make this out to be more than it is...they were putting on a crowd pleasing performance in their sunglasses and with modern music...not dancing a religious dance before God to show their worship to Him...they wanted to look hip and cool, and they certainly did please their guests, which was their intention...even when interviewed, the couple said they did it "for fun" and to do "something different" and never once mentioned God...don't put words in their mouths.
I also agree with those that feel this kind of dancing and gymnastics is better suited for the reception instead of the church...just my personal opinion. As Jo said, "To each their own".
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7-29-2009 @ 3:32PM
Karen said...Wow - these are the first comments I have read that expressed any kind of problem with dancing in the wedding ceremony (as opposed to the reception).
I'm curious....what makes a church a place of solemn behavior instead of fun? Does sacred not equal fun? What about a church does not equate with fun and dancing? Just curious?
Is it because it is out of a comfort area? Because while I agree everyone can have the wedding they want, I'm trying to figure out what makes the behavior inappropriate for a church - SPECIFICALLY.
7-29-2009 @ 7:22PM
RobinS said...I enjoyed the video so much too :)
I´ve started a donation so we can send Jill & Kevin on a 2. honeymoon at an exotic resort, away from all the media stress. If you enjoyed the JK Wedding Entrance Dance video maybe you feel like chipping in at - http://bit.ly/18MpAJ or go to http://www.jkweddingentrancedance.com
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7-30-2009 @ 1:28PM
maria sands said...What happens to JK after the wedding?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbr2ao86ww0
Totally hilarious.
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8-11-2009 @ 10:09PM
Kate022 said...My sister and her fiance watched the video and they are now doing the same thing. I am excited to do this and very nervous because I am the first to walk down. I think this is very creative and do not think it is disrespectful to the church. Wouldn't the church have to confirm the dance? They church my sister is getting married in did.
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9-24-2009 @ 2:03AM
Josh said...The dancing pair would appreciate you not writing about them, as idealogically they are diametrically opposed to the hate and disinformation campaigns you wage under the guise of family values.
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10-14-2009 @ 1:11PM
Lea said...Rachel, I loved your take on this. I was also really moved by the video because of the un-fakeable joy. I don't think God could possibly have been offended by that!
Good to see you on TwitterMoms... I was just trolling for a new face to feature as our TM of the Week. Are you interested?
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