Getting inspired by YouTube’s hip-hop bride and groom

hen Kevin Heinz and Jill Peterson — the hip-hopping-down-the-aisle bride and groom from YouTube — informed their parents they were planning an untraditional church ceremony, the news was met with more than a little apprehension.

But after the Minnesota couple stunned and captivated the world and their unsuspecting wedding guests with their connubial antics — which attracted more than 700,000 video hits — one might wonder if off-the-wall weddings will soon become the norm.

“The YouTube couple’s wedding ceremony seemed to be more about the couple, their sense of fun and celebration and how they were heading off into the future together than with creating a sensation,” says the Reverend Barbara Cheney, rector of the Episcopal Church of St. Paul & St. James in New Haven.

Rev. Cheney says she determines individually what’s appropriate for each wedding she performs and wouldn’t have had a problem with Heinz and Peterson’s request.

“Whether a couple dances down the aisle would not be the primary reason we’d do a wedding,” she says. “Are you just looking for a church to dance in, compared to working through your future together as a couple, is the question.

“The YouTube couple was not disrespectful and engaged their family and wedding party with a sense of fun while taking their vows quite seriously. That’s something we’d be willing to do, but we’re not a church to dance in.”

The viral video age requires a camera, producer and promoter. That’s where Paul Ayoub and his three companies — Wedding Steps, Digital Video Productions and CT Photo Group in Danbury — can come in handy.

“We haven’t done anything too extreme, but at one wedding this summer — before the YouTube couple — the bride and groom wanted to surprise their guests with their first dance,” Ayoub says. “It started off traditionally — very slow and romantic — and then they suddenly burst into hip-hop.

“I think it’s good to do something different and everyone is trying to make their weddings unique these days.”

Find Ayoub at www.dvpllc.com, www.ctphotogroup.com and www.weddingsteps.com.

When it comes to off-the-wall wedding music, look no further than “Special” Ed Train, keyboardist for the Blues Brothers cover band Blues Patrol, with band members scattered across Fairfield County.

“We’ve played receptions at a bunch of weddings, but for years we’ve been talking about doing a stunt where when the couple walks out of the church, we pull up in the Blues Mobile, grab the bride and drive away,” Train says. “Then we show up at the reception with her and everyone has a good laugh.”

Train says they once had a couple tying the knot who were ready to roll with the prank at the Tarrytown Castle in Westchester, but they chickened out at the last minute.

“I think they were afraid of freaking out Grandma,” Train says. “But if anyone is interested in doing that kind of thing, we’re ready and they should go to our website, www.bluespatrol.com.”

So, how do you give your wedding reception food a twist?

Ask Celia Niles of Parties by Celia (www.partiesbycelia.com) in Westport. She specializes in international cuisine, including dishes from the Middle East.

“It’s always a breath of fresh air to do something out of the ordinary,” says Niles. “I did a wedding reception last summer that took place in the backyard of the bride’s parents.”

The bride and groom, and the entire wedding party — including the flower girl and ring bearer — all boogied their way down the aisle after being inspired by the YouTube couple.

“I can understand how a priest might object to this sort of entrance in his church, but I welcome the change of pace — it was a lot of fun for everyone.”

Oh, those crazy kids.

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