It seems like for many couples these days the most important consideration when planning a wedding is how to end up as the latest YouTube sensation. Anyone who has seen Pam and Jim’s wedding on “The Office” now knows that even the processional ceremony is another opportunity for the bridal party to do something outrageous and memorable (as Jim said, as soon as he saw the YouTube video of a bridal party dancing down the aisle to “Forever”, I knew they were waiting for you!). Here’s a look at the YouTube wedding phenomenon.

Some of the wedding videos on YouTube get literally millions of views. Think about it; You could have two million people around the world interested in your wedding. The “JK Wedding Entrance Dance” video that inspired the “The Office” scene has been viewed by over 28 million people! The bridal party she was at even ended up on the “Today” show. For many couples, that kind of internet fame is simply too tempting to resist. Apparently everyone wants to appear in the next viral video and get their 15 minutes of fame.

Most of the popular wedding videos on YouTube focus on a surprise (and almost all hot videos involve dances, usually done by people with no special talent in that area). What makes them so fun is the cheating! moment. As in, the church doors open, the bridal party is ready to march down the aisle, and surprise! they do a crazy choreographed dance instead of the expected dignified procession of “La Marcha Nupcial”.

Brides and grooms are definitely a big part of the YouTube phenomenon. The first dance used to be a time when brides in their fine dresses and elegant bridal jewelry sets took a leisurely spin around the dance floor with their beaming new husbands to the tune of “Unforgettable” or a Frank Sinatra song. These days, it seems that the surprise is when the bride and groom dance the classic song to the end. Guests are sitting on the edge of their seats waiting for demure brides in their wedding dresses and pearl jewelry sets to kick off their white shoes and start shaking them with “Crank That” or “Baby Got Back.”

Another safe way to access YouTube is to do your own version of “Dance Evolution” instead of a standard first dance. You know, when the bride and groom dance to a medley of songs that make their way through musical history, decade after decade. If you ever feel the urge to see a boyfriend do his best “Karate Kid” moves to the beat of the 1970s hit “Kung Fu Fighting,” this is your chance. Did you think that you could live the rest of your life without seeing that? Sorry, this is the age of YouTube weddings, and virtually every bride and groom wants to be famous online!

In fact, there is a famous wedding video on YouTube that I think is the exception to the idea that all these crazy dances are disruptive, which is the very sweet toast to “Amy’s Song.” Several things distinguish this clip from the rest. On the one hand, it is a special tribute to the bride, and it is done with good taste, rather than with the intention of surprising. It also relates to her interests, as the bride was a musical theater person. And last but certainly not least, the performers at the wedding party were also musical theater people, which means they had the talent to pull it off gracefully. It was a heartfelt gift for the bride that will make anyone who sees it smile.

Everyone is getting in on the act. From outrageous first father-daughter dances to entire wedding parties recreating Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, outrageous choreographed dances are fast becoming a mainstay of formal and traditional weddings. Personally, I think there is a trade-off; What you gain in laughter and celebrity on the Internet, you lose in dignity and classic good taste. However, all the bride and groom have the right to have the wedding they want, and if what they choose is to try to make their reception a great success on YouTube, they will surely have a lot of company!