In OKC, Oklahoma, a bizarre scene unfolded at an outdoor wedding when an uninvited woman, dressed like a cat with a mask, ears and tail, crawled around behind the altar area.
Mistique Morris, 24, and Michael Morris, 22, tied the knot on April 20 when the unexpected guest disrupted their ceremony. As Mistique walked down the aisle, she initially mistook the woman for a cow in the distance, but soon realized it was a person donning a "kitty" costume complete with mask, ears and fake tail.
The unidentified wedding crasher is believed to be a "therian" – an individual who identifies as a non-human animal and mimics that creature's behaviors.
"The procession kicked off, then that person stood up revealing they weren't a cow, but an actual human," recounted Amy White, 36, the bride's friend attending the 100-guest event. "The procession had already started so it was too late to stop anything."
White described the woman's disruptive actions: "Once the ceremony started, they stood up and started walking around. They kept stepping up and laying back down on the grass."
The situation intensified after the couple's vows. "When the bride and groom kissed, the 'therian' gave them a little bow," White said. "And then towards the end when everyone started cheering, they walked to the edge of the lake and were trying to get in the photos and taking pictures themselves."
While guests found the scene bizarre, bride Mistique Morris maintained a positive perspective. "It was a fantastic day overall," she said. "This is just a light-hearted story to tell afterward!"
Photographer Chad Rain of Prance Creek Photography confirmed he did not include the disruptive wedding guest in the couple's official portraits. "I just tried to keep focused on my couples," Rain stated.
While uncommon, therianthropic individuals - or those identifying as animals - have garnered publicity before. A Japanese man reportedly spent $14,000 on cosmetic procedures to resemble a collie breed of dog.