Couple throws $40K cat-themed wedding

By Katie Pearson via SWNS

Meet the cat-obsessed couple who spent $40k throwing a themed wedding in their pet's honor.

Kathy Guo and Sam Xie, both 32, incorporated their eight-year-old ginger tabby, Waffle, into every element of the big day in December 2023.

The couple had Waffle-themed menus, balls of yarn as centerpieces and a giant scratching post for the welcome sign.

The dessert table was filled with cat-themed puddings including cookies, cupcakes, and a cat-shaped cake topper.

In the photobooth, they had a giant cut-out of Waffle's head for people to take photos with, and they played songs with cats meowing in time to popular tracks.

The couple even invited the owners of other 'cat-fluencers' that Waffle has befriended online, including Nala Cat, Princess Honey-Belle, Sven and Robbie and A Cat named Calvin.

Beloved pet Waffle, who has been branded a “purrista” for her adorable coffee-making videos, has gathered a whopping 27k followers on Instagram.

Sam, a chief operating officer, from Santa Clara, Calif., said: "I'm definitely the crazy-cat lady in the couple.

"We thought a regular wedding was a bit too traditional.

“I suggested we incorporate Waffle into the day and Kathy loved the idea.

"I couldn't believe it when Honey Belle's owner flew out to join us all the way from Australia - it was so special.

"Everyone had such a fun day."

Kathy, a Family Medicine Doctor, added: "We thought a regular wedding was a bit too traditional.

"When Sam suggested we make it cat-themed, it just clicked.

“Waffle means so much to us and we wanted her there in spirit on the big day.”

Sam and Kathy, got Waffle when she was eight weeks old from rescue center, 4paws Strong, California, in December 2015.

Despite neither having owned a cat before, she quickly settled in and became a ''part of the family''.

Kathy said: "We always talked about getting cat.

"When we saw Waffle's picture on an adoption page - she had the saddest eyes I've ever seen!

"We went to see her and fell love instantly.”

While finishing college, Sam got an internship working in the social media department for WHAT company. -

As a practice, he set up an Instagram account for Waffle in 2017, and started to really focus on posting content in 2019.

Waffle started gathering thousands of followers which helped Sam land a job working in the pet good industry as chief operating officer

I work in the Pet Industry, I work with Nala_Cat's cat food brand Love, Nala, I am the COO & run all the daily operations.

Sam landed a job doing social media for a cat food company, run by Nala Cat's company.

I work with Nala_Cat's cat food brand Love, Nala,

Sam said: "Waffle became friends with Princess Honey Belle online and she's a baker, so I thought, why not make Waffle a barrister.

“I custom-made her a little apron which I now sell on her Etsy shop.

"She's done brand deals and we've even done a collab with our local coffee shop.

"We try and give back to the rescue place where we got her, and pay for adoption fees and packages with the money she makes.

"Kathy does all the filming for her videos - it's a joint effort."

The couple got engaged after Sam proposed to Kathy during a trip to Japan in 2019.

Kathy never ''wanted a traditional wedding'' and was thrilled with the idea of putting a cat-themed spin on the big day.

She got to work planning in April 2023, and the following year, they held their wedding at The Mohi Winery, Morgan Hill, California, on 2 December 2023, with 96 guests attending.

Kathy said: "We both love Waffle so it only felt right to incorporate her into the wedding.

"We did a bit of DIY for some of the cat-themed touches around the wedding.

"My sister and mum-in-law helped me put the balls of yarn together, and hang them from the flowers.

"We wrapped the welcome sign to look like a scratching post and I found cat magnets for party favours."

The couple extended the invite to some of their fellow cat-fluencers online, and were thrilled when several owners travelled to attend the big day including The Katsu Shop, Dash the Orange Tabby and Sherlock Cat on the case.

Sam said: "It was amazing that so many other cat owners we've met on Instagram journeyed to be there.

"Waffle wasn't at the wedding, we couldn't have cats there, but we had her there in spirit.

"She's such a special cat and she means a lot to us.

"It was a very special day."