At Cassie Roth’s wedding in Tampa, the new bride didn’t toss her bouquet or scarf after the ceremony, as is tradition. Instead, she and her husband, Jonathan Roth, threw a stuffed cat.

One of Roth’s bridesmaids, Christina Soto, caught the cat, and she’ll be heading to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay soon after to adopt the stray.

The cocktail party was named after the Roths’ cats, and wedding guests also got to meet five stray cats in need of homes.

“Weddings can be so extravagant, so we tried to think of ways to make it as meaningful as possible,” said the 27-year-old bride. Cassie and Jonathon have both loved cats since high school.

She added: “We wanted these cats to attend our wedding and help poor animals at the same time. Everyone loved them, they said they had never attended a wedding like this before.”

A video of the moment the stuffed cat was thrown was posted on TikTok after the wedding and received more than 4 million views.

“For us, it was a fun way to do something a little bit new,” said Jonathon Roth, 27.

The cat toss was organized by Kelly Nova and Ilana Karcinski, founders of FairyTail pet care, a service that helps couples combine weddings with pet adoption events.

Since 2015, Nova and Karcinski have dressed more than 1,100 dogs and brought them to weddings and posed for photos with guests.

Nova said only eight cats have been given such an honor, adding that the Roth family’s cat toss was the first of its kind.

Cassie said the Roths wanted both of their cats, Smokey and Ella, to attend the wedding, but they were worried they wouldn’t be able to handle them.

“We thought it best to invite the Humane Society along with a few cats in need of homes. The kittens were placed in small pet cages in a corner of the wedding reception,” she said.

Jonathon said two of the five kittens were adopted after the wedding reception. Guests left their information and went to the Humane Society to complete the necessary paperwork.

“We let people see the cats at the cocktail party, so the cats wouldn’t be scared. It was the perfect combination of social and quiet, while also raising awareness about animals,” he said.

That’s what Karcinki and Nova had in mind when they implemented Yappily Ever After’s service into their 2020 events.

“We’ve both volunteered with wildlife since we were kids, so it’s a natural fit for us,” said Karcinski, 31.

She added that they don’t pressure people to adopt puppies (or in the Roth family’s case, kittens) at the wedding, and that those who truly care about the animals work with the Humane Society.

In addition to the two kittens at the Roths’ wedding, about 80 dogs have found new homes. “A lot of couples bring their adoptable dogs down the aisle instead of holding flowers. It helps them bond,” she said.

She and Karcinski said they were inspired to start FairyTail Pet Services after receiving requests for pet adoptions while they were helping plan a wedding for a hotel in Tampa.

“Many people want their pets to be part of their big day, but they don’t know how to welcome and manage pets,” Nova said.

“That gave us the idea for a pet wedding service,” Karcinski added.

Jenn and Jeff Karstens said all five of the Humane Society puppies brought to their wedding in Tampa in May 2021 have found new homes. They also adopted a dog they named Wrigley.

“A few of the wedding guests didn’t have puppies. We’re big dog people, so finding someone to adopt an animal was a great thing,” Jenn said.

Jeff, 40, added: “Jenn always wanted another dog, but for me, one was enough. Then we adopted Wrigley. I think people need to consider getting puppies for their weddings.”

Jillian and Parker DeKorte of Largo brought their dog Riley and a relative’s dog Cooper to their December 2022 wedding, then let the five puppies play with guests. Jillian, 27, said three of the dogs have found new homes.

“We believe the best way to spread our love is to spread it to the community. After our wedding, three puppies found homes for Christmas,” she said.

“If you ask anyone we know what we love most, they’ll say dogs,” said Parker, 26. “We want to create a memory we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives.”

“If what we do can inspire someone else and help a cat, then we’re all for it,” said Cassie Roth.