For most brides and grooms, the wedding reception is time to relax, kick your shoes off, have a few sips of bubbly and watch the sandwich makers, cutlery sets and gift cards roll in. But one newlywed groom found himself tasked with policing his own wedding reception after an uninvited guest allegedly took off with a bunch of presents and gift envelopes.

The Missouri man and his wife were officially married a year ago before he was deployed to Afghanistan, so this was their chance to celebrate their nuptials with a vow renewal ceremony in front of loved ones and host a reception, reports the Joplin Globe.

While the reception was winding down, the groom was outside loading presents into his car when his mother came out of the wedding hall and yelled that someone had made off with cards from a reception table. He says he spotted a man walking away with envelopes in his hands, filled with gift cards and cash.

“Hey, hold on a minute!” he yelled at first, which caused the man to look back but then keep on walking, and then took off in a run when the groom yelled for him to stop again.

So he took off after the man — dressed in his tuxedo and patent leather shoes and yelling “Stop! Thief! Stop!” — while his brother and father joined the chase.

Police eventually caught up with the suspect a few blocks away, still with the gifts in hand, allegedly. He’s been charged with trespassing, larceny and resisting arrest.

“If we hadn’t caught the guy, it would have ended an otherwise perfect celebration on a very bitter note,” the groom said. “But, since police caught him and it appears justice will be served,” he added, looking on the bright side. “I guess we’re going to have a very unique wedding story to tell the rest of our lives.”

Groom chases thief from wedding reception [Joplin Globe]

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