A couple of Pennsylvania newlyweds are behind bars after police say they were caught shoplifting food from a supermarket for their wedding reception.

The Centre Daily Times reports 32-year-old Arthur Phillips III and his bride, 22-year-old Brittany Lurch, were married on Saturday 18 August and had scheduled their wedding reception for 5:30pm that afternoon.

However at 2:30pm that day police were called to a supermarket in the town of State College with a report of retail theft. The pair were caught stealing items worth $1,049.26.

Patton Township police say the couple was captured on surveillance footage loading a shopping cart and leaving the store without paying.

The newspaper says the couple admitted taking the items when arrested and told police who told them the items were for their reception.

While searching the couple's car, police also found a glass smoking pipe with marijuana residue. Philips was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Phillips and Lurch were charged with misdemeanour counts. They didn't make it to their wedding reception and were held in the Centre County jail on $2,500 bail.