My big fat Asian wedding

Shilpa Shetty got married in a glitzy, glam ceremony this weekend which got me thinking of other Asian weddings over the last two years. One of my biggest pet peeves is the cookie cutter wedding -- so I’m relieved to see that some unusual and awesome ceremonies have been taking place in Asia. I say more couples should ditch the limo for a tractor, the priest for a giant robot and the tuxedo for a Hello Kitty mask. Here’s to marriages that think outside the altar.

1. Japan: Gundam robot wedding

The anime series Gundam celebrated its 30th anniversary by installing a 1:1 giant robot in Tokyo’s Odaiba. In August 2009, the winners of a contest tied the knot under the giant robot. The cos players and their baby daughter bowed reverently to Gundam, who rotated his head, flashed lights and emitted steam.

2. Bhutan: Hong Kong celebs married by Buddhist lamas

Hong Kong actors Tony Leung and Carina Lau were acquainted for 20 years and dated for about ten before exchanging HK$10 million rings. Their HK$30 million wedding was officiated by Tibet’s 17th Karmapa in an opulent Bhutan hotel. Dressed in royal red robes, the stars knelt and received blessings from twenty chanting lamas.

3. China: Tractor bucket wedding

According to Xi’an tradition, the bride’s feet shouldn’t touch the ground on the ride home from the wedding. In 2008, a Chinese bride and groom decided the entire ceremony should take place in mid-air -- so they exchanged vows standing in raised tractor buckets.

4. Taiwan: Hello Kitty wedding

The guests of honor at a June 2008 Taiwan wedding were Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. The mascots handed out lollies to the guests, who paused to admire a photo of the newlyweds surrounded by character balloons. Hello Kitty matrimonies aren’t altogether uncommon. Sanrio’s Japanese theme park offers wedding packages and its website sells cake-top memorial figures for ￥75,600.

5. India: Shilpa Shetty's glittering wedding

While Shilpa Shetty may not have gotten hitched in the bucket of a tractor, had a Hello Kitty themed ceremony, or a giant Gundam robot watch over the proceedings, Shetty's marriage to Raj Kundra this Sunday at Bawa Villa Resort just outside of Mumbai was a lavish event.