Sources close to the couple say Katy was blindsided by Brand when he filed for divorce just before New Year, with the comedian’s decision to file legal papers to end the marriage coming as a shock to the US singer. The fact that Katy Perry was seen still wearing her wedding ring will send a clear message to her husband of just over a year that she won’t give into his demands for a divorce without a fight.

British funnyman, Russell Brand, was in LA last week to attend the Golden Globes Awards. The actor was seen visiting a restaurant alone and the former couple reportedly planned to meet up during his visit to finalise details of the divorce. Russell is reportedly renting a bachelor pad a mile from the martial home while he’s in town.

The couple married in a traditional Hindu ceremony in India in October 2010, just over a year after they first met. Russell, who was previously known as a confirmed ladies man, fell for the pop star after they met at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2009, with the comedian popping the question just three months later.

If the project gets the green light, then a purpose built banqueting hall with room to accommodate over 100 guests will be created on the site previously occupied by industrial companies. The developers predict that the building would be especially sought after for wedding venue hire amongst the Asian community living in the Preston and surrounding area.

The latest application being put forward to planners is the second attempt by developers to get permission for the new wedding venue and banqueting hall. The first application was turned down over perceived problems which could arise over parking at the new facility, and also issues over the quality of the development.

The architects working on the wedding hall proposal argue that the venue would help regenerate the area, benefiting the local community both socially and economically.

As well as offering a purpose built venue in which to host Asian wedding celebration, if the venue gets the go-ahead it will also offer conferencing facilities and be made available for hire for community events for groups from all backgrounds and beliefs. The building would be constructed on acre of disused industrial land in Deepdale, Preston.

The Bollywood power couple have been dating since 2007, with the actor and producer speaking publically about his relationship with the actress in 2009, admitting that marriage was definitely on the cards. However it’s taken another two years for the duo to find a window in their busy diaries in which to finally tie the knot.

However they haven’t completely abandoned their film commitments, in fact the groom-to-be revealed that he and his bride won’t walk down the aisle until their latest film is released, Agent Vinod. The movie was produced by Saif and stars Kareena and had been due for release in December, although the date has now been moved to January, with the loved up couple planning to wed just after the premiere.

In an interview this week, the 41-year-old added that although they are planning to marry after the release of Agent Vinod, if the date is pushed back again, they won’t be postponing their wedding until any later than March 2012.

When the pair finally exchange their vows, it will be the first marriage for 31-year-old Kareena, although Saif was previously married to actress Amrita Singh for 13 years with whom he shares two daughters, however the marriage ended in divorce in 2004.

According to David’s Bridal, some 57,000 brides and grooms will make their way down the aisle this Friday, hoping to make the most of this memorable date which many believe is very good luck.

In Gretna Green the couples are also queuing up to marry on this special day, with more than 50 weddings planned for Friday November 11^th which is more than five times the number of weddings the small town on the Scottish boarders usually conducts on a typical Friday in November.

In India the number of weddings scheduled for the 11-11-11 is believed to be higher than any other country as the date is regarded as auspicious by Asian couples. For other engaged couples, the decision to wed on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the eleventh year is purely practical as some brides believe their husbands won’t have any excuse for forgetting such a memorable date when their anniversary comes around each year.

For particularly pedantic brides and grooms, getting married on the 11-11-11 isn’t special enough, with some even arranging for their wedding to take place at 11:11am so they can squeeze yet another 11 figure into their big day.

The number 11 is believed to signify rebirth and a new beginning, meaning the 11-11-11 lends itself perfectly to being a very lucky day on which to start married life.

Th lavish wedding will take place at Mumbai’s Turf Club

The pre-wedding celebrations for one of the biggest Indian weddings this year are well underway in Mumbai. The marriage of the eldest daughter of one of India’s most prominent industrialists, Champalal Vardnan, is due to take place on Friday 21^st, although the party has got into full swing ahead of the nuptials.

Vardnan’s daughter, Neelam, is due to marry Tushar Parekh. The match is an arranged marriage and Neelma’s father is said to be very happy with Tushar as he believes he will make a great son-in-law.

10 separate events have been planned to celebrate the union. A number of parties have been organised in the run-up to the big day including some unusual events like a bingo night and a DJ evening, as well as the more traditional occasions like a formal sangeet and mehendi.

The bingo night has already taken place and was a hit with the many guests as the prizes which were on offer were extremely extravagant. Those who were lucky enough to get a “full house” on the night received prizes in the form of state of the art mobile phones, luxury holidays, and even sports cars.

The wedding itself is being held at the Turf Club on Friday and is expected to be a huge occasion with somewhere in the region of 5,000 guests scheduled to attend.

A suspected case of food poisoning has been reported at a wedding banquet in North India

It’s been reported that in the region of 100 people in North of India have been hospitalised with suspected food poisoning after attending a wedding banquet in the village of Bhojpur.

The occasion was held in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India’s northern district of Bijnor. The guests at the wedding were said to have contracted symptoms commonly associated with food poisoning after eating at the wedding celebrations.

100 people have been admitted to a local hospital for medical treatment, 12 of whom are said to be in a critical state.

A team of health and safety officials have descended upon the establishment in question, which has not been named, to carry out a thorough investigation. Food which was served during the wedding banquet has been taken away for testing to try and determine the source of the poisoning. The chief medical officer for the state has been drafted in to investigate the situation.

In the past establishments have been hit with hefty fines when an incident of food poisoning has been traced back to their catering.

It’s been suggested that catering for Indian weddings in the heat of summer can be a risky task as food spoils very quickly due to the soaring temperatures. Plus the added danger of flies infecting food during this time also poses another health food risk meaning catering staff must be extra vigilant to prevent incidents of food poisoning at Indian weddings.

Cricket star Ojha married in his home state of Orissa

Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha tied the knot yesterday with fiancée Karabee Baral. The sports star’s family announced the news of the nuptials on Saturday before the wedding ceremony took place.

The couple met a year ago at an event in Hyderabad. Ojha’s bride is a micro-biology post graduate and both of her parents are professors teaching at the University of Hyderabad. The marriage received the blessing from both sides of the family.

The wedding took place in Ojha’s home state of Orissa, with the lavish ceremony being held at the Hotel Mayfair Lagoon Bhubaneswar. It is not known if any of Ojha’s team mates were present at the marriage. The couple had a wedding in-keeping with odiya traditions and rituals.

Earlier in the day the groom took part in a number of rituals in preparation for the wedding. It has been reported that the cricketer bathed in turmeric mixed water, and placed putty vermilion and sandal paste on his forehead.

The bride and groom chose the most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar to wed. It has been estimated that some 40,000 Hindu weddings took place in Mumbai alone on Sunday as the lucky date of Akshaya Tritya is believed to be a blessed day for couples to marry.

Rocky S was one of the designers who graced the London catwalk

The first ever Indian Premier London Fashion week took place in the capital between May7th-12^th with many top name Asian designers having the opportunity to showcase their collections on a global stage.

Bloomsbury Ballroom played host to the event which was organised by Idea Weavers and saw some 18 different catwalk show take to the runway. The catwalks were streaming with vibrant colours, intricate embroidery and detailing as the models hit the runway at the IPLFW.

Many of the collections were a celebration of East meets West design with the Indian fashion designers choosing to mix traditional elements from their culture, with cutting edge modern shapes and styles creating a stunning hybrid fashion.

Indian designers who were chosen to appear included RNA who showcased some futuristic designs in the collection, Rocky S which played up the sumptuous element of Indian clothing in its show, and Arjun Agarwal who incorporated musical symbols in his collection.

With the Indian wedding season on the horizon, the show provided an opportunity for British Asians to gain inspiration for outfits to attend upcoming marriages.

The IPLFW will return this autumn however it is hoped this taster session will have enabled some Indian designers to gain a foothold in the market in the West as a number of buyers from big name retailers were present at the show.

Rush on wedding halls ahead of Akshaya Tritya

Many wedding hall owners are reporting a surge in enquiries for bookings on Sunday as the auspicious date in the Hindu calendar, Akshaya Tritya, falls this year on May 16^th.

Thousands of Hindu weddings are scheduled to take place on this date as traditionally it brings good luck and success, the main reason why so many couples are scrambling to tie the knot on this lucky day.

Several wedding hall owners have had to turn couples away, with many saying they were booked over a year in advance for the auspicious Hindu date. Because of the huge demand for weddings on this day, some owners are considering putting up their rates for Akshaya Tritya in 2011 in order to make the most out of this lucrative period in the Hindu wedding season.

Jewellery retailers are also hopeful Akshaya Tritya will spell good news for them. Because of the sky-high prices of gold we are currently experiencing, some jewellery retailers are reporting that their sales have halved when compared to last year. Many have their finger crossed for a last-minute rush on wedding jewellery ahead of the auspicious Hindu date as there won’t be another sacred date until November, hence the rush to wed this May.

A mass Sikh wedding was held to enable 21 couples from poor backgrounds to marry

For 21 Sikh couples it was the day that they had always dreamed of, but never thought possible. Thanks to the Prabhandak committee, Gurudwara Saheb Barambala, Sikh Chawniat, Kishanbagh, Hyderabad, the couples were able to celebrate their union in style.

The mass marriage ceremony, or Samuhik Vivaha, was organised to allow the poorest Sikh couples living in Andhra Pradesh to have a wedding day with all of the trappings of a lavish Sikh ceremony, without it costing them a penny. The cost of a traditional Sikh marriage ceremony is simply beyond many couples which is why the mass wedding was held.

The day started with a colourful Baraat, which saw all of the bridegrooms arrive on horseback marking the beginning of proceedings. At 11am the brides joined their husbands-to-be for the marriage service known as Sagai. Later at 7pm Lawn Phere, or the solemnising of the marriage, took place.

The occasion was made extra special with the presence of several government officials, plus some 25,000 people travelled from different parts of India to come and bless the 21 newlyweds.

In order to help the new husbands and wives as they embark on married life, the Minorities Welfare Department gifted each couple with Rs 15,000 worth of household articles.

All 21 Sikh couples extended their sincere thanks to everyone who made their special day possible.