Here comes the ... Japanese robot in a wedding dress

The Japanese sure seem to love combining robots and wedding planning.

Earlier this year, reports emerged about Little Island's Wedding Robot - a miniature robotic doll that could be made to look like the bride and placed at the entrance of the reception to greet guests.

Now, fashion designer Yumi Katsura has used a "cybernetic human" (aka life-size robot) to model her latest range of wedding gowns in Osaka.

Observers said that the HRP-4C humanoid bot, Miim, walked the catwalk like a pro, even casting sidelong glances at the audience like a real model. Later, the 5-foot, 2-inch bride/machine posed for photos next to the designer.

According to CNET, this is the first time ever that robot modeled wedding dresses at a fashion show (really? We never would have guessed) and demonstrates the "playful" approach that the Japanese take towards robot development.

Perhaps this sense of humor is best illustrated by the words of Miim's developer, Kazuhito Yokoi, who said after the show that "like the father of the bride, I feel both happy and sad," according to UK newspaper the Sun.