Taiwan court fines pregnant runaway bride NT$250,000

A Taiwanese court has ordered a runaway bride to pay NT$250,000 (US$8,620) in emotional damage to her groom-to-have-been for not showing up at their wedding, local media reported Friday.

The woman, who was five-months pregnant at the time, failed to show up at the wedding ceremony in November after she and her intended had fought over the number of guests to be invited, said the TVBS cable news channel.

The deeply embarrassed groom decided on a whim to ask the maid of honor to stand in the bride's place to fake a wedding, but ended up falling in love with the understudy and later married her for real, the report said.

The groom, who lives in southern Kaohsiung, was victorious in court after he was awarded NT$250,000 in a final verdict, although he had sought NT$1m in compensation.

The runaway bride gave birth to her baby earlier this year, which she is raising alone, the report said.

(Published by China Post - August 7, 2011)