An Italian woman on Monday tied the knot with herself in a lavish ceremony complete with white dress, three-layer wedding cake, bridesmaids and 70 guests.
According to the couple, identified as a 40-year-old fitness trainer, Laura Mesi, she did it to show to others to love themselves..
She said;
“I firmly believe that each of us must first of all love ourselves,”
“You can have a fairytale even without the prince.”
The ceremony carries no legal weight.
But Ms Mesi is part of a growing trend for self-marriage – dubbed “sologamy” – in countries around the world.
Proponents of such ceremonies say it is about self-love and acceptance, and claiming the social affirmation normally reserved for couples who wed.
Laura says the idea of a solo wedding came to her two years ago, after a 12-year relationship ended.
She told La Repubblica newspaper;
“I told friends and family that if I had not found my soul-mate by my 40th birthday I would marry myself,”
“If one day I find a man with whom I can plan a future I’ll be happy, but my happiness does not depend on him.”
Ms Mesi says she is the first Italian woman to hold a solo ceremony. In May, a man, Nello Ruggiero, said “yes” to himself in a ceremony in Naples.