Love did not come with a partner for this Italian woman, so she chose to celebrate it on her own terms. Laura Mesi, a fitness trainer, married herself eight years ago in a lavish ceremony attended by 70 guests. The event was complete with a wedding dress, bridesmaids and a three-tier cake.
“I firmly believe that each of us must first of all love ourselves,” Mesi told Italian newspaper La Repubblica in 2017. “You can have a fairytale even without the prince.” She is once again going viral on Instagram.
“I Would Marry Myself”
Mesi explained that the idea came after a 12-year relationship ended. “I told friends and family that if I had not found my soul-mate by my 40th birthday, I would marry myself,” she told the newspaper. She added, “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.”
She brushed aside criticism. “Nothing and no one can turn off my smile,” she said. In media interviews, she admitted that self-marriage might not be for everyone, saying that to marry yourself, you needed resources, support from those around you and, above all, “a pinch of madness.”
How Did The Internet React
A social media user commented, “Genuine question. What’s the difference between this and unmarried?”
Another joked, “She wins every argument.”
“When she gets divorced, who gets the house?” a comment read.
“I see my future and it’s bright,” read another comment.
A user said, “And when she meets someone, would that be cheating on herself?”
Someone shared, “At 51, I decided I would never meet the man of my dreams, after being single most of my life and never married. So I married myself last year. I had two bridesmaids, and I bought myself a beautiful ring. Two months later, I met the man of my dreams, and now I call him my husband.”
“I think I am also gonna end like this,” read a comment.
The Trend Of Sologamy
The ceremony, while not legally binding, is known as sologamy, where individuals stage weddings to affirm self-love and independence. Sologamy is the act of marrying oneself in a ceremony that mirrors a traditional wedding.
Mesi’s event, called Sposa Single (“single spouse”), was believed to be the first of its kind in Italy at the time.
The trend has gained popularity in several countries. In Japan, agencies offer self-wedding packages for single women; in the US, companies like I Married Me sell self-wedding kits; and in Canada, services such as Marry Yourself Vancouver organise ceremonies for those who wish to celebrate solo.
