Woman who looked into a mirror while marrying herself explains why

We’ve all seen the “nobody loves Kanye West like Kanye loves Kanye” memes but one Australian woman took self love to a whole new level while wedding planning.

During an intimate beach ceremony on Valentine’s Day 2017, in front of three of her closest friends, Linda Doktar said her ‘I do’s’ to herself.

In a recent interview the life coach explains why she decided to have a self-marriage ceremony.

“I thought this was a beautiful concept to symbolise my journey into loving and honouring myself on a deeper level,” she told the Sun. “I believe that the most important relationship I will ever have is with myself.”

The 34-year-old from Australia’s Gold Coast opted to marry herself after going through a particularly painful breakup.

Looking into a handheld mirror, Doktar recited her vows. After living a life of self loathing in the past, she admits the ceremony assisted her on a journey of spiritual transformation.

Sharing a second image from the occasion, Doktar is pictured in her wedding attire with a bouquet of brightly-coloured flowers, standing across from her friend.

Inspired by Emmajane Love’s ‘healing’ nuptials, the 34-year-old planned a similar ceremony after going through a bad breakup.

“I know and understand that the quality of the relationship we have with ourselves determines the quality of experiences we have with others,” she said.

Doktar’s friend, Love, is a former sex worker who made headlines last year after hosting her own self-marriage ceremony. With a history of abusive relationships, she became a relationship counsellor and decided to marry herself to prove her commitment to self love.

Since her ceremony last year, Love has performed more than 100 weddings for men and women.

While marrying yourself may seem strange, the counsellor explained on her Facebook page that the ceremony does not symbolise the end of all future romantic relationships.

“Please know that this ceremony is not done instead of being with someone or because the person doesn’t want to be with someone in the future,” she wrote. “It’s done to honour the healing journey once they have come to a deep place of self-love and they commit to that self-love forever through this ceremony. Many of the women I work with have been in toxic and co-dependent relationships and even experienced abuse. What I teach them is how to stop looking outside of themselves for love and how to then attract relationships from a healthy place.”

While solygamy – the act of marrying yourself – isn’t legally recognised in the UK, you can commit to a life of self love and respect without all of the paperwork. In Australia, solygamy is viewed as a symbolic occasion.

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