Woman spends £8,700 to marry herself in growing 'sologamy' trend

An Italian woman has become the first in her country to marry herself as part of a new self-love trend that is taking over the Western world.

In a full-on £8,700 wedding ceremony that featured the usual white dress, three-layer wedding cake, bridesmaids and 70 guests, Laura Mesi said ‘yes’ to the most important person in her life: herself.

The 40-year-old fitness trainer came up with the idea of a solo wedding two years ago after a long-term relationship came to an end.

“I told friends and family that if I had not found my soulmate by my 40th birthday I would marry myself,” she told La Repubblica. “I firmly believe that each of us must first of all love ourselves. You can have a fairytale even without the prince.”

As the ceremony isn’t legally binding, Laura hasn’t ruled out getting hitched in a ‘proper’ wedding ceremony.

“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 said.

The practice of marrying yourself has been named ‘sologamy’ around the world. Solo brides and grooms say it’s about self-love and acceptance and saying no to the traditional ways of the world.

Laura is far from the first person to engage in the practice. Reports of people marrying themselves go as far back as 1993.

In May last year, 37-year-old British woman Sophie Tanner wed herself after 20 years of being unsuccessful in the love department. She went the whole hog, enlisting ten of her friends to be bridesmaids and even asking her father to give her away.

Telling the Daily Mail she wanted to celebrate being single rather than being ashamed of it, Sophie said the ceremony “was a statement about the fact there is still a stigma around being single especially in your thirties.”

Specific agencies for pro-sologamists have even been set up with one travel agency in Japan offering the full solo wedding package for £2,500. The whole two-day thing includes a wedding gown, bouquet, limo, hotel stay and the obligatory photo album.

Naturally, people who marry themselves are faced with a lot of negativity. Laura has had tons of critical comments on her solo wedding photos but says “nothing and no-one can turn off my smile.”

(Although she did add that marrying yourself requires a certain amount of money, the support of those around you and a “pinch of madness.”)

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