An American woman decided to marry herself after breaking up with her boyfriend and spent over £1,000 on the big day itself, in what she calls an act of 'self-love'.
Life and business coach Meg Taylor Morrison, from Atlanta, Georgia, had always wanted to get married on Halloween 2020, but it was clear time was running out when she went through an amicable break-up just four months before that, in June of last year.
Undeterred, Meg opted to go ahead with the Halloween wedding anyway, after hearing about other people conducting similar self-marriage ceremonies.
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She meticulously planned her big day months in advance, ordering a custom-made wedding cake, choosing the perfect dress and of course, picking out a glistening diamond ring.
That said, it wasn't straightforward, with worries about what her friends and family might think and whether she might come across as egotistical.
She said she asked herself: "Was it selfish to have an entire non-birthday celebration dedicated to just me? Could I get myself a ring? Would people think I was compensating for not being married?"
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However, the primary reason for marrying herself was to move away from trying to please other people, and instead to focus on putting herself first.
She added: "Part of marrying myself was about going beyond people pleasing or trying to look a certain way. It was about saying yes to my own desires."
Ultimately when it came to it, the ceremony was a lovely affair attended by ten of Morrison's closest friends and family in an Airbnb in Boulder, Colorado, with all guests adhering to strict Covid-19 guidelines.
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Meg explained: "For the wedding day itself, I got my hair done and bought a fancy cake that I'd always wanted, my dress, beautiful Swarovski earrings and my wedding ring.
"It all cost about one thousand pounds overall."
The bride walked down the aisle to a version of 'Here Comes the Bride' played on kazoos by her flower girls while her guests blew bubbles and drank champagne. She then read out her self-written vows, accepted her own wedding ring, and kissed herself in the mirror.
The reception then followed of course, with each of Meg's friends and family feeding her wedding cake, followed by dancing and ordering Thai food.
"I wanted to marry myself as an act of self-love," Meg said.
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"I'd heard about self-marriage ceremonies before and I thought, 'I don't need someone else to have this wedding.'"
She added: "My mum, who is my biggest supporter, was uncomfortable with it at first.
"She thought it might be seen as ego-centric and wanted me to be careful of how it came across to others.
"I told her that if others get triggered by it, it's okay.
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Having done it, though, Meg would recommend self-marriage to anyone and says that one of the biggest misconceptions is that you have to be single or recently heartbroken to get married to yourself. For her, it is an outward expression of self-love and a commitment to take care of herself.
"I wear my ring every day and it reminds me to listen to my intuition and make decisions that align with my values," she said.
"It also acts as a reminder that loving myself first is the basis for healthy relationships with others, whether it's my next romantic partner or my relationships with my family members."
Featured Image Credit: Media Drum World/Geof Krum