Frustrated Woman Marries Herself After Waiting for 20 Years to Find ‘Perfect Husband’

A frustrated woman who had been trying for the past 20-years to find the perfect husband has ended up making a bizarre choice to marry herself.

Single bride, Singleton Sophie Tanner, 37, from London, found the solution to honouring the wedding vow ’till death do us part’ – by tying the knot with herself, Mirror reports.

Sophie had waited for 20 years searching for Mr Right, but after she couldn’t stand the waiting, the digital consultant decided to take her vows with the only person she knew could make the lifelong commitment – herself.

Knowing fully well that the ceremony wasn’t legally binding, Sophie bought herself a ring and a £40 ivory dress and recited traditional Christian wedding vows that had been specially adapted for the occasion.

Sophie’s father, Malcolm, 68, walked her down the aisle and her best pal, James McGeown, 34, delivered the ceremony dressed in an arch bishop’s costume.

After saying ‘I do’, Sophie’s wedding guests partied on the beach and watched as the newly wed took part in her solo first dance.

Sophie is now celebrating her first wedding anniversary and hopes to inspire other women to celebrate themselves too.

She said: “Marrying myself was never something I had planned but I was single and happy and I wanted to make a commitment to myself and no-one else.

“Self-marriage addresses the notion that being single and thoroughly enjoying it is a viable lifestyle choice.

“Surprisingly my family and friends were all so supportive and my dad couldn’t wait to walk me down the aisle.

“Even though the ceremony wasn’t legally binding, I wanted there to be all of the traditional symbols of marriage so I bought myself a ring and a beautiful vintage wedding dress.

“I adapted the traditional wedding vows and made a commitment to love and treasure myself.

“I asked 15 of my closest friends to be my bridesmaids and we danced in the street afterwards, everyone was in such high spirits.

“People probably think I’m crazy but it doesn’t bother me, I hope I encourage more women to commit to loving themselves.

“My wedding day was one of the best days of my life and if I could do it all over again I would!

“It was my first wedding anniversary on May 16 and to celebrate I spent a quiet night in with the wife.”

After three long-term relationships ended in infidelity, Sophie was fed up of pleasing others and was relieved to finally have her freedom and happiness back, so decided to give herself a break from dating and began to write a book.

She added: “The book was fiction based and the more I started writing, the more I could relate to the main character.

“She was unlucky in love and got so fed up with everyone asking her when she was getting married that she decided to marry herself.

“I wrote to my local registry office and asked if marrying yourself was a possibility, but I got a resounding ‘no’.

“Of course, being told that I couldn’t marry myself made me even more determined to have a big day, why should I miss out on the best day of my life just because I hadn’t found my Mr Right yet?

When Sofie finished her book ‘Happily’, she looked into the idea of self-marriage and decided to give it a go.

She added: “I was single and happy and I wanted to make a commitment to myself and no-one else.

“I sent a Facebook invite to all of my friends and family and planned to the date to coincide with a festival that was happening so I knew people would be in high spirits.

“I asked my closest friends to be bridesmaids and requested they wear the brightest coloured dresses they could find.

“I bought myself a wedding dress for £40 and a ring that I could wear during the day – I wanted to keep as many of the traditional aspects of a wedding as possible.”

Sophie’s father gave her away in traditional style and her best friend, James, delivered the ceremony outside the Unitarian Church in Brighton.

Sophie has since dated a few men who have all found her self-marriage really funny.

Sophie added: “I haven’t given up on love and as my marriage wasn’t legally binding I will be able to marry someone else without committing bigamy.

“When I look back at my wedding photos I remember how just how liberated the whole day made me feel, I was happy and felt strong in my own company.

“My wedding day was the best day of my life and I would do it all over again if I could!”

Photo credit: Caters