When we think of marriage, we usually picture two people, a man and a woman, in front of the altar to pledge a lifetime of love in front of God and their fellow faithful.
A new trend, however, is seeing people marry the most unlikely person: themselves.
This practice of marrying oneself, known as sologamy, has been described by Charisma News as "the next frontier of marriage" and is reportedly becoming more popular among women.
According to a website offering sologamy ceremonies, self-marriage "is a commitment to valuing and prioritizing self-love and self-care within a culture that has neglected it, left it behind, commercialized and dehumanized it."
"Self-Marriage is a commitment to being there for yourself, to choosing the livelihood and lifestyle that will help you grow and blossom into the most alive, beautiful, and deeply happy person you can be. Self-Marriage is a way to formalize, proclaim, share, and sanctify self-love. It can be honored as a concept in itself, through a physical ceremony, and regularly through one-on-one sessions to help grow and build this marriage," the website stated.
Kindergarten teacher Yasmin Eleby, for instance, invited her friends and family to the Houston Museum of African American Culture in Houston, Texas earlier this year to witness her marry herself. Her elder sister, a nice and a friend served as the "ministers" in the ceremony.
During the ceremony, Eleby delivered vows for herself, which centred on love for oneself.
"The advice and speeches given during my vows weren't just for me," she told ABC News.
"Everyone there started reflecting on their life on how you have to forgive yourself for the past and know you are a worthy human being worthy of love. You first have to love yourself. The more love you have yourself, the more you can love others," Eleby said.
