At 77, Woman Fulfills Her Dream & Shows Extreme Self-Love By Marrying Herself

May 30, 2023

It is quite unusual to hear stories of people getting married to themselves. However, the rarity of such occurrences doesn’t mean it hasn’t ever happened. One such occurrence that comes to mind is that of Erin Molan, 38, an Australian television sports presenter who married herself in March 2023. Molan, who shares a 4-year-old daughter with her ex-fiancé Sean Ogilvy, shared details of her experience in an Instagram post she made on March 28, 2023. 

Molan revealed that the concept of marrying herself came last year because many of her radio listeners were single mums, unmarried, unlucky in love, or unhappy in their relationships. Hence, she felt that people should marry themselves instead of waiting for the right partner. Despite facing doubts and being scared of going on with her plan, Molan found the courage she needed from her daughter, who eventually walked her down the aisle. Molan’s wedding was a ball, and she appreciated everyone who helped her achieve her dreams.

Molan’s decision to wed herself caught many people’s attention and inspired a much older woman to do the same. A 77-year-old woman from Ohio, Dorothy “Dottie” Fideli, married herself on May 13, 2023, at her senior living home. Fideli’s unusual wedding fulfilled a lifelong dream and came after she experienced divorce years earlier. Following the divorce, the mother of three learned to love herself and got inspired to marry herself after her neighbors heard Molan’s story and suggested it to her. 

Continue reading to find out more about Fideli’s inspiring self-love story and all the details of her unusual wedding ceremony. 

A 77-year-old mother of three, Dorothy “Dottie” Fideli, walked down the aisle to marry the love of her life — herself. On May 13, Fideli tied the knot with herself at O’Bannon Terrace Retirement Home in Goshen, Ohio. In a chat with WLWT, Fideli revealed that she had always wanted to get married and have a happy life. However, that didn’t happen, as her first marriage in 1965 ended in divorce after nine years. 

Since her divorce, Fideli hasn’t been in love with another man. As she aged, she became worried that she might never get the chance to have her dream wedding. However, Fideli soon realized that she loved no one more than she loved herself. Fideli’s neighbors found out about Erin Molan’s story and suggested the idea of marrying one’s self to her. The septuagenarian thought it would be a good idea to do as Molan did and felt such an action would inspire the retirement home’s residents. 

Fideli decided to go on with the idea of marrying herself and went ahead to plan her special day. She told the retirement home’s manager, Rob Geiger, about it and asked him to officiate her wedding. Geiger agreed with the plan as he saw Fideli as an incredible woman. Besides Geiger, Fideli’s daughter Donna Pennington also helped her with the wedding plans. The proud mom told Today of her daughter’s assistance: 

“She goes, ‘Oh, Mom, yeah, let’s go do it. I’ll go get your dress, I’ll get you everything.”

Fideli looked radiant on her wedding day as she donned a white dress with long sheer sleeves. Her outfit featured floral detailing, a silver belt, and an embellished veil. The beautiful bride held white lilies, which signified self-love, and looked radiant and happy as she said her wedding vows. 

Did Dorothy Fideli inspire you with her decision to marry herself? Did it make you appreciate yourself even more? What do you think about marrying one’s self? Let us know — and don’t forget to pass this on to friends and family.