77-Year-Old Woman Declares That She Is In Love With Herself & Holds Wedding Ceremony At Her Retirement Home

Taking self-love to a whole new level!

Last updated on Oct 26, 2025

77-Year-Old Woman Married Herself At Retirement Home Kampus Production | Pexels
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We often preach about “self-love,” and one woman has decided to take it to a whole new level. The senior citizen married the love of her life at an unforgettable wedding ceremony at her retirement home. The lucky person standing at the end of the aisle was none other than herself.

Finding the right person to spend your life with isn't always easy, and youth doesn't make it any easier. But what happens when you reach your golden years and realize the person who can truly love you best is yourself? Well, according to one senior citizen, you marry her!

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The 77-year-old woman married herself at a ceremony at her retirement home.

Dorothy “Dottie” Fideli from Goshen, Ohio, has spent a lot of her time reflecting on love and what it means to her. After much consideration and self-realization, she concluded that there was only one person in the world that she loved enough to spend the rest of her life with... herself. 

“I have been with myself for 40 years,” Fideli told KCENNews. “Something just came over me one day in Church, that, you want to do something special for yourself.” 

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The blushing bride was married once before, but the union didn't last.

Fideli, who is a mother of three and a grandmother, was married once before in 1965 in a courthouse wedding ceremony. “We just went to the Justice of the Peace, and I went home and he went to work,” she said. She and her ex-husband divorced nine years later. 

Although Fideli never gave up on love, she looked elsewhere to find it. She eventually discovered it and realized that the love of her life may not be anyone other than herself. “Love is the most important thing in this world,” Fideli said. “And if you love God, and love yourself, this world will be a field of roses.” 

On the night before her big day, Fideli put on her veil and white gown, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hands, admitting that she was a nervous bride-to-be, yet excited about what lay ahead. “This is something new for me!” she said. Her ceremony was all set to be held in the lobby of her retirement home, O’Bannon Terrace.

“I’d never thought I’d look this pretty in a bright thing!” the beaming bride said ahead of the ceremony. “It’s emotional for me. Because this is something I’ve wanted.” 

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The senior bride insisted that you don't need a spouse to find true happiness in life.

Fideli also had a message for those wondering if they’ll ever have the chance to walk down the aisle, whether they’ll be tying the knot with themselves or someone else. “If it’s not in the cards for them, then there’s something out there that will make them happy and find their self in life and fulfill their soul,” she said. 

Xandra Hawes, LPC with Soul Essence Psychotherapy, stressed that "love is a verb." That means to practice self-love, according to the expert, "you have to act." She went on to say, “It’s a way of being and moving through the world and offering kindness and forgiveness to yourself.” That's something Fideli clearly learned and is embracing with her nuptials.

Self-love is essential for our overall happiness and well-being. Even if it means we have to marry ourselves, it is one of the most important and healthy relationships we have! 

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Megan Quinn is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.

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