Me, Myself, and I Do: 77-Year-Old Ohio Woman Marries Herself [Video]

In a Nutshell:

• Dorothy “Dottie” Fideli, a 77-year-old Ohio woman, celebrated her self-love by marrying herself in a unique ceremony at her retirement community, O’Bannon Terrace in Goshen.
• Previously married and divorced, Fideli believed it might be too late for her dream wedding until she decided to do something special for herself, inspired by a similar act she saw on a talk show.
• With the help of her daughter, who assisted in finding a dress, preparing food, and decorating the venue, Fideli successfully held the self-marriage ceremony, expressing her contentment and happiness at having the wedding she always wanted.

In a unique expression of self-love, Ohio resident Dorothy “Dottie” Fideli decided to marry herself.

The 77-year-old, who lives at O’Bannon Terrace retirement community in Goshen, hosted an unconventional wedding ceremony, honoring her journey with herself.

Fideli shared her anticipation with NBC affiliate KCEN, stating, “This is something new for me.”

She continued, “It’s emotional for me because this is something I’ve always wanted.”

In 1965, Fideli was briefly married in a courthouse ceremony, but the union ended in divorce after nine years.

Reflecting on that experience, she revealed, “I wore a black dress, so I was doomed before I got started.”

For a long time, Fideli thought she might never have the dream wedding she’d envisioned. However, one day in church, she realized she yearned to celebrate herself in a significant way.

“I have been with myself for 40 years,” she declared, and in those moments, it dawned on her that she wanted to “do something special” for herself.

A neighbor provided Fideli with the inspiration for her self-marriage after seeing a similar act on a talk show.

Fideli, thrilled at the idea, said, “Now I have a second chance in doing something that’ll make me happy.”

The ceremony not only marked a new beginning for Fideli but also signified a shift in her life focus.

She shared her newfound perspective with Today, emphasizing, “It’s my turn to do what I want to do. It’s about me now.”

Her daughter, Donna Pennington, took it upon herself to make her mother’s dream come true. Pennington assisted Fideli in finding the perfect dress, prepared the food for the celebration, and decorated the community room of the retirement home.

In a heartwarming conversation with Today, Fideli expressed her deepest gratitude to her daughter.

“I told my daughter, I said, ‘This is the best thing that I’ve ever had, outside of having you kids.’

“This is what I’ve always wanted and I’m so happy that you (gave) it to me.”

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