A woman who ‘married’ herself in a commitment ceremony attended by friends and family divided viewers when she appeared on This Morning.
Meg Taylor Morrison, 35, a life and business coach from Atlanta, Georgia, explained she ‘married’ herself as a symbol of ‘self-love’ after splitting from her fiancé four months before their planned October 2020 wedding.
She decided to keep parts of the ceremony in place – only she said her vows in a mirror and kissed her reflection instead of wedding someone else.
The story divided opinion, with some viewers praising her resilience while others branding it an ‘attention seeking’ stunt.
Meg (pictured) who has a Pinterest board filled with wedding plans, decided to get married because she had always dreamed of tying the knot on Halloween in 2020
Meg Taylor Morrison, 35, (pictured) from Atlanta, divided viewers of ITV’s This Morning as she explained her decision to marry herself
The ceremony was attended by ten of Meg’s closest friends and family in an Airbnb in Boulder, Colorado, with all guests adhering to strict COVID-19 guidelines.
She revealed a wedding during the pandemic had been on her mind for awhile, saying: ‘I had heard of self-marriages before and I always dreamed of getting married on Halloween 2020. I thought why not marry myself, it could be really fun.
‘I had my Pinterest board like so many young women do and I just decided to make it a reality. Turning into a commitment to self-love and take care of myself.
‘Put myself first, because I think any good relationship whether it’s with ourselves or with other people really begins by having appreciation for ourselves.’
Like most brides-to-be, Meg meticulously planned her special day for months, ordering a custom-made wedding cake and choosing the perfect dress and of course. She even had a sparkling diamond ring.
However she admitted her mother was not entirely sold on the idea.
‘She was a little bit nervous that it might be seen as egotistical or that people might take it the wrong way, but we had a great conversation about it,’ Meg explained.
Meg (pictured) said that she and her partner of three and a half years decided to separate after discussing their future
Twitter users were divided as some praised the idea, however others accused Meg of attention seeking and made jokes
‘In the end I said “this is really my chance to put down people pleasing and to trust myself and what I want”. What I see the difference could make for me and even for other people who attend the wedding.
‘And who knows for some people watching this show. Once she got the idea of what it was and the meaning behind it, she really came around and she’s my biggest supporter anyway.’
The 35-year-old explained the ‘biggest gift’ that she gave herself during the wedding was surrendering control of how the ceremony would go. She said lots of things didn’t go as planned but she was able to relax and have a wonderful day.
Meg added: ‘I put the ring on my own finger. It was a ring my mom purchased for me when she found out I was looking for a ring.
Meg (pictured) said the vows have helped her to ‘release perfectionism’ and wearing a band reminds her to enjoy life
Meg told Philip and Holly (pictured) that she will go somewhere special for a honeymoon after the pandemic
‘It was a great time for me to share one – that my mom had picked it out and sometimes self love means letting others take care of you.
‘It’s not that you have to do it on your own or by yourself, it can be a true community experience.
‘So I put it on my own finger, I said my vows to myself and then I gave myself a big smooch in the mirror.’
Despite the commitment, Meg said she’s still open to marrying someone else and has positioned herself to be better prepared for her next relationship.
She continued: ‘I didn’t expect that vow that I said to myself to release perfectionism and have such a major impact on me but it’s something that I think about often.
‘I now better understand the purpose of a wedding band because it’s a token, it’s a symbol to a commitment that you’ve made and just by looking at my ring everyday it really helps to remind me to put down perfectionism.
‘To breathe and enjoy things as they come. It’s just made life more peaceful and lovely.’
Meg revealed she hasn’t been on her honeymoon yet because of the pandemic, adding: ‘I’m hoping to take myself somewhere special after this is over.’