Feb 14, 2021

"I proposed to myself and I said YES"

Queen Susanna

Linguist, Happy homemaker, Other things

Singapore/Seoul/Los Angeles

How did you decide to have a wedding for yourself?

I proposed to myself and I said yes.

How did you plan the wedding?

I was with my friend Rakel when I proposed to myself. She volunteered to be my maid of honor and she did almost everything from putting together the guest list, making invitations, finding the right venue, getting decorations and baking the cake. Her band is also called Dream Wife so we had the perfect wedding band.

What was the actual wedding like?

It was amazing. Two of my close friends who are a married couple walked me down the aisle. It was really funny because some of my other friends knew they weren’t my actual parents but somehow felt the need to impress them. I had a great wedding band and also a friend who is a comedian based in Iceland flew in to entertain all of us. A number of people actually traveled to London just for my wedding, which was cool.

How did you feel on your wedding day?

I was really nervous at first. People kept texting me before the wedding asking questions and I was also worried about my guests having a good time. A lot of them didn’t know each other and some people came alone so I wanted to be a good host and make sure no one felt awkward. I had a small group of friends who helped out on the wedding day. They told me to go to the pub next door and focus on writing my vows while they took care of everything. They reminded me that wedding guests always have to awkwardly mingle with strangers anyway so I didn’t have to worry too much.

What was your first dance?

SOLO by Jennie.

How has life been after the wedding?

So much has happened since. I’d just finished my postgraduate studies at the time and had to leave the UK. My wedding was sort of like a farewell party for me as well and a way to celebrate the beginning of a new stage in life. I tried to move to Los Angeles and the pandemic happened and it became really difficult for a couple of months. Then I suddenly had the opportunity to move to Seoul, which was one of the most random and wonderful things that ever happened to me. And now I’m in Singapore, finally getting to spend some time with my parents after not being able to see them for a long time. I don’t think 2020 was a particularly great year for anyone and it wasn’t easy for me either but being married to myself definitely made things a lot easier. If I’d been married to someone else, I probably wouldn’t have been able to pack my things and move that quickly. I’m glad I did what I did.

Does marrying yourself mean you’ll never marry another person?

Never say never. I’m open to the idea. My taste has gotten really specific these days though so it’s very unlikely that I would meet someone that I like. Feel free to send me options if you have someone in mind.

Where would you want your next wedding to be and why?

Seoul. I think it’s what the majority of my wedding guests would want. I also have a friend there whose family is in the wedding hall business. They rent out spaces specifically for wedding ceremonies and banquets. I took the photos in the white wedding dress and traditional dress at the wedding hall. I think it would be fun to have my wedding there.

Are there any special guests you’d like to invite to your next wedding?

All seven members of BTS. I would love them as the wedding band, especially if I have the wedding in South Korea. I would also marry one of them in a heartbeat. I mean they could also just come as wedding guests and eat free food and bounce. It would mean a lot to me if they just showed up.