'Can I kiss myself?' - Kiwi officiates as sologamist marries herself on Aussie beach

November 30, 2017

An Australasian celebrant has launched a service for people who to marry themselves.

A New Zealand celebrant in Australia who has launched a service for people who want to marry themselves says about half the women who've been through the ceremony are Kiwis.

Self-marriage is called sologamy - the promise to put yourself and your needs first.

Emma Jane Love, or EJ, is a Kiwi celebrant on the Gold Coast who specialises in self-marriage.

EJ, who has also married herself, has presided over at least 100 sologamy ceremonies this year for both men and women.

"Probably about 50 per cent of the women that have done this ceremony are Kiwis. There's so many of us here in Australia. My first ever client, she is a New Zealander as well," she said.

Michaela Adley married herself on a beach, surrounded by a group of friends.

"You don't need someone to tell you that you deserve love, or that you're worthy of it. You know in heart that you are," Michaela told herself in a mirror.

She put a ring on her own finger and asked: "Can I kiss myself? Mmwah!"

Before she met celebrant EJ, Michaela, now a yoga teacher didn't always like who she saw in the mirror.

"I grew up very disconnected from myself, very self-loathing. I used to weigh like 100kg. I numbed myself out a lot," she said.

EJ, a former sex worker, says there are many misconceptions around sologamy, including that you must be celibate and alone.

"Absolutely not. For me personally, and a lot of my clients, it's choosing yes, you are still going to have sex, you're not cheating on yourself or anything like that. 

"Many of my clients do have partners.  And maybe they've been in past relationships, myself included where I've given my power away and experienced abuse and went through this journey of healing. 

"Now I'm in a place where I can be with another person but not lose myself."

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