Why one woman decided to defy the wedding craze by marrying... herself

What started as a ladies-only dinners or 'Goddess parties' turned into a celebration of women's independence and commitment to oneself. 

A decade ago, seven women—all friends—got together for a picnic, dressed up in vintage wedding gowns. One thing led to another, and by the end of the day, all seven of them were married—each woman to herself. The bohemian beach-side ceremony represented independence and liberation while lightly poking fun at the idea of the traditional wedding.

Marry Yourself Vancouver co-founder Alexandra Gill said that the ceremony started off as an excuse to throw a good party and dress up, but ended up teaching all women something very important about commitment to oneself. 

"It is about honouring yourself and being an independent woman, having the ability to choose to be single," Alexandra said. 

Today, the friends are celebrating their ten-year wedding anniversary and renewing their vows.