Taiwan woman 'marries' herself

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TAIPEI: A Taiwanese woman said Sunday she had "married" herself by throwing a wedding banquet.

The 30-year-old Chen Wei-yi, who has been an Internet sensation since announcing her "wedding" plans last month, held the ceremony in a Taipei hotel Saturday witnessed by 30 relatives and friends.

"Marrying myself is a way of showing that I am confident and upbeat and that I accept myself for who I am," said Chen, who is an office worker.

"We must love ourselves before we can love others. I must marry myself before marrying the special someone," she said.

Chen's supporters have hailed the move as "creative," with some suggesting a group wedding for those who wanted to "marry" themselves, according to her Facebook page.

Taiwanese authorities have said that many women now choose to marry at an older age or to stay single, which is seen as a major factor causing the island's birth rates to dwindle to one of the world's lowest.

A record low 117,000 Taiwanese couples tied the knot in 2009, down nearly a quarter on the previous year, according to government figures.