An Italian woman has married herself in a ceremony complete with white dress, three-layer wedding cake, bridesmaids and 70 guests.

"I firmly believe that each of us must first of all love ourselves," said Laura Mesi, a 40-year-old fitness trainer. "You can have a fairytale even without the prince."

The ceremony carries no legal weight.

But Ms Mesi is part of a growing trend for self-marriage - dubbed "sologamy" - in countries around the world.

Proponents of such ceremonies say it is about self-love and acceptance, and claiming the social affirmation normally reserved for couples who wed.

Laura says the idea of a solo wedding came to her two years ago, after a 12-year relationship ended.

Ms Mesi says she is the first Italian woman to hold a solo ceremony. In May, a man, Nello Ruggiero, said "yes" to himself in a ceremony in Naples.

In Japan, a travel agency began offering bridal ceremonies for single women in 2014.