The Best Wedding Blog Ever by Marilyn's Keepsakes

Spice Girls: Girl Power's Finest (Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

Who said it’s every little girl’s lifelong dream to get married?  Liars, that’s who.  Several women – many prominent in finesse, historically altering by design and refined through their presence –  have found solace outside the confines of marriage.  Girl Power! (I can’t ever seem to say that without being British) at its finest, the list of women to evade the altar includes everyone from nuclear physicists and women’s rights activists to haute couture fashion designers and media moguls.  They’re a group that is as eclectic as they are iconic and legendary for not only what they do, but who they choose not to do it with.

Even in “the days of Yore” when it was practically mandated for every woman to marry, several ladies chose to go against the grain.  Among the first and most remarkable is Joan of Arc, who chose sainthood and war heroism over nuptials and newlywed bliss.  She scoured battlefields, instead of dishes and made it quite obvious that God was the only man for her.  Considered the national heroine of France, Joan of Arc proved that behind every good man – or in this case, and army of men – is an even better woman, but not always vice versa.

Joan of Arc + the "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I (Photos Courtesy of Google Images)

And she wasn’t the only historical figure to choose valor over vows.  Perhaps among the most influential and noteworthy would be Elizabeth I of England.  Better known as the Queen Elizabeth, she reigned over an entire nation without, despite many attempts to force her hand, the matrimonial backing of a man.  Elizabeth I was courted by several suitors, and while speculation on her non-nuptial lifestyle are still debated, it was quite clear she was nowhere near as concerned with marriage as the population surrounding her, which is the same sentiment shared by many other of her eminent successors. 

Fashion Icon, Coco Chanel (Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

Civil and women’s rights activist, Susan B. Anthony and the celebrated nuclear physicist, Lise Meitner were two others that poo-poo’ed the thought of marriage.  Not to mention inspiration revolutionary, Helen Keller, iconic fashion pioneer, Coco Chanel and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Jane Addams… all of which never heard the wedding bells chime.  (Probably because they were too busy making a difference – duh!)

There were also a number of critically acclaimed authors, hailed for their abilities to evoke passion and spark debate through their literary works, who chose a pen and paper as more suitable companions than a man.  Still found in every classroom, library and literary timeline around the world, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, as well as the Brontë sisters, Emily and Anne, never took the plunge.

Oprah Winfrey... as if it even needed a caption (Photo Courtesy of Google Images)

Not taking “the plunge,” however, can sometimes cause just as much of a splash as taking it would, especially this day in age.  With the media at an all time explosive high, women like political activist Condoleeza Rice and Academy Award winning actress, Diane Keaton are sometimes thrown unwanted scrutiny for their choice not to marry, but no one, honestly NO ONE, has been debated about over her choice not to marry than Oprah Winfrey.  The woman practically wrote the book on how-to-be-a-success story, and she did it all without taking vows.

After years of being the face of day time TV, Oprah has been known to shine the light on the topic of herself.  Almost laughingly, she can joke about how even after countless awards, innumerable life changing interviews and incalculable donations, there are still people who still could view her as incomplete because she never towed the line and took the vows.  It’s alright Oprah, even if you never marry, I can think of about one billion reasons you’ll never be left wanting.  Go ahead with your bad self, girl… go… a… head!