Amanda Barnes, a 49-year-old mother from Devon, has celebrated her long-held dream of wearing a wedding dress by holding a solo wedding surrounded by family and friends while living with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
Barnes, from Totnes, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022 after experiencing symptoms that included swelling and lumps near her left breast and under her arm. The cancer was later found to have spread to her spine, leading to a stage 4 diagnosis.
In August 2026, she decided she would no longer wait for the circumstances traditionally associated with a wedding and organised her own celebration.
Amanda Barnes Holds Solo Wedding
Barnes held the celebration on 16 August at the Ilsington Country House Hotel in Devon, where about 30 friends and family members joined her. She wore a white lace wedding dress with an off-the-shoulder design and had her hair and make-up professionally done before spending time with her loved ones. The day also included food and spa treatments.
Although there was no groom, Barnes said the occasion was still filled with the support and affection of the people closest to her. 'There may not have been a groom, and that didn't matter, because there was no shortage of love,' she said, according to reports.
Barnes said she had wanted to experience wearing a wedding dress for years and decided to fulfil that wish while she was still able to do so. 'I just wanted to fulfil one of my oldest and greatest dreams while I still could,' she said.
The celebration was organised with help from her friends, who assisted with finding the dress and arranging the day.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
Barnes' cancer journey began in 2021, when she started experiencing symptoms including hot and cold sensations, swelling and lumps under her arm. She underwent ultrasound examinations, but the initial results did not identify cancer.
After her symptoms continued, she underwent further investigations and eventually had a biopsy in June 2022. She was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer the following month. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan later that year showed that the disease had spread to her spine. Her diagnosis was subsequently classified as stage 4 metastatic breast cancer.
Barnes said doctors initially gave her a prognosis that suggested she might not live beyond early 2023. She has since lived considerably longer than that initial estimate. She underwent radiation treatment, which helped reduce tumours affecting her spine, and continued to spend time with her two children, Connor and Ruby.
In March 2026, she learned that the cancer had spread to her femur and hips, after which she began chemotherapy.
Cancer Later Spread to Brain and Eye
Barnes' health deteriorated further after her solo wedding. Ten days after the celebration, she was told that the cancer had also spread to her brain and right eye, resulting in loss of sight in that eye. She continues to receive chemotherapy and has said she remains determined to continue treatment.
A fundraising page was also set up to help with medical and care-related expenses associated with her ongoing treatment. In her fundraising appeal, she acknowledged the seriousness of her stage 4 diagnosis while explaining that she wants to continue accessing treatment, maintain her independence and spend time with the people she loves.
Wedding Celebration Reaches Millions Online
The solo wedding attracted wider attention after Barnes' friend Lucy shared footage from the celebration on TikTok. The video has received more than 10 million views, bringing Barnes' story to a much larger audience than she had expected.
Barnes said she had not anticipated that millions of people would see her wearing the wedding dress. The response has also helped draw attention to her experience of living with advanced breast cancer and her decision to create a significant personal memory despite her illness.
'I Don't Want Cancer To Take Away My Ability To Enjoy Being Alive'
For Barnes, the solo wedding was not about recreating a traditional marriage ceremony but about fulfilling a personal ambition while she still had the opportunity. Reflecting on the decision, she said cancer had taken a great deal from her, but she did not want the illness to determine every aspect of her life.
'Cancer has taken an enormous amount from me,' Barnes said. 'But while I'm still able to make choices for myself, I don't want it [cancer] to take away my ability to enjoy being alive.'
She has also encouraged others not to indefinitely postpone experiences that matter to them.
'Take the trip. Wear the dress. Spend time with your children. Tell the people you love what they mean to you. Make the memory while you can,' she said.
Barnes continues to receive treatment for stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and has said she intends to keep living and making plans for as long as she can.
