No secret, but love for diamond couple
Sixty years ago Allan and Florence Hunter (nee Austin) of Nelson married at All Saints Church.
The New Zealand-made wartime romance Until They Sail was showing in cinemas and Auckland businessman Morris Yock trademarked the jandal.
The sheer amount of time they have spent together mean the couple has no secrets. They put the strength of their marriage down to combination of hard work, family, love and a wicked sense of humour.
On June 8, 1957 Florence walked the aisle of the Vanguard St church packed with 150 guests on the arm of her father, Lewis Austin.
She wore a white embossed satin gown her mother made. It’s long sleeves ended in an elegant peak that fell over her hands and a ‘‘Chinese-style’’ neckline led to a peplum waist which cascaded into a long trail.
Valley flowers were made into a crown and pinned to Florence’s veil.
She walked to where her future husband, Allan stood wearing a navy blue suit. ‘‘I’ve still got it. I don’t wear it much,’’ he said. Florence still has her dress too.
Florence had three bridesmaids, her sister and Allan’s two sisters. But it took a great deal of time for them to decide on a colour for their dresses.
Eventually they settled on teal, lavender and gold.
‘‘Our bouquets had all those colours in them,’’ she said.
Allan’s three groomsmen were made up of his two brothers and a good friend.
Photos of the wedding party were taken in the Queens Gar- dens.
The tree just inside the golden gates has grown just as much as much the couple’s family, Florence said.
The newlyweds and guests celebrated at The Ritz tea rooms on Nelson’s Trafalgar St before slipping away in a taxi.
The wedding day was the happiest moment of Florence’s life, she said. Allan agreed.
Ready for their honeymoon, the pair planned a road trip of the South Island. Travelling all the way to Bluff the couple stopped on their way back to explore Fox Glacier, neither had been before.
Allan and Florence celebrated their anniversary with friends and family at their home in Hira on Thursday, June 8. They had a second celebration in Tahunanui on the following weekend.
They have four children together. Two of their sons run the family farm in Hira. The couple frequently welcome their 10 grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren for family dinners.
They describe themselves as a close-knit family with strong ties to the land.