Humour sees couple through 45 years
Wedding venue owners’ path of bliss lined with red roses
SARDINIA Bay business owners Judith and Patrick Moffett believe keeping their sense of humour is important as they celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary next weekend. Judith, nee Simpson, met Patrick in 1969 when they both worked at Burroughs Computer Company in Johannesburg.
“Judy typed a letter to me and I jokingly said: ‘I owe you a date’,” Patrick said, who had grown up in Cape Town.
The pair went to watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at the ci- nema on their first date.
Patrick said: “In those days going to the movies meant dressing up and making it an occasion.”
They dated for a month and got engaged, then married the next year on September 19 1970 at St Francis Anglican Church in Johannesburg, with the reception at City Hall.
Judith said she could still remember how nervous she felt on her wedding day with 150 family and friends.
Patrick recalled: “Judy looked stunning in her wedding dress and her yellow going-away dress.”
The couple have four children, Sean, Sarah, David and Paul.
They also have 11 grandchildren. Judith is devoted to her grandchildren and enjoys looking after them.
Patrick seems equally devoted to Judy and never forgets to give her flowers.
“On each anniversary I send Judy one red rose for each year of marriage,” Patrick said.
They retired and moved back to Port Elizabeth in 2004
With their daughter and son in-law Sarah and Ralph Dirsuwei, they developed the vision of The Plantation in 2006, as they could see the need for wedding venues in Port Elizabeth.
Today the two couples co-own wedding venues The Plantation and The Boma.
“It was a real family venture,” Judith said, adding the family enjoys the tranquil forest setting and the abundance of birds and wildlife.
Patrick said everyone played a role in either the development of The Plan- tation or running the business.
“We are a well-loved family business and our family’s love comes out in our product,” Judith said.
Patrick said The Plantation was unique as it provided couples with a chapel, wedding venue and accommodation.
Judith said the advice they would give to couples who got married at The Plantation would be to “keep your sense of humour and listen to each other”.
Patrick’s advice was to “appreciate each other’s differences and spend time together”.
Judith said she and her husband “both have a sense of humour and love to travel”.
For their wedding anniversary they will visit Sean in England.