An unsaual matrimony
It's not every day that you hear of a couple who have been married for 60 years.
Hearing of three brothers who have each been married for 60 years is even more rare.
Hearing of three brothers who all wed within the space of a week, all celebrating 60 years of marriage, is practically unheard of.
Rynpark Five (Rynfield) couple, and Benoni residents of 24 years, Helgard (85) and Rita (80) van Vreden, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this year, with Helgard’s brother and wife, Floris (81) and his wife, Annetjie (79) van Vreden.
Floris met his wife on a blind date in Wonderfontein, Mpumalanga.
Floris and Annetjie got the ball rolling when they were married on March 2, 1953.
Less than a week later, on March 7, Helgard and Rita wed at the same ceremony as Helgard’s other brother, Chris (83) and his wife, Katie (80) van Vreden, who met his wife in Estancia, Mpumalanga.
There was no specific reason for the two brothers getting married at the same ceremony.
Chris and Katie just decided to get married with Helgard and Rita, explained Rita.
Rita and Helgard met at a dance when Rita was only 13 years old.
Although it was not a case of love at first sight, Rita admits she experienced a tingling feeling when she laid eyes on Helgard.
The couple are still happily married and more in love today, as they have a greater understanding of one another.
‘‘If you do not have God in your life you can forget about having a successful marriage,’’ said Rita.
‘‘You must never go to bed cross when there are differences and, if there are problems, you sort them out,’’ explained Helgard.
The couple said marriage gets easier with time.
Helgard said they will not be able to survive without each other.
‘‘If he is outside for too long I look for him, and he would look for me,’’ said Rita.
She said if they have an altercation now she just looks at Helgard – she does not like arguing anymore.
‘‘Sometimes we do not talk for the whole day and it’s still nice,’’ she added.
The couple occupy themselves with puzzles — having already built at least 50 — which they get at the Rynpark hall.
The couple have four children – a son and three daughters.
The three couples visit each other regularly and have a close relationship.
