IN WHAT could be described as the story of a lifetime, Vera and Brian Harding celebrated their golden wedding anniversary 50 years after sharing their special day in a double wedding with her father and his fiance.
When Vera moved to Durban from Vryheid to pursue her studies she met a new friend, Brian, in the private hotel she stayed in.
“We were friends for some time before we started dating and before I knew it we were married. Brian never proposed, he just told me we were getting married,” Vera said with a smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
The couple said their vows in a double wedding with Vera’s father and his fiance at the Lutheran Church in Vryheid on 19 December 1964. Not only did father and daughter share a special day together, but both couples also went on honeymoon together. They spent two weeks travelling the Golden Gate area together.
In 1970 Vera and Brian welcomed their first child, Brandon, followed by their second son, Shannon in 1975. They are the proud grandparents of one grandson and four granddaughters.
When asked what the last 50 years’ marriage has been like, the couple said: “It’s been a challenge, but we’ve enjoyed it. We’ve shared the same interests, which we believed kept our marriage strong. We’ve done a lot in our time together.”
They’ll be celebrating their anniversary at a high tea at Pinehaven Lodge on the day.
