Couple celebrate 60 years of love

When you ask Bernard Wilkinson how he and his wife made it to their 60th wedding anniversary, he says the answer is simple: "I love her and she loves me."

Bernard and Anne were married on January 17, 1953 and they say each year keeps getting better.

The two agreed marriage was no easy feat and it needs hard work, but at the end of the day, it's all about the love.

About 100 people attended their wedding at St Martin's Church in Dunedin.

"It was a very traditional wedding," Mr Wilkinson said.

Engaged in May 1952, the pair married early the following year.

The Wilkinson's celebrated the milestone with their family in Kakanui, which went well into the night, even after the couple left.

"We left the family to arrange it and they did very well," he said.

Mr and Mrs Wilkinson have lived in Oamaru for 37 years of their marriage and have enjoyed retiring together in the town.

"Sixty years is a milestone and with a bit of luck we might get to our 70th," Mr Wilkinson said.

"I don't know what we will do then."

Although they couldn't recall how Mr Wilkinson proposed, he couldn't forget one piece of information.

"I do remember asking her father," he said.