Living Gems wedding albums reveal enduring love.
“Love and marriage go together like a horse and carriage” sang Frank Sinatra, and homeowners at Living Gems resorts across Queensland are proof of that! They graciously opened their wedding albums to take us on a trip down memory lane for Valentine’s Day.
Barry and Fran McWaters – Opal by Living Gems
Fran clearly recalls the day she met her future husband, Barry. It was in May 1951 at Wynnum Central State School when the headmaster announced the arrival of two new students who had come all the way from Victoria.
“Barry and his younger brother were a curiosity because they wore shoes to school,” said Fran. “Very few kids who attended the school wore shoes in those days. It turned out they also lived three doors from our house.”
But it wasn’t always love especially when they were young.
“We had a falling out over a jumper mum knitted for me,” laughed Fran. “I loved it, but Barry didn’t. Later we did find common ground and have been together ever since.”
Fran and Barry celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary last December and say the secret of being together for so long is that they are each other’s best mates and share the same interests.
John and Mary Skene – Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront
John and Mary met on a hot summer’s day in 1967 on a farm in Gordonvale in North Queensland. John, a farmer, and Mary, a nurse fresh out of Sydney, fell in love and 12 months later they married in Matraville, Sydney on 8 June, 1968. They will celebrate their 55th wedding anniversary later this year.
Larry and Irene Clifford – Amber by Living Gems
When Larry met Irene, she was a single mother of four boys while he had a daughter from a previous relationship. They fell in love, blended their family and married on 15 April, 1984 at Shangri-la Reception in Wynnum, Brisbane. Two more daughters (seven children in total), 17 grandchildren and 38 years later, they continue to enjoy marital bliss.
Garry and Jan Beames – Ruby by Living Gems
Garry and Jan Beames were married in June 1976 at JC Slaughter Falls, Mt Coot-tha, which was a well known landmark for holding weddings at that time.
The couple met at Diamond Grill Restaurant and Bar in Margaret Street, Brisbane. They saw each other across the room and knew then and there that it was love at first sight. Six weeks later, they married. Met in April, married in June and today they are still as much in love as they were then.
Nigel and Helen Greenwood – Amber by Living Gems
Helen was living in Victoria and flew to Brisbane to visit family and met Nigel at her brother’s barbecue.
They married in Hong Kong on 23 December, 1997.
Marty and Barb Cocoran – Amber by Living Gems
Barb and Marty married on 10 June, 1978. She wore a pretty bandeau headband and floor-length veil while Marty looked smart in a classic pin-stripe suit and ruffled tuxedo shirt.
Les and Beverley Moore – Amber by Living Gems
Beverley was absolutely at the height of fashion in April 1966, when she wore a charming empire line gown when she married her sweetheart, Les.
Bob and Fay Brodhurst-Hill – Amber by Living Gems
Bob and Fay married at the Uniting Church in Coorparoo on 24 April, 1976.
