Dutch couple Cor and Miep Bierenbroodspot were married at a small church in Pahiatua, in 1958. Photo: Supplied
In the Netherlands, on the other side of the world, a Dutch couple is getting ready for their 65th wedding anniversary.
But Cor and Miep Bierenbroodspot's marriage story begins all the way back in the small Manawatū town of Pahiatua, and the year 1958.
Now, their son Michael is inviting the people of Pahiatua and Wellington who may remember that special day to send their wedding anniversary messages to the happy couple.
"They got engaged on October 21, 1956," he told First Up.
"My father was 19 and my mother 18, and at that time in the Netherlands there was a shortage with houses, and there was no room to live with one of their parents. So they decided they wanted to emigrate."
Their first idea was to move to Canada, he said. Their parents had given permission for them to marry and travel. But as they learned of how cold it was there, and that unemployment was high, they started thinking about going elsewhere.
"At English lessons, there was another family with three young children going to New Zealand. That family was called the Gerritsens… [who] invited them to emigrate with them to New Zealand."
They were able to stay with another member of the Gerritsen family, who was already in Pahiatua.
The only issue was marriage. While married people could go to Canada at the time, New Zealand would not allow the young couple to migrate as a married pair.
"So they were forced to emigrate separately because they had no work or job in New Zealand," Michael said.
"They had to tell their parents that they were not going to Canada and wanted to go to New Zealand. So May 17, 1958, they left on the boat to Wellington, and after 37 days, arriving on June 23, 1958 in Wellington, where they took the train to Pahiatua.
"My mother stayed with friends… and my father stayed with another family.
"In Pahiatua my mother worked for a stocking factory and my father worked for a Scotsman making concrete water barrels.
"They wanted to get married as soon as possible and move to Wellington. The marriage took place on November 1, 1958 in a small wooden church in Pahiatua.
"I can see on the pictures that the family Gerritsen was there with the children, and also, people they met on the boat, and they're still in contact with."
Michael said he thinks the secret to such a long happy marriage has been Cor and Miep's shared loves, especially for travel.
"I remember the first time they went back, in 1977, to New Zealand, and since that time I think they went about every three years. So they've been back to New Zealand fourteen times.
"Now they're at that age that they don't want to fly any more, although their love is still in New Zealand and they love the country, they love the people."
Michael said he hopes there are still some people in the Manawatū area who might remember the wedding day in 1958 in Pahiatua, and they can send their congratulations to the happy couple.
"I know that when they receive mail from people who might have known them, or even just a card, that will do them really good."
Send an email to firstup@rnz.co.nz if you would like to get in touch with the family.
