An elderly couple finally got to walk down the aisle — seven decades after they first said “I do.”
Harold Pugh, 91, and Frances Pugh, 90, recently marked their 70th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, their friends and family organized a vow renewal ceremony — the wedding they never had — according to the Richmond, Virginia, news outlet WTVR CBS 6.
The couple originally eloped in their 20s after meeting and falling in love at a skating rink in the 1950s.
On Saturday, Jan. 10, they held their ceremony at Cawson Street Church of Christ in Hopewell, Virginia, surrounded by loved ones.
At one point, a guest playfully asked Harold, “It’s a big decision — are you sure you want to get married?” He laughed and replied, “I think I will.” He also shared that his wife is “a special girl,” per WTVR CBS 6.
For the occasion, Harold wore a dark suit, gray tie, and a white rose boutonnière. Frances dressed in a light gray, sequined jacket-and-gown set, paired with a sparkling floral necklace, matching dangling earrings, and a bouquet of white satin roses decorated with pearls and silver jewels.
“I just feel so blessed,” Frances told WTVR CBS 6 during the celebration. “After all these years, I still love him, I cherish him, I appreciate all he’s done for me over these years.”
As she prepared to walk down the aisle — escorted by two relatives — she added, “Look at my handsome husband up there.”
During the ceremony, the officiant reflected on the life the couple has built together, highlighting their shared adventures and devotion.
“Traveling, riding roller coasters in your 90s, hosting Bible studies in your home — we see in you a pair blessed by God with years of life and the wisdom to take advantage of every opportunity to live it,” he said.
The celebration also featured a wedding cake topped with edible white roses and a glittery silver “70 Years Blessed” topper.
Guests spoke warmly about the couple’s generosity. “They would deny themselves everything and give to anyone that needs,” one guest said, while another added that the pair has inspired them, according to WTVR CBS 6.
When asked what advice they’d offer other couples hoping for a long-lasting marriage, Harold and Frances kept it straightforward: “Pick the right person as you will spend the rest of your life,” they told WTVR CBS 6, adding, “put God first.”
