50 Years of Love and Adventure

We know that today is St. Patrick’s Day, but for us it’s even more special. It’s our 50th Wedding Anniversary.

We were crazy-in-love college seniors at the University of Kentucky, working low-paying jobs and taking full course loads. After four years of dating, we knew that we were ready to jump the broom. So we determined that Spring Break was the perfect time to tie the knot. We just had to keep it simple … really simple.

Financially we were just barely scraping by, so it would have to be a serious “budget wedding” if we were going to pay next semester’s tuition. When my parents offered to host our nuptials at their house in our hometown, Glasgow, Kentucky, it was ideal.

James decided that all he needed was a new pair of dress pants because the old ones were way too short (growing boy, and all). Then my wonderful housemate, Pam, offered to help me make my wedding dress – nothing ornate, just a simple, unadorned ivory gown – the only embellishment was my Mom’s pearl drop necklace.

We wanted to write our own vows, so we went to work amidst studying, working, and sewing. Since our Spring Break started on a Saturday, we set Sunday March 17 as the date – not even realizing it was St. Patrick’s Day.

On Friday we drove home from school, knowing that the next time we saw each other would be at our wedding on Sunday.

Saturday, James encountered a hiccup. He’d left his shoes back in Lexington! Yikes! His brother John came to the rescue, packed James into his new Camaro, and they headed 150 miles back to Lexington where James retrieved his shoes. While they were driving back to Glasgow, James said that he had a nagging sensation that he was forgetting something, but just shrugged it off as pre-wedding jitters.

A beautiful Sunday dawned and everything was mayhem at my house – sisters, dogs, flowers, jokes, tears – it was wonderful.

Before I knew it, I was walking down the stairs on my Dad’s arm. The first person I saw was James, looking handsome, happy, and nervous. The next sight was my brother-in-law Eddie sporting a bright green tie! Ah, that’s right, Saint Paddy’s Day.

Our best friends, Carla and John stood up with us – thanks again, you guys! James and I exchanged our vows, with each of us bobbling a few words and helping each other out.

When the ceremony ended and we were kissing and hugging, James whispered in my ear, “I’ve got some good news, and some bad news. The good news is I forgot my shoes, but John took me back to Lexington to get them.”

“So what’s the bad news?” I said.

James looked sheepish and said, “I forgot my new pants!”

And sure enough, I looked down and James was wearing his old “high-water” pants that were four inches too short. We laughed until we cried … and that’s how it’s been ever since. For us, the most important words in our self-styled wedding vows were,

“I promise to honor and tenderly care for you,

for as long as we both shall love.“

* * *

“Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary to the Love of my life! You promised me the world, and you sure did deliver. It’s hard to believe that it’s been half a century since we said, “I do” … and we’ve packed a lot of living into those five decades. Thanks for making every day a wonderful adventure, James. I love you forever.”

“Fifty years ago today my life changed in every way possible. At the time I knew I was one of the luckiest guys on the planet, but I couldn’t have imagined what a loving, supportive, fun and adventurous life partner I had married. It’s been a joyous journey, and every day I look forward to continuing the adventure with you. Terri, I love you more than words can say. Happy Anniversary!”

Love, just Love,
Terri and James

Photo Credit: 1.  Steve Halama 

Unknown's avatar

Author: gallivance.net

We're Terri and James Vance - high school sweethearts who went on to international careers and became world nomads. Today, 65 countries later, we're still traveling ... and still in love. Check out Our Story for more of the backstory at gallivance.net.

87 thoughts

  2. Congratulations!! In a world of so much uncertainty and short term relationships, it is refreshing to see a couple as devoted to each other as the two of you. The secret is in the laughter, as mentioned in the missing pants story, as well as the shared sense of adventure. May you have many more adventures together!! xo

    Reply

    1. Darlene, we still laugh about the short pants, and luckily, none of the wedding photos included full body shots of me. And you’ve hit on two of the things that have made us happy throughout our marriage: laughter and a sense of adventure. All relationships evolve and ours is no different, but we grew together as individuals and as a couple, and we’ve never taken our happiness for granted. ~James

      Reply

  3. Congratulations, Terri and James! Happy 50th Anniversary to two very special people! ❤️

    Reply

  6. The pants may have been short, but the love has been long: fifty years! Here’s to many more years of love, adventure, and fun. I have no doubt you’ll manage all three!

    Reply

    1. Linda, I’m a pretty organized person, so forgetting my pants is an indicator of how discombobulated I was. Good times then, and a wonderful life all the way through. As we age, our philosophy is that we can always stop, but we won’t always be able to go. So while we can, we’re carrying on with the adventure. ~James

      Reply

  7. Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to you both. Love the pics you shared. It has been 40 years for Al and me. We are blessed to have found “the right one” on the first try. 🤪 Cheers to many more adventures. 🥂

    Reply

    1. Ingrid, congratulations on 40 years! I haven’t seen the latest divorce stats, but last I heard it was very high. So folks like us are getting harder to find. And honestly, we’ve never taken our relationship for granted, and that must certainly contribute to its longevity. Now if I could figure out a way to transfer some of those dark, curly locks in the early pix to the most recent photo with the thin, gray, quickly diminishing hairline. ~James

      Reply

  8. Happy anniversary! Your story resonates with our own experience.

    The traditional Irish blessing is: May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. “May the road rise to meet you.” And having once been to a real Irish wedding, I will add: may the road rise up to meet you — and not hit you in the face. 😀

    Reply

    1. Ray, if a relationship survives poverty-stricken college years, that must certainly prepare it for whatever comes next. Terri and I have always been close, and our years of living abroad and moving around so much made us even closer. Our life wouldn’t appeal to everyone, but we have no regrets, and that’s what it’s all about.

      Reply

      1. Yep. We didn’t even have the “in health” part of our vows for thirty days, but almost 55 years later, I agree wholeheartedly with your statement: Our life wouldn’t appeal to everyone, but we have no regrets, and that’s what it’s all about.

  9. Joining others in wishing you both a very Happy 50th Anniversary today and more fun and adventures ahead! I’m sure you never forgot your special day. Neither did we as Steven and I met 43 years ago today in Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

    Reply

    1. Thanks a bunch, Annie. We’re still kind of amazed it’s been half a century! And congratulations to you and Steven on your “meet cute” 43 years ago today. I would love to hear the story … ? ~Terri

      Reply

  10. Happy Anniversary! How precious! I love the pictures – so sweet! Wonderful you still laugh and love together! We married out of college the summer before Richard started grad school in Tennessee. Had no money either. We bought the cheapest rings we could find at the local K-Mart, along with a white sundress for me. We baked our own cake, and invited family into our living room for the ceremony. Celebrated 40 years last May. Still love waking up to each other every day looking forward to the adventure continuing!

    Reply

    1. Many thanks, Pam. What a wonderful story. I love it. Baking your own wedding cake is so special. Sounds like we took a page out of each other’s books. We’ve always been glad that we kept it simple from the beginning. Congratulations on the 40 years. It feels good, doesn’t it? Here’s to SO many more. ~Terri

      Reply

    1. Many thanks, Catherine. James and I say that luck brought us together, and love keeps us going. Corny, but true. It’s such a joy to hear from you. So glad you stopped by. ~Terri

      Reply

  12. Happy 50th Anniversary, Terri and James! Your relationship is an inspiration, and Terri’s words are so true — you have packed a lot of living into all those years! I’m still hoping our paths might intersect at the same latitude and longitude someday soon. Until then, enjoy your special day.

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Tricia. It’s wonderful to hear from you! When we married all those years ago, we had no idea how our lives would evolve. And fortunately, we’re thrilled with how things turned out.

      How are you and Shawn doing? And are you guys still in Amboise? I’m looking forward to catching up with you. All the best, Terri

      Reply

      1. It’s so nice to connect again! Shawn and I have had an unusually busy year – we moved to Amboise. Moving to France has been a dream of mine since high school-French class. It hasn’t been an easy process (especially the hunt for an apartment to rent), but I’m so glad we’re here. It’s fun wandering these streets and imagining Leonardo da Vinci doing the same centuries ago. Once we get settled in to our new town, we’re looking forward to doing more traveling.

        Where in the world are you two?

        Again, congratulations to you on your anniversary! We’ll be celebrating our 14th later this year. 🙂

      2. Tricia, I can appreciate that moving to France is truly a dream come true! I’m so happy for you and Shawn. And I have so many questions. I’ll start with how did you decide upon Amboise?

        We’re living in Lexington, Kentucky USA and just love it. It’s horse country, and we spent our anniversary touring a horse farm that specializes in mares and foals – so there was lots of entertainment with the frisky foals and their patient mothers.

        Can’t wait to hear more about your new home, and thrilled to reconnect. Hugs to you and Shawn. ~Terri

      3. Your visit to the horse farm sounds like a lovely way to celebrate spring’s return and your anniversary!

        We criss-crossed the country for many months over the years researching where to move. We wanted a walkable town with a train station, hospital, access to nature, historic sites, and a sizable nearby city (for urban amenities). We’d first visited Amboise in 2011 and we revisited it in 2023 and thought it’d be a good fit. Indeed, so far it is! There’s so much to do in the Loire Valley and Paris is only about 2 hours by train. We’re feeling lucky to be here.

    1. Thanks Rebecca. We had totally forgotten that it’s our “Golden Anniversary.” We’ve always joked that every anniversary is like the 1st Anniversary – paper! 🙂 But I did buy gold candles for our cake, so I’m all set. Thanks so much for your kind thoughts. ~Terri

      Reply

  15. love learning this story about my wonderful friends! Happy anniversary and many more to come ❤️❤️❤️

    Reply

    1. Thanks Janet. We can tell you all sorts of tales about the wedding – like a couple of bricks and a bag of rice dumped in each of our suitcases, thanks to Terri’s sisters. ~James

      Reply

  16. Happy Anniversary and may you celebrate many more. Ours is coming up in December. Where did the time go while we were having fun?

    Reply

    1. Where did the time go indeed? We’ve both said it doesn’t feel like that long, and then we start listing what we’ve done, where we’ve lived, etc. and then it seems about right. Happy Anniversary in Dec. ~James

      Reply

  18. Happy Anniversary to such a beautiful and inspiring couple!!! And congratulations on 50 wonderful years together!!! Wishing you both many, many more years of adventures and love!!!

    Reply

    1. Thanks very much Anita. That’s very kind. We’ve spent much of the day saying: “Can you believe it’s been 50 years?” But time passing quickly is probably a good sign that we’ve been happy and having fun. Thanks again for your kind wishes. ~James

      Reply

  19. Happy 50th Anniversary Terri & James! 💕. What a beautiful post to commemorate such an important milestone. Wishing you many more incredible years together and adventures to share.☘️🥂

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the well wishes Lynn. Important milestones like our 50th Anniversary are certainly time to celebrate, but are also a good time for reflection. Terri and I have been talking about the past a good deal in recent days, and it has made me realize how important and comforting it is to have someone with a shared history. It makes the memories all the sweeter. ~James

      Reply

    1. Thanks Hannah. This 50 year milestone has prompted many “remember that time” conversations, which has been wonderful. We’ve had a wonderful life with no regrets. That in itself is a good reason to celebrate. ~James

      Reply

    1. Liesbet, thanks for a comment that brought smiles to our faces. As you know, being independent and having a less than traditional lifestyle can be a make-or-break trial for a relationship. Luckily, for us it has only brought us closer, and for that, we are grateful. Take care down there south of the equator. ~James

      Reply

    1. Many thanks, Alison. Like you and Don we’ve been on this marvelous journey – both literally and figuratively! It’s so fantastic when you find the perfect person to share it with. ❤ Terri

      Reply

  26. How sweet! Happy anniversary, Terri and James! 50 years of marriage (and more) is something a lot of people aspire to. Thank you for sharing your wedding story. I almost thought James forgot the rings. Luckily it was only his new pants!

    Reply

    1. Aww Bama, thanks so much! As luck would have it, we decided that I should hang on to the rings since the wedding was at my house. Whew! I guess we got lucky there! And as my sister said, “I guess we should be glad that he remembered to bring ANY pants!” 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the story. ~Terri

      Reply

  27. This is simply beautiful. Thank you for sharing the memories of your very special day with us. Laughter, love and adventure, key ingredients to any successful relationship. Happy anniversary to you both Terri and James. To many more. ❤️💙😄 xx

    Reply

    1. Miriam, we were just inexperienced uni kids making our way. I’d like to say we had a shared vision, but honestly, we just had our shared love for each other and a desire to have some new challenges as well as some fun and adventure along the way. We’ve been doing exactly that for 50 years, and we couldn’t be happier. Looking back, I would wish the same path for any couple. ~James

      Reply

    1. Thanks Gilda. This anniversary has been on the horizon for a while, but honestly, it seems to have sneaked up on us. We’re high school sweethearts, and then went to uni together, so by now it seems like we’ve know each other forever … in a good way. It’s hard to explain, but this shared history is so comforting, and laughter has always been a huge part of our relationship. Really it’s a big part of the glue that holds us together. ~James

      Reply

    1. Thanks Shane. This is the most unique anniversary wish we received, and it brought a smile to our faces. We’re lucky and don’t we know it. Take care and thanks. ~James

      Reply

  32. Congratulations you two lovebirds. You’ve been blessed in a mighty way. It’s because you cherished each other and put the other one first in their life. I’m in my 50s and still waiting for the love of my life which may never come in this lifetime, but that’s okay. I’ve been blessed in other ways too. What you have is Very precious and becoming more and more rare. Wishing you both the best and keep the spirit of adventure alive. – Anna from Delaware USA

    ps. Not sure if my first comment attempt went through…. Same message. Congrats again and Happy 50th anniversary! What a milestone and a feat!

    Reply

    1. Thanks for the comment Anna and for dropping by the blog. We both know how lucky we are to have found a partner that is so simpatico, and we never take it for granted … and I think that’s part of the reason our relationship is so successful. We were friends first and that’s also one of the keys. Any long term relationship takes compromise and flexibility, and one of the most important things for us is communication. We joke that we talk things to death, but it’s worked for 50 years and we see no reason to change. All the best to you. ~James

      Reply

    1. We knew the 50 was coming, but honestly, it sneaked up on us. As to where does the time go? I couldn’t agree more. We’re still finding it hard to believe, but having a shared history for half a century is very special. Anyway, Happy Anniversary in advance. ~James

      Reply

  35. Congratulations on 50 (+1) amazing, adventure filled years!

    Experiences, compassion and love. What a way to make a life truly rich.

    Well done!!

    With love, Chris

    Reply

    1. Thanks Chris. One of the cliches that we say a lot now is “I can’t believe it’s been that long!” But the bottom line for us is that we’ve never taken each other or our relationship for granted … which is probably one of the primary reasons we’re still living and loving our way to the end.

      Like many things, growing old is about adjusting to change and we’re determined to keep active and involved to the end. Thanks again.

      Reply

Leave a reply to Christie Cancel reply