Fifty years….that’s five decades; a half a century. That’s no small chunk of time….and yet, for Mike and Sue, it’s not nearly long enough.

A couple of weeks ago, these two sweethearts celebrated their Golden Anniversary with a party extraordinaire at the Oyster Harbors Club in Osterville. Surrounded by their family and friends, Sue and Mike gave thanks for each other and for all that the past 50 years of togetherness have gifted them. It was a picture-perfect Cape Cod summer evening, filled with warm breezes, delicious food, drinks, dancing and capped off with an epic fireworks display.

Andy and I have been married 21 years…not even halfway to where Sue & Mike have landed…and even with that limited experience, I know that what they have done is no easy feat. In fact, I would say, it’s damn near a miracle.  Marriage isn’t easy…there are times it feels easy and there are times when you seriously question what the hell you were thinking choosing this person….well, that’s been my experience anyway.

That said, there’s a lot to learn about yourself in a marriage and if you’re not paying attention or are unwilling to grow and compromise, you’ll miss out on the rewards that come from building a life with a partner….as Sue and Mike have so successfully done.

When I asked them what their secret was to making it 50 years, they shared with me the 5 things that helped them arrive at this happy milestone and I’d like to share them with you…

  1. Be all in and commit to each other.
  2. Communicate openly and frequently.
  3. Learn and grow….together.
  4. Embrace and respect differences. Flex, adapt and forgive when necessary.
  5. Make quiet time for each other. (I might expand on this one by adding….both separately and together.)

I love these…and could benefit from embracing some of them more resolutely.

Having photographed weddings for the past 20 years, I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of different kinds of coupling, marriages between people of various ages and backgrounds, and the one thing that seems to be a golden thread that stitches all of them together is LOVE…lots and lots of love. And to reach 50 years together, I suspect you need copious amounts of it!

Here’s just a sneak peek of some of the beautiful love that was floating around at Sue and Mike’s soiree….Let’s start by meeting our happy couple. May I introduce, Sue and Mike (and their fur baby, Buddy).

Some of their beloved grandbabies…Riley, Jack & Carter.

Sue & Mike’s family gathered at their home in Osterville before the party for some photos. This little lovebug was ready to party. Can we talk about those munchable cheeks. Let me at them! Deeelicious.

The wonderful thing about love is that it has a way of multiplying. Yaaay love! Not all of their kids and grandkids could make it to the house, but here’s some of their crew: (left to right) Lara, Jack, Dan, Charley, Libby, Riley, Mike, Sue, Carter, Jennifer and Joe. (And of course…sweet Buddy, who was feeling a bit camera shy.)

Some of the pretty party details…

Cocktail hour fun was had by all….including this little peanut just running across the lawn, enjoying the wind in her hair and the grass underfoot…as peanuts do.

Friends and family happy to be celebrating Sue & Mike…

Mike’s brother, Tim (far right), gave a wonderful toast for his brother and sister-in-law. If I were to add to Sue & Mike’s list of things that make a marriage last, I’d say the support of family and friends is right up there.

More happy moments from cocktail hour.

Oyster Harbors Club has always been one of my favorite places to photograph weddings…one of the reasons is the expansive lawn, which makes a great backdrop for a big anniversary party photo.

Mike giving his bride a look of love during his brother’s speech/toast. So sweet.

Sue giving BIL Tim a big hug afterwards….so lovely.

Grandma and Carter…Cheeeeese. Little kids and their toothy smiles just kill me.

Mike gave a speech during dinner too and well, I think it’s safe to assume that Sue enjoyed it.

Daughter Jennifer gave a very sweet speech that was full of humor, love and devotion to her parents. Just one of the rewards of making it 50 years is having created this…

They may be all grown now, but these three are still Sue and Mike’s babies. (From left to right) Lara, Mike, Sue, Paul and Jennifer.

Carter digging in to the sweet stuff…

Getting down and cutting loose…

And the sparks…they still fly high after all of these years.

Thank you Sue and Mike for including me in your Golden Anniversary Celebration. It was a pleasure spending the evening with you, your family and friends. I wish you many more happy years together. With warmest wishes, Christine xx