By Emma Sun
CRAIG and Leonie Arthur have more than one reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day – it is also the day of their wedding anniversary.
And to make things even more special, this year is their silver wedding anniversary, which marks 25 years since their union.
The pair, who live in Pakenham, met through a mutual friend at a Christmas party hosted by their workplace, Safeway, in 1983 and have been inseparable ever since.
“I was working at the Mentone store and he was at Thrift Park,” Ms Arthur said.
“I think it was love at first sight, something clicked. I was really drawn to his eyes.”
Ms Arthur was four days away from her 17th birthday at the time, and Mr Arthur was 20.
“He actually asked me after two weeks and I said no, but then it just became that we were going to be engaged, so when we were shopping one day, we decided to get engaged and chose a ring on that day.” While the proposal wasn’t too romantic, Ms Arthur said her husband had ways of making her feel special.
“He can be romantic – he gave me 10 long-stemmed roses when we were together for 1000 days. I was moved.”
They had a low key wedding in Elwood and honeymooned on Brampton Island in the Whitsundays for a week.
Ms Arthur said they fell so deeply in love with the island that they have decided to relocate there later this year.
“We bought the land 20 years ago so we’ve just got to build a house now.”
To celebrate their silver anniversary, they set off on a cruise with their four children and their partners to the South Pacific last Thursday, and will be renewing their vows in Vanuatu.
“We’ll be at Port Vila on the day so we will do it on the beach – we’ve got new wedding rings and a new dress,” she said.
Ms Arthur revealed the secret to having such a happy and successful marriage – communication and compromise.
