Glenis and Andrew Wight celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary with a special blessing at St Mary’s Cathedral on April 4.
The couple recited their wedding vows, followed by a blessing from Fr Michael Quynh Do.
Beaming smiles erupted as Fr Quynh said, “You may kiss the bride”, in commemoration of that day half-a-century ago and the couple’s ongoing love for one another.
Both from Calcutta, India, Mr and Mrs Wight’s first meeting was the stuff of a matinee romance.
It happened at a Christmas party where a Bobby Vinton song was playing; the song that brought them together.
“You are my special angel was playing on the stereo,” Mrs Wight told The Record.
“Andrew came up to me and asked me to take down the words in short hand so I did, after that he asked me out and two years later we were married.”
The couple were married at St Thomas Cathedral in Calcutta. They immigrated to Perth in 1960.
“My mother told me to make a vow to Our Lady,” Mrs Wight said.
“So we did and that was how we were able to come to Australia.”
Their devotion to the Queen of Heaven has been evident throughout their 55 years of marriage.
They have visited Fatima eight times. They have also been to Lourdes and have travelled around the world twice.
Their travels also included the Holy Land as well as Europe and Asia. They are happy to still call Perth their home.
“My husband worked as a technician for 40 years and I worked as a secretary,” Mrs Wight said.
“After we paid up our house we hung up our boots and our enjoying retirement.”
Mr and Mrs Wight have one daughter named Candice and three grand children; James, Ebony and Melody.
They also have two great grandchildren, Melody’s son and daughter, Eliot and Ruby.
The couple have been parishioners at Infant Jesus Parish in Morely for the past 45 years.
“We are first in church every week, and we say a family rosary together,” Mrs Wight said.
“In every way all things are possible with God.” Mrs Wight credits her successful marriage to her faith.
“My mother emphasised you have to pure when you get married,” Mrs Wight said.
“We honoured our commitment to God that we wouldn’t do anything beforemarriage; Andrew never had a girlfriend before he met me and I never had a boyfriend before I met him.”
Not only do the couple share their faith and love but the number plate on their car is very special to them.
“Ever since the first car we bought we’ve had the same number plate.” Mrs Wight said.
The number plate reads “two of us” and over the years when they’ve bought a new car they would simply attach the number plate onto the new vehicle.
“Marriage has its ups and downs but you must never go to bed with an unresolved argument,” Mrs Wight said.
“We put the needs of one another before our own and we help each other out.”