Robert Menzies was Prime Minister, the average annual Australian wage was 296 pounds and Doris Day hit the music charts with Que Sera Sera.

It was also the year Ken and Marie Hartup said 'I do' during an 8.30am wedding - a time set to work around milking at the bride's family dairy.

Ken, 87, and Marie, 84, are the only married couple living at Mt Carmel Aged Care.

They celebrated 64 years of wedded bliss on Tuesday, October 27.

"The number 27 is a pretty significant one for us," Marie said. "We were both born on the 27th - Ken on July 27 and myself on January 27.

"So when we became engaged we went through the calendar to find the first available Saturday on the 27^th and October was the month," Marie said.

Ken and Marie met each other through a mutual friend in March 1954 and not long after started 'courting', going to Maitland Town Hall dances and the local cinema.

In December 1955, Ken asked Marie's mother Florence Mexon, for her daughter's hand in marriage. Marie's father died in 1950 when Marie was just 14.

With a 'yes' from Marie's mother, Ken took Marie to a local jewellers and together they picked out a ring. That evening, they went to the top of The Hill in Newcastle where Ken formally asked Marie if she would marry him.

At 8.30am Saturday, October 27 1956, Ken and Marie married at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Tarro with 50 guests. Their reception was held at Tarro School of Arts Hall and they honeymooned in Port Macquarie.

"We had to have a morning wedding to work around my family's dairy farm at Millers Forest," Marie said.

"Cows had to be milked at dawn then again late in the afternoon.

"My brothers had to do the morning milking then get from Millers Forest to Tarro by horse and sulky for the wedding."

In 1957, 11 months after they married, they welcomed their first born, Stephen.

In 1958, they purchased their first home in George Street, East Maitland where they remained until 1987.

In 1959, they had a daughter, Suzanne (Sue), another son, Michael, in 1960 (he sadly died in 1983) and two more daughters, Kim in 1962 and Lynne, 1965.

Marie was kept busy running the household and caring for the children; Ken worked shift work at Hexham Allied Coal, later driving, and eventually purchasing his own taxi in Maitland during the 1960's.

Many years later, Ken worked as a parcel contractor and then as a postman at East Maitland Post Office.

Marie didn't learn to drive until she was 41 years old. She became a roadside mail contractor, delivering in the Mulbring/Mt Vincent areas. A few years later, she gained her taxi licence, driving taxis in the Maitland area until she retired at 60.

In 1987, they purchased a caravan park in Gilgandra (near Dubbo) which they operated for four years.

"We came back to East Maitland in 1991, sold our home in George Street and purchased a home in Paterson Street, East Maitland so that I could be close to the golf course," Ken said.

Ken and Marie have nine grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren with another due in November.

Through good times and bad, sickness and health, they have both upheld, respected and honoured their wedding vows, and marriage.

Ken has been at Mt Carmel for about two, following a stroke and Marie became a resident in July due to declining health.

"We were surprised with the anniversary celebrations at Mt Carmel," Marie said. "We had a cake and morning tea with residents and some staff - it was a wonderful surprise."

When asked what the secret was to a long and happy marriage, Marie said: "To always support and help each other".

Ken agreed. "We did lots of different things and were involved in a variety of groups and activities," he said.