Mrs Haden, 85, dusted off the dress she wore at their 25th anniversary for the occasion.
The couple met at a dance at Maunu Hall when she was 19 and he was 24, and married about a year and a half later at the old Church of England in Whangarei.
Despite their lengthy marriage, they got off to a shaky start by narrowly missing a car crash on their honeymoon.
"We were very lucky that we weren't in a collision. When we got to Auckland some idiots in a car just about wiped us off," said Mrs Haden.
They have four daughters, nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, living in Whangarei, Queensland and Auckland.
Mr Haden, who will celebrate his 90th birthday this month, joked that their marriage had lasted because "we didn't have enough money to argue a point."
Mrs Haden said the secret to their success was simple.
"Looking after each other, caring and sharing. And we've had the good times and the bad times like everybody."
They hold on to many "precious" memories, but one family holiday with one of their daughters and her policeman husband was particularly unforgettable.
On their way to Cape Kerikeri the group came across a suspicious pair on the side of the road with whom they briefly spoke and whom Mr Haden described as "disoriented".
About a month later, the Hadens' son-in-law told them the two men had been waiting for a drug drop and that one of them was the now-infamous Mr Asia.
"I remember this man had the most beautiful, haunting blue eyes," said Mrs Haden.
Auckland police interviewed Mr and Mrs Haden about the incident.
Two of their daughters were unable to attend the blue sapphire anniversary, but all four would be in Whangarei to celebrate Mr Haden's 90th birthday.