70 years of marriage for Far North couple Kathy and Ian Macnee

Far North couple Kathy and Ian Macnee celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on August 27 surrounded by family and friends in Kaitāia

A trip to the movies in Auckland more than 70 years ago proved life-changing for Ian Macnee when he met a young lady named Kathy Taupiri Tamati after her planned date didn’t turn up.

Instead he took Kathy to the movies, and fast forward to 2024, they have just celebrated 70 years of happy marriage with family and friends in Kaitāia, where they have lived for more than 24 years.

The couple said the secret to their long and happy marriage is to “start young, and good living”.

Looking back on that fateful day when the then 18-year-old Ian had just arrived in Auckland from down south and was outside the Civic Theatre in Queen St, one night, and having seen the shining lights of the theatre decided he wanted go to the movies.

Kathy and Ian Macnee on their wedding day, August 27, 1954

But as he was to go in a girl came up to him. The girl was with her boyfriend and a friend - Kathy. The girl explained that Kathy’s date had not shown up so she asked Ian if he would like a date for the night.

“Where is she?”he asked, and the girl pointed to Kathy.

Ian said when he saw Kathy he had no hesitation in saying “yup” and they started on the path to life-long togetherness. Kathy was also 18 and that was the start of their relationship.

They married on August 27, 1954, when they were both 19 and have had a long and happy life together since.

They were married in a registry office, and Ian’s older brother Raymond came up from the south to be his best man. Raymond was also at their 60th and 70th wedding anniversary celebrations.

They celebrated their platinum wedding anniversary with family and friends at the Orana Motor Inn, in Kaitāia on August 27 - 70 years to the day.

The Macnees have five children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The couple also received birthday cards to mark the occasion from King Charles, the Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Minister for Seniors Casey Costello and Northland MP Grant McCallum.