Herbert and Gisela Blum have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Photo/File
Herbert and Gisela Blum have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Photo/File
When Herbert Blum first saw his future wife, Gisela Blum, Amor's arrow struck him.
Ngongotaha's Herbert, 82, and Gisela Blum, 80, had their 60th wedding anniversary on August 31, and celebrated with about 40 friends and family at a dinner on Saturday.
The celebration took place at the Te RunangaTea Rooms in the Government Gardens.
Gisela loves to cook and she put together the meal of beef, chicken, rice, noodles, vegetables and chocolate mousse.
She also baked a three tier cake for the occasion.
"Imagine my surprise when I saw her at my cousin's house."
Gisela was at Herbert's cousin's house about three months after he had seen her on the tram, and they got close, having their first date soon after.
They were married at a church in Germany on August 31 1957, Herbert aged 22 and Gisela 20.
Herbert says Gisela looked amazing - she arrived to the wedding in a white carriage drawn by white horses, in a white wedding dress with a long white veil.
Some of Gisela's advice for a long, happy marriage is to listen and talk if you have a problem.
She says Herbert also gives her a lot of compliments.
They say sometimes they compare marriage to a garden.
"If you don't water it, nothing is growing. You must have respect and love, and must make compromises."
The couple have a daughter, Ines, and son, Thomas, along with three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Ines also lives in Rotorua, while Thomas lives in Wellington.
