To Be Married 60 Years | Something to Celebrate

Once upon a time, way back when I was young, the concept of being married to the same person for 60 years seemed, well, like an eternity.  This July, H and I will be celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary – and in a very good way – that seems like a life time.  On Friday, my mother-in-law and father-in-law celebrated 60 years of marriage.  Couples married at a much younger age in those days.  Mom and Dad are still quite young, both in years and at heart, and I expect they will be celebrating their 70th Anniversary in a decade from now.  I admire their commitment; their tenacity.  Even the strongest of marriages meet with adversity.  For richer or poorer; through good times and bad; in sickness and health; those are enormous promises, no doubt more easily vowed when we are young and naive.  True love endures and the love they share is truly a testament to that.

A 60th Wedding Anniversary deserves a celebration.  We gathered for a casual and low-key family affair.  Brunch was served, champagne toasts were made, and cake was eaten.  I witnessed their joy and gratitude; their hearts were beaming.  Hard work, good health, and a deep love for each other brought them to this milestone. Their love is an inspiration to me.  Their marriage serves as a beacon when times get rough in my own marriage.  Likewise, it is a reminder of all that is wonderful still to come.
An wedding anniversary celebration would not be complete without a reenactment of the ‘cutting the cake’ ceremony.  I was thrilled to find out that Mom still had the cake topper from her wedding cake. Most of us in the room were not present at Mom and Dad’s wedding and this was our opportunity to enjoy a look back.  Past and present, a symbol of their journey.

The cake is a combination of several  different recipes.  The yellow cake can be found here as part of the Dulce de Leche cake recipe I made a while back.  The frosting was a delicious white chocolate buttercream from the Country Cleaver.  And the strawberry mousse filling is  from Susan G. Purdy’s wonderful book The Perfect Cake.  I wasn’t planning on blogging about the cake specifically and so I did not adapt the mousse recipe.  As a result, I did not feel comfortable sharing it here.  If you don’t have Susan Purdy’s book, and you are a cake baker, I suggest you check it out.  Over the years, it has become a book I refer to over and over again.

With strawberry season upon us, this is a perfect cake to celebrate any occasion.  If the roses aren’t appropriate or your taste, a simple frosting with the buttercream makes for a cake just as special and delicious.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Mom and Dad!!!