Kelly and Carolyn Gay, a married couple from Des Moines, Iowa, have been together for more than half a century and have exchanged wedding vows. The process of recreating their gorgeous wedding picture took place over the course of three years and was intended to commemorate the couple’s golden wedding anniversary in March 2021.

Carolyn believed it would be a wonderful way to celebrate this milestone. Given that she had to let her hair grow out in order to make it happen, the explanation made perfect sense.

Kelly said that the picture session was the only secret Carolyn had hidden from him throughout their entire fifty-year marriage.

Simply said, Carolyn was aware that very few couples manage to stay together for half a century, and as a result, she felt it was important to commemorate this significant milestone in their relationship on the most important day of their lives together.

Sam Hoyle, the photographer who captured the breathtaking picture, said that the photo session might also serve as encouragement for other couples to further improve their marriages and hope to stay as long as the pair in the photo had.

Hoyle said that people are searching for positive news and something to strive for in their lives, “What better to aspire to than a happy couple who, 50 years on from their initial wedding day, are still passionately gazing at one other again as if it were their first day together?”