Golden moment for sisters' anniversary

Two sisters who shared their wedding venue, their bridesmaids and even wore identical dresses are celebrating their golden anniversaries.

Isabel Hill and her younger sister Anne Smith both met their future husbands Geoffrey and Ray respectively at dances.

Mr and Mrs Hill met at a dance at Hingley's in Old Hill and Mr and Mrs Smith at a dance in Wolverhampton.

The couples were married together at St Luke's Church in Old Hill on August 4, 1962.

Mrs Hill said: "We walked down the aisle on either side of my father, then Geoff and I said our vows first, then my sister and her boyfriend.

"We were very close, and still are very close, so it was lovely."

Afterwards the couples, all from Rowley Regis, enjoyed a joint wedding reception at The Victoria pub in Old Hill.

The sisters and their husbands then travelled down to Devon for their honeymoons on the train together. Mr and Mrs Hill spent theirs in Paignton while sister and brother in law travelled on to Torquay.

After they were married Mr Hill worked as a carpenter, spending much of his working life at Hope Emery, whilst Mrs Hill worked as a seamstress.

The couple, who are both aged 74, have two daughters, and had four grandchildren, one of whom has passed away. They also have a great grandson.

The pair who live on Corngreaves Road, Cradley Heath, have kept up their dancing activities, and regularly go on social holidays with their line dancing friends.

Not long after the wedding Mr and Mrs Smith travelled to Germany where Mr Smith was stationed with the Army.

Mrs Smith worked for the NAAFI in Berlin, selling shoes and when she became pregnant, she travelled home to have their first child.

Mrs Smith said: "Once she was born the army sent a message to Ray and he came home to see her, but he only had a couple of visits before he was sent to Hong Kong."

After three years in Hong Kong, the couple who have two children returned to the UK and were stationed in Aldershot before moving to Mr Smith's home city of Wolverhampton. They then moved to Telford and currently live in Ironbridge. Mr Smith is an active member of the Shifnal Male Voice choir, and the couple who are both aged 71, enjoy attending the competitions and social events together.

Both sisters agree that "give and take" is the secret to a long and happy marriage.

Mrs Hill added: "I think it is all about being realistic, it is not all about the wedding but the relationship itself."

The sisters who still love spending time together as a family will be celebrating their special anniversary with a cruise all together later in the year.