Alicia and Vin Hall celebrated 60 years of marriage on Thursday, August 20.
Photo by
Billie Davern
After 60 years of marriage, Vin and Alicia Hall can still recall the moment they first met as though it was just yesterday.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
“It was 1962, late September, at a deb ball here in Seymour,” Mr Hall said.
“Alice had come down with a couple of other girls from Euroa, and I was partnering a girl that I worked with at the Caltex depot at the time.
“I knew a couple of the girls that were down from Euroa and they introduced me to Alice.”
The connection between the pair of longtime Seymour locals was instantaneous.
“I ended up taking her home that night and arranged to take her to the pictures the next night,” Mr Hall said.
“Alice came out (the next night) and her mother followed, saying, ‘you shouldn’t go out with strange men’.”
The first date led to two years of the couple seeing each other before their engagement.
Mrs Hall said the engagement felt so natural that there was never really a formal proposal.
“I think it was just thought that it was going to happen, there was never an official ‘down on the knee’,” she said.
Alicia and Vin Hall with their favourite photo from their wedding day.
Photo by
Billie Davern
Like their first meeting, the day Mr and Mrs Hall got married is, too, fresh in their minds.
Mrs Hall can even recall the pleasant skies on August 20, 1966.
“I remember the weather, it was a nice August day — a little bit of sunshine and a little bit of cloud,” Mrs Hall said.
About 50 or 60 people were in attendance, with the ceremony held at St John’s Church, Euroa and the reception taking place at Euroa Hotel.
Two of Mr Hall’s friends from Seymour were his groomsmen, while Mrs Hall had her sister and sister-in-law by her side.
“We were lucky enough to have both our parents there, that was great,” Mr Hall said.
Over the decades, the pair have shared many special moments, including welcoming their three children to the world.
“The highlights obviously were the children: two boys and a girl,” Mrs Hall said.
They now have seven grandchildren, who live across Australia.
Travelling has also been a highlight for Mr and Mrs Hall, with trips to Europe, America, Canada, New Zealand and Thailand being fond memories for the couple.
In 1991, they visited Scotland, where Mrs Hall had the opportunity to meet her cousin for the first time.
After migrating from Poland, Mrs Hall’s mother was separated from her sister after they were labelled as displaced persons.
One was sent to Australia, the other to the UK.
“The two sisters got separated and my aunt had one child, a daughter,” Mrs Hall said.
“When we went over there, we got to meet her for the first time. It was lovely.”
Mr and Mrs Hall agree that the secrets to a long-lasting, happy marriage are simple.
“Just be honest with each other, that’s one of the main things,” Mr Hall said.
“Give each other the freedom to allow each other to do what you want to do,” Mrs Hall said.
Mr and Mrs Hall will be officially celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary with friends and family at the Seymour Bowling Club on Saturday, September 5.
In the weeks following their special day on Thursday, August 20, the couple received numerous cards and beautiful flower arrangements, along with letters of congratulation from King Charles and Queen Camilla, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Attorney-General Michelle Rowland.
Mr Hall said another of his tips for a happy marriage was simply to “love each other”.
9°C