IT was just over 75 years ago when Joan and Keven Harman, now aged 93 and 96, met at the 1949 debutante ball at Swansea Belmont Surf Lifesaving Club.
It was Swansea Belmont's "night of nights'', Mrs Harman said, during what was a miserable period of time for your average Aussie family.
"All the pits were on strike, and it was a terrible time because there was no coal coming in and the prime minister was threatening to bring soldiers in to deal with the striking miners and no one had any money," Mrs Harman said.
"It was the wrong time to have a ball which was going to cost a guinea."
Her family was doing it tough with very little to spare. She later learned that her grandmother helped pay for her debutante.
The ball was also a celebration of the under 18s boat crew which had won the surf boat race at the Australian titles.
"The whole hall was decked in green and gold and there were 100 green blazers and in walked three boys in maroon-coloured blazers," Mrs Harman said. "They stood out like flashing neon lights."
Maroon was Caves Beach's colour. One of the boys wearing a maroon blazer was Keven Harman, who was gatecrashing for a laugh but ended up walking Joan home.
They got on quite well, Mrs Harman said, and he took her to the pictures the next Wednesday. Somehow along the way they've managed to jump over the fact that Keven was a member of a rival surf club.
There was no flashy proposal or flashy engagement ring. The money put aside for that helped to pay for Keven's five-day plane trip to Western Australia to compete for the surf ski Australian title instead.
"That was to be my engagement ring money for my 18th," Mrs Harman said.
They were married on June 23, 1951, soon after buying a house in Swansea for 2,500 pound.
After joking about the importance of choosing a partner with warm feet, Mrs Harman said the secret to the success of her long and happy marriage was respect - speaking and listening to each other with respect, and supporting each other in interests and passions.
She has no interest in sport, Mrs Harman said, but would sit on the beach happily to watch and support Keven compete which he did often and successfully.
The front room of the Harmans' family home is decorated with medals, plaques, trophies and awards Mr Harman has won including for breaking several records and representing many sporting codes at district, state, national and international levels.
He is a six-time Australian surf ski medal winner, and was back on the water one year after recovering from a terrible accident in which ultimately he lost his leg at the age of 79 during a masters competition.
As well as being his biggest supporter, Mrs Harman had interests of her own. She was a prolific volunteer who went on to become the founder and president of the Swansea VIEW club and has also been recognised at a federal level for her work, including a national community service award.
On Tuesday the couple came to international attention with a note from King Charles and Queen Camilla congratulating them on their 75th wedding anniversary.
Mr Harman, who is the first to admit he has very little patience, agrees that respect is important, but also nominates patience and tolerance as important qualities of a long and happy marriage.
To celebrate, there will be a family dinner at the home where the couple's three children grew up, with some of their eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
