Despite having known each other by sight, Mary and Charles Bezzina only formally introduced themselves to one another at a dance one night in February 1972, when Charles invited his future wife to take to the floor with him. “We were both from Birkirkara – we had met a few times before that night, but it was that first dance which actually brought us together,” says Mary, who was 20 at the time, and Charles 24.

“I was there with two friends and him with his brother, and we agreed to meet again the following day at another dance that was being organised in Rabat,” says Mary. “Of course, we went there separately, and I made sure to buy my own ticket so he wouldn’t think I expected him to buy it for me!”

The couple continued dating until their engagement three years later, which they celebrated with a party at home in 1975, followed by the wedding a year after that on 15th December, 1976. Mass was celebrated at Ta’ L-Ibragg parish church, followed by a seated meal held at the University hall.

“We handled all the wedding preparations ourselves – we had no more than 60 guests, and being such a small wedding, we were able to relax and enjoy the evening fully,” they say. Mass was celebrated by a fellow classmate Charles attended school with as a young boy, while the church music was in the hands of a fellow school teacher and colleague of Mary’s, who led a choir of children from the same school.

The venue provided its own catering, which they say had exceeded their expectations. “We had pre-dinner drinks with canapés and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a three-course dinner which everyone enjoyed, and later moved into a separate room within the same hall to cut the cake,” they explain. “It was a very low-key affair with our closest family and friends, but it is what we wanted and were able to afford at the time.”

The bride wore a simple, elegant gown sewn by her sister, with long sleeves and high cuffs, a flared skirt and hooded cape with a fur trim. “The cape and hood were a little unusual back then, but I enjoyed straying from the norm with my dress sense,” she says. And while the entire evening sailed by without any hiccups, Mary recalls only one small let-down, which she recounts with a heartfelt laugh. “As the bride and groom, we were served slightly different plates to the rest of the guests. The prawn cocktail was having its moment back then, and I was pleased to see that it was being served to guests for starters. I was looking forward to my plate, until they brought us a different dish with sardines instead! Other than that, the entire meal was very pleasant.”

Sitting at the table during the wedding dinner, watching guests eating, drinking and enjoying themselves, was Charles’ favourite part of the evening. “Till this day, when our family is gathered around the table at home or at a restaurant, I get a flashback of that feeling of satisfaction I had on our wedding day, and recall watching everyone having a good time.”

The couple departed for their 18-day honeymoon in London the day after the wedding, which they packed with museum visits, sightseeing and a number of live football matches. Mary and Charles went on to welcome four children, Clive, Konrad, Niki and Christine, and today, they are the proud grandparents of four children. Their advice for a healthy marriage: “patience and understanding,” they say. And after 40 successful years, there’s good reason to believe it.