A friend of mine returned from a short holiday with an interesting story of a couple who annually revisit their days of wine and roses - well, champagne and roses to be exact.

She wears a long gown and he is in a morning suit, his top hat sitting next to the roses upon the bench. Sitting in a tropical garden, they are in paradise.

Every woman dreams of the perfect wedding day but once it is over, it is gone forever. For this couple, their wedding day is replayed annually on their special day. Every anniversary she dons the dress she wore for her wedding, they sip champagne and smile together as they relive the day they were joined as life partners.

They celebrate their love and their marriage this way each year and have just marked their tenth re-enactment of their wedding day.

So, what are you doing for your anniversary?

Romance and marriage are no longer thought to be only for young people. Increasingly, seniors are dating and getting married, often throwing elaborate weddings that rival those of first marriages.

Experts agree that there are great emotional and psychological benefits to being married. Research shows that married people are happier and less likely to suffer from depression. This may be especially true of older adults whose families have long ago grown up and are involved in their own lives and families much of the time. Often widows and widowers miss the closeness of a marriage relationship but don’t believe they can find love a second time.

Sharing your life with someone you love brings benefits at any age. This couple recently wed in a retirement home. The groom is 85 and the bride is 92.

Don’t let your age or the opinions of others keep you from finding love, and if you find it, realize you are doubly blessed to have found love the second time around.

If you reach the point in your relationship that you are sure that she is “the one”, the next important step is the proposal.

The most important thing to remember about your proposal is that she will tell the story of how you proposed over and over again to all her friends. She loves you now, of course, but you will score some nice points if you make your proposal the kind of story that makes her friends sigh with envy.

Having a little trouble being creative? How about the old “ring in the wine glass” routine? You could propose in a sports arena at half-time in front of the whole crowd and the cameras (but be very sure of her, this one can go wrong).

If you still haven’t thought of anything original, creative and romantic enough to melt her heart, we’ve arranged for a little help.

Visit these links for some fresh proposal ideas along with a few tried-and-true methods.

Good Luck!

Top 6 Most Romantic Ways to Propose

The Best Creative Ways to Propose

One of my other blogs, Formula 1 Latest, deals with the world of auto racing in its most extreme form, known as Formula One. An important part of that world is the matter of running the show, one of the most complex and political games of international business. And the star of the show is the man who (amongst many other things) hands out the right to televise the races, Bernie Ecclestone.

Once a racer himself, Bernie graduated to team ownership and from there transformed himself into one of the most powerful men in Formula One. Along the way he also became a member of the richest people in the world club; his fortune is counted in billions of dollars.

It is interesting to learn that Bernie, often called “Mr Formula One”, had to pursue his future bride before winning her. In 1984, at the age of 54, Bernie met the 26 year old Croatian model, Slavica Radic, during a Formula One event. Despite being nearly a foot shorter than the 6′ 2″ Slavica, Bernie fell for her and chased her relentlessly. At the time Bernie spoke no Croatian and Slavica spoke only her native tongue and Italian, so the courtship must have been a bit difficult.

Yet, in true determined Ecclestone fashion, Bernie won his bride and they were married. They have two daughters, Tamara and Petra, and the marriage has lasted for more than twenty years. The couple can still be seen at times on the Formula One grid, with Bernie hanging on gamely to his statuesque wife’s arm. A very telling snippet of information is that much of Bernie’s fortune is in Slavica’s name and she holds an important position within the Formula One corridors of power.

Now, if that ain’t a “great romance” I don’t know what is…

Clive