We had so many amazing entries for our June anniversary giveaway and wanted to share a selection of them with you below. They are touching and inspiring from couples at all stages of life. We hope you enjoy!

 

My wife is amazing!  She is not your normal 31 year old woman. We actually met each other in Russia; she was a missionary there and I was on a trip with my church.  Long story short, we ended up falling and love and getting married. Now I could write a book about our life story about how we came together, how the odds were against us, and so on, but that’s not what this is about.  My 31 year old wife had a heart attack on December 7, 2011.  She is a health, in shape woman, which you would never put her and heart attack together. It was a rainy snowy day.  We were going through the busyness of the Christmas season, parties, getting gifts, about to celebrate Christmas for the first time with our seven month old beautiful little girl.  It was such a wonderful time.  And then the unthinkable happened.  My wife was heading home from work after picking up our daughter at her sitters; it was cold and rainy, so she took the back way home, of the interstate, so it would not be so hectic. Then it hit here, she could not breath. Blood coughing started.  Thank God she was on the phone with one of her close friends who said to call 911. So she did. I’m walking out of work and I get a call from a unknown number, which I normally do not answer, and picked up. It was a three-way with the 911 operator and my half breathing wife. I heard her cries, gasps, vomits, and moans.  I was told that an ambulance was on their way to her.  Before it got to bad she pulled over in a subdivision and got out and just laid behind the car so someone would see her to wait, Motionless on the ground waiting for the ambulance while our daughter was in the vehicle.  The ambulance got to her in 3 minutes, which is crazy for the time of day, everyone getting off work and all.  At this point no one knows what is going on.  I tell her I love her and I’m coming with her in the ambulance. I go to move my car out of the middle of the road and when I’m running back I see the ambulance leave. The firefighter says to me “she has to go, she is deteriorating.”   I’m stunned.  On the way to the hospital she flat lines 5 times and is shocked back to life.  Thank God I did not see that!   She gets to the hospital, they try to stabilize her. No one knows what is going on with a 28 year old’s heart.  Long story shorter, they finally decide to do a heart cath on her. They see a very rare, hardly ever diagnosed condition. SCAD – Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.  The doctor is searching online and using other sources to figure out what to do.  Pretty much a vein in her heart split and caused a clot of blood. They tell me at first she will be incubated for a while and in hospital for 3-4 weeks; this will be a long process.  But, she recovers miraculously. We walk out hand in hand less than a week later.  The doctors say its due to her age and the great shape she is in, but I give it to God’s age and the shape He is in.  And that is how my wife puts it every day.  So to get onto the anniversary. On December 28th, 2011, I was so blessed to just have my wife at my side. When all odds were against her, God had a plan through this. We had a wonderful evening together; eating dinner at home, relaxing with our daughter!  It may not seem like grand plans, but we had each other that Anniversary.

 

Our best celebration, was probably our last anniversary. We had moved to a very small house with three kids, and my husband found places for them to stay the night and he made us a wonderful steak dinner, it showed me how much he loved and cared for me, even though we couldn’t afford to take a trip. God has truly blessed me:)

Looking back as we are getting ready to celebrate 15 years in August ….there have never been any big celebrations but we have always taken time to make it meaningful with some type of acknowledgement to recognize God’s continued faithfulness in our lives. I think the anniversary after we had our first child -our 6th-was very memorable. We went to a resort close by for 2 days and enjoyed a time of rest, relaxation after surviving a very joyful yet life changing 9 months!

We have a large blended family with multiple children. Our celebrations have always doubled as family vacations. As much fun as we’ve had. This year will be our best celebration ever! Just the two of us, a nice room away from home and a little peace and quiet. Looking forward to our romantic B&B get away!

Our first anniversary we had dinner at home just the two of us it was a candlelight dinner may not have been extravagant but it was my favorite one we had and I have loved all our anniversaries.

In 1996 received mail for one year telling me about a “Precious Moments” conference in NYCity and my husband signed us up to attend.  For one year my husband planned every detail of this to make me “think” I was going to NY for a conference.  The time came for our 10 year anniversary so we rented a car and headed toward NYCity only to make a small “detour” at the Pocons Resorts!!!  We stayed 4 nights and during that time he had me 10 gifts (one for each year we were married).  The most memorable gift was a quilt that my mother embroidered with the past 10 years of our life.  (our children s hands/feet, our first home, the place we were married, etc.)  to end this very nice surprise my hubby had our pastor tape a renewal of vows video so we renewed our vows right there in our room and of course he topped that off with an anniversary ring with 10 perfect diamonds that I still to this day wear to remember that very, very special time.

Our 8th was very special…not that the things we did ,or were we were, was anything extra ordinarily, I believe it was our heart to heart talks,and things we had faced together that year that brought out the gaiety and fun!it was a bed and breakfast in Smithville with a water wheel and we went on a hike and they had a huge waterfall and we both went underneath the falls and just laughed and laughed and had a wonderful time like two kids instead of grown ups! I lost my first husband when I was only married 3 years with two little ones so   Married life to me is a gift every day and I am so blessed and grateful to our God and Heavenly Father for my husband Pete and the new life that God has given us ,we have two more small children now together and just celebrated our 11th anniversary at Whitestone our first time end of May…. JUST LOVED IT!

My husband and I have only been married 4 years. We got married at Whitestone and on our 3rd anniversary, we came back and stayed at Whitestone. We have traveled for each of our other anniversaries, but it was particularly special bc about three years into marriage you get really relaxed and comfortable and sometimes the spark dwindles but being back where we said our vows was so special and having dinner with couples of all ages and anniversary ranges was amazing. It wasn’t our most extravagant anniversary celebration, but definitely most special and memorable.

Our 50th wedding anniversary was here in Dayton, TN. It was a large gathering from people all over the country. At the end our children gave us a present for a trip to Europe. That was exciting becaue we saw the houses where our ancestry came from.

We will be celebrating our first anniversary this year!
This year will be our first anniversary! We got married 4 years to the day he first told me he loved me!
“Our best anniversary celebration happened almost 7 years ago on our 7th anniversary. I was 39 weeks pregnant with our 2nd child, a daughter. Our plans were to go to the next town to go out to eat following my weekly prenatal check-up. Since I was almost two weeks overdue with our first child when I had to be induced, I was totally not expecting to be sent to the hospital for delivery at 39 weeks!  But, due to some complications, that is what happened. (We did grab a bite to eat first, since it was not an emergency.).We were half expecting her to be born on our anniversary, but she made her entrance an hour and 4o minutes too late.  Most people would not think this sounds like a good anniversary, but after having multiple miscarriages, we were so thankful to the Lord that our beautiful miracle, Lydia Grace, was born healthy, that it made our celebration even more special-and she should never forget her parents’ anniversary! 🙂
P.S. We’re excited to be spending our anniversary there next month!”

My husband and I will be married for eight years on November 24 and we have never been on a trip for our anniversary. We are expecting our first child after five years of trying and we would love to have a little baby moon before our baby arrives in September. I found out about y’all in an article from Southern Living magazine several years ago and we have both wanted to come visit ever since.
“every year is the same flowers and dinner!

Spending 5 days in the Great Smokey Mountains just the 2 of us for our 25 year anniversary.  Wonderful time relaxing – hiking – checking out the wildlife at Cade’s Cove – just being together outside of our normal routine.

Our 25th!! Given to us by our children and it was a surprise! It was over the top..cake, music, food galore and an amazing memory we will never forget!
Would love to have a aniversary that we can say was great.I believe here we can find that special day.
It would probably be our first anniversary because we were able to spend it at Whitestone.  When we first came to Whitestone on our honeymoon, I had a broken foot and did not get to explore very much. When we returned for our first anniversary, we were able to enjoy more of our favorite place to getaway.

My husband surprised me once and took me to a cabin at a ranch. Before we went though he made a special trip and took roses and had them everywhere on bed and in room. It was just beautiful. We stayed overnight ate dinner and breakfast. Walked miles went swimming, watched the horses, he pushed me on a huge tree swing. It was something I’ll never forget.

“My wife and I have been married now for 5.5 years. It is sometimes difficult for us to celebrate our anniversary near actual anniversary because it is so close to Christmas and Holiday get togethers. Well, my favorite anniversary so far is our 2nd Anniversary. You may think wow, 2 years, but it is more than just that.

My wife, Allison, and I just celebrated our first anniversary this past Saturday.  Since I have a 7 year-old son from a prior marriage, I felt that it was important for Allison and I to have a “date night” dinner with just “us,” so I checked around for babysitter’s and thankfully, my in-laws were gracious enough to watch him and allow him to spend the night.  So we went out to their house and B got to play in the lake and then Allison and I went to eat a nice, quiet, romantic dinner in Knoxville. Then we were able to go home and share our top layer of wedding cake that we had frozen and it was just as delicious as we had remembered!  All in all, it was a wonderful anniversary and she and I are grateful to share this life together!

So I haven’t been married long enough to have anniversaries as July 4th this year will make 1 year of marriage.  Despite that I’d like to share our story. I had my first date with my hubby on Feb 23 2013.  A month later on March 23rd he took me out on a defining date for us to the Melting Pot.  I’d never been the mushy type to celebrate “monthaversaries” or anything of the sort and as a woman in her 30s I thought maybe I was being a little juvenile to be so thrilled with the gesture.  But still, I was blown over that he was making a point to remember.  As the months followed he’d often do little gestures on the 23rd, small flower bouquets at my desk that he’d drive to my office early and leave before I got in, a special dinner, etc. The 23rd of every month became a day to remember that we were still together after that first date.  On Feb 23 2014 at a birthday dinner for my grandfather with all of our family around (including my two children he’d come to love) he asked me to be his wife.  We were married a few months later on July 4th but our 23rds still felt special.  On Oct 23 2014 I was able to make his night one to remember and share with him and all our family that we were expecting a baby that is due on all days but June 23rd.  It is silly but when I found out from the doctor that we were due on a 23rd I was just tickled pink.  People might think we are silly but now just 2 weeks away from that day I hope the baby does come on a day that is a reminder that something so wonderful started on the 23rd day of the month.

I would have to say that 2yrs ago we came to Whitestone and stayed 2nights for our anniversary. Being parents of 2 children, who are now teenagers, we do not get the chance to celebrate our anniversary with an overnight stay very often. We took advantage of your 50% off discount for school system employees and was the best decision we have made!! Steve works out of town through the week, so spending time together relaxing, walking the grounds or laying in the hammock is the perfect way to recharge and reconnect! I love to sunbathe and relax and had told Steve….”Man, this place would be perfect if it had a pool!”. So we are super excited for the pool to be a new addition!!!! We have stayed 2 other times since then and it is always our first choice when we have a little extra money and time to get away!!

On our 50th celebration our son Kevin, gave us two nights in a cabin in the mountains.  Our other son, ken gave us gifts cards so we could go out to eat. They spent time with us & this is a blessing for our Children to spend time with us. Brenda gave us many gifts, a picture frame that had the date of 50th celebration!

“On our 25th I planned a surprise cruise. What made it really fun was all the people who helped. She is a nurse and their schedule is up on the wall – her boss made it look like she was on for the week. We woke up and I told her to pack up for tropical weather and gave her the tickets. It was a great celebration even when they lost our luggage. The cruise line put me in a tux and her in a formal for the Captains dinner as well as some money to spend in the gift shop.

It was in Peru when we were living there serving the Lord as full time missionaries.  We went to dinner in Lima, and my sweet husband hailed a horse and driver for us to have a carriage ride through the streets in the evening.  Since it was in December, and it was warm in Lima, we fully enjoyed the evening, Christmas lights, and quiet time together.  It was our 34th anniversary and one I will never forget because we don’t do things for ourselves, we seem to put others first!

We honeymooned in New Hampshire which is absolutely beautiful. We were fortunate enough to go back there for our Anniversary a few years ago which was splendid. We were able to trace some of our steps from our Honeymoon which was a lot of fun and brought back great memories. I have always referred to New Hampshire as heaven on earth and when we came to Whitestone  last year I said the same thing about your beautiful Inn.  Winning this contest would be a blessing and would be the next best thing as returning to New Hampshire again!”

The best anniversary celebration we have had was actually last year on our visit to Whitestone.  We stayed at the Lion and Lamb in the beautiful room and enjoyed sitting on the little deck and gazing at the water, watching the horses and birds, and just enjoying the peacefulness.  It was so relaxing and we were so rejuvenated.  The meals were absolutely scrumptious! We enjoyed walking around the grounds and swinging on the swings on the patio at the farmhouse.  We cannot wait to go back!

In 2006 we celebrated our 50th anniversary in Ireland, a delightful experience!  We were able to visit sites where our ancestors lived and the beautiful and historic countryside.  And the people were wonderful.

My wife and I celebrated our 7th anniversary at the same place where we got married, the Whitestone Inn.  She was pregnant with our first child, and we just enjoyed relaxing and being together.  We also enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

I JUST had it last night, so this was such a fun email to see today.  My husband and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary last night by camping at the Elkmont Campground in the Smokies, where we saw the synchronized fireflies.  Just gorgeous!  What a magical experience.

My husband and I traveled to Europe before starting a family and ate dinner in the Eiffel Tower. It was a trip of a life time and worth saving our pennies for 5 years!

The best is yet to come! We are looking forward to celebrating out 50th wedding anniversary with you at The Whitestone Inn in three weeks! We’ve really never done anything much special to celebrate after the first anniversary, but this year we are going to CELEBRATE!  God has blessed us with 50 years that encompassed the totality of our vows, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. Not too sure I’ve always followed the vow of obedience. We are soooo looking forward to making our days with you THE BEST anniversary ever!

Our best anniversary celebration was actually a quiet dinner just shy of our son’s 2 month birthdate. The first two months of his life were honestly a nightmare. Lots of tests and sleepless days and nights. Finally, the Lord answered our prayers and our son had surgery on his stomach. That year our anniversary was just a quiet dinner alone but it meant so much more. Our son is now 2 years old and perfectly fine. Such a huge blessing.
For our 10 year anniversary, I started 10 weeks prior to our anniversary, with a clue/reminder from each year of our anniversary, with a small associated gift that ultimately led to giving my wife a new iPad loaded with an itinerary for our surprise trip the Northeast for a week!
On our 4th anniversary, we celebrated for a week on the west coast of Jamaica. We stayed at The Hidden Paradise Resort in Negril. The environment was so relaxing; our evening meals were at the restaurant on the beach where we were able to watch the beautiful sunsets.

5 years ago our four children, family, and friends gave us a most memorable and generous gift. It was a dream come true trip to Hawaii and a cruise around the islands with The Gaither Homecoming singing groups. We celebrated our 39th anniversary there and renewed our wedding vows on a beach in Honolulu. It is a precious memory but we know that the special people who made this trip possible are the real gift in our lives. We are so blessed and so thankful!

Our 20th anniversary approached in a long, dry season of unemployment and stress. Wanting to make it special, I saved up to buy a couple of steaks and made arrangements for the kids to be elsewhere.  🙂  However, the kids were very involved in the preparation of the table and were my videographer/photographer for the special moment when their Dad came home…led into our living room with eyes closed.  They captured the moment when he opened his eyes to see me in my wedding gown (not worn since our wedding). Our kids were witness to a very special moment in our lives…one we all will never forget.  Our daughter (then 15) surprised us leaving an amazing letter of tribute for us to read over our candlelight dinner.

Can’t believe another year has passed and until I began to fill out this form, I did not realize that today is our 48th wedding anniversary!  My husband, Marshall, and I have no outstanding memorable anniversary years except that usually it’s teasing each other about who recalls it first.  This time I am ahead of him!!  For many years, we never forgot because our small rural church always printed special occasions in the church bulletin, and that served as a reminder. We are both just grateful to be healthy, active senior adults and to have had 48 wonderful years as a couple.  Thanks

“My husband and I will be married for one year this coming Sunday on June 7th. With this being our first anniversary, I have to think that this one will be one of the most memorable no matter how we celebrate it. I’m entering this contest because we were lucky enough to spend our honeymoon at Whitestone Inn last June. My husband surprised me with where we were going, and Whitestone was the perfect place to relax after a very busy couple of weeks leading up to the wedding. Not only did we love the beauty and solitude of the grounds, the food was amazing! The perfect way to celebrate our anniversary would include relaxing on the grounds, and eating the BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE we have ever had in our lives. No chocolate cake we’ve had since Whitestone holds a candle to what we had there. The chocolate cake from Whitestone is a source of conversation for my husband and I. We tell each other that one day we will make it back to enjoy it… it just hasn’t happened yet! Until we can taste that chocolate cake again, our taste buds will not be satisfied. Whitestone Inn+Chocolate Cake= The most memorable 1st anniversary :)”

When I was younger, I came to Whitestone a number of times because my mother played violin for many weddings there. I always loved it and when it came time for me to get married, Whitestone was my only choice. My best anniversary celebration ever was our first anniversary a few years ago when my wife and I came back to Whitestone to spend a few days together. It was such a special time because we got to reminisce about our wedding day as we walked the grounds and all the sweet memories from that day. Whitestone will always have a special place in our hearts!

My best anniversary would be are first. It’s not necessarily because of what we did on that day but because we did not know if we would get too see are first anniversary. A month and half after we were married I was diagnosed with cancer. So when we got to are first anniversary it was amazing day. We went back to the spot we got married had a picnic. Remembered the wedding day and everything we have been through that year. The day was great! This year it will be 6 years to some people that might not seem like a long time. But my husband and I have been threw more in these short years than some have been threw in 20. So blessed to have my husband. He is truly a gift from God.

Last year we were given a night at Whitestone for our anniversary and it was also our first night away from our daughter who was 5 months old at the time. It was so relaxing! I got an amazing massage, we did a carriage ride, and just enjoyed the peaceful scenery and each other.

We married in 1967. In 1987 for our 20th when my husband was pastor in Tempe AZ, we took our two teen daughters up the west coast, into Canada, and back through Yellowstone. We drove an old VW Vanagon he bought as salvage and worked for months making it useable for the trip. It broke down on the Golden Gate bridge but Mr. fix It was able to get the part and repair it in the motel parking lot. We made sure our trip to Yellowstone was on our actual anniversary, 8/11, as we stood there and viewed “Old Faithful!” That’s what we still are now nearly 48 years later, retired and blessed.

After perhaps the most difficult year of our marriage, we celebrated our 14th anniversary at Whitestone.  I surprised my wife with the trip and we had the carriage ride, a picnic, flowers in the room, and chocolates.  We also had one of the best meals of our lives – I had the sea bass.  By the time we left, we were MUCH closer than when we came.  Just spending quiet time together made all the difference in the world.

In 33 years we have had some great anniversary celebrations….a few even at Whitestone Inn! My favorite anniversary gift from my husband came from the Dollar Store! It was during a time of unemployment and he bought a bag of Candles, knowing that I was holding off on buying new candles ! A simple, but special, surprise!

We were blessed to enjoy our 10 year anniversary at Whitestone. We enjoyed the scenery and the quiet times we were able to enjoy all of the beautiful things that was offered at Whitestone. We were able to enjoy a massage, a carriage ride, time on the lake, and time fishing. It was very relaxing and is a great place for couples to spend together. We are so thankful for a place like Whitestone.

Our twentieth anniversary I surprised my husband and he did not know we were going there till we got to the barn entrance. I told him we were going out to dinner. We pulled up and he said this is Whitestone and not the place we were going to eat at . I said well let’s just stay the night here . We have reservations . He said what about clothes ? I told him I packed them while he was in the shower . He said what about the kids ? He said I guess you took care of that too !!!! I said yes I did . He was totally surprised and our stay was beyond wonderful !  We have benn there several times since .
Festivities w/ friends ‘n family and all the various animal members of loved ones families.  TOPS for fun!!
Our 15th Anniversary, we decided to renew our wedding vows at Whitestone! It was a simple service in the gazebo outside of the chapel with Paul officiating. We had our immediate family, including our kids, out with us to celebrate with dinner afterward. When you get married there is so much you don’t know, but after 15 years when you willingly renew those vows before God with the person you know better than anyone, and who knows you, it is a beautiful feeling. I will always remember that anniversary as my favorite!
5 years ago our four children, family, and friends gave us a most memorable and generous gift. It was a dream come true trip to Hawaii and a cruise around the islands with The Gaither Homecoming singing groups. We celebrated our 39th anniversary there and renewed our wedding vows on a beach in Honolulu. It is a precious memory but we know that the special people who made this trip possible are the real gift in our lives. We are so blessed and so thankful!

On our 15th anniversary, Paul renewed the vows of David and I.  This was very important to us because of the church and Pastor that originally married us, and how David and I have grown as a couple and in our faith.

A 10 day trip to Colorado for our 25th beautiful countryside- quality time spent together  viewing God’s beauty !

“I think it was about our 5th wedding anniversary, my husband’s parents took us out for a nice dinner at the Whitestone resort. Before dinner we took a nice and relaxed walk and when we walked into the chapel, my mother in law gave us a hand made family recipe book with lots of family pictures and recipes from each female member of our family. Then we had a nice dinner at the dining room. That was the most memorable and special
anniversary.”

Stayed at Das Essenhaus in Middlebury, Indiana, for many anniversaries and they were all our favorite. 🙂 Drove the country roads in Amish country, bird watched, admired the horses, and visited the Amish-run cheese factory. Returned to Das Essenhaus for Amish-cooked roast beef (beef Manhattan) sandwiches and fabulous desserts. The best? Red raspberry cream pie.

It’s hard to believe it was 15 years ago, but we had a mini-family reunion as we celebrated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary at Whitestone. We had a large buffet dinner in the Lion & Lamb, which was wonderful, and full of fun and stories. Then the local guests went home and all the out-of-towners adjourned to the Farmhouse (I think we booked all but one of the rooms there). It was like a giant slumber party. I can’t thank you enough for those precious memories. We lost my Dad last year, just a few months after their 64th anniversary. But all of us in the family still remember the great times we’ve enjoyed at Whitestone Country Inn. Thanks for all you do!