Hitched again, six decades later

COEUR D’ALENE – On the 26th day of October in 1963, Marilyn and Paul Peterson tied the knot at the Hitching Post. Sixty years later, their children and grandchildren surprised them with a vow renewal ceremony at the same place where their marriage began.

One of the Petersons’ granddaughters, Hayley Zisk, wanted to make her grandparents know how much their devotion to one another means to the family and shared how the romance had begun.

“My grandparents both grew up in Wardner, Idaho, just a few houses down from each other. After my grandfather returned from the service — I’m assuming he was ‘seeing’ my grandmother — he told her if she wanted to get married to meet him at the Hitching Post,” Zisk said.

For their first wedding ceremony at the Post, Marilyn bought a new top, skirt, coat, shoes and purse and traveled from Wardner to Coeur d’Alene, where she was met by Paul, who had an orchid corsage for the ceremony. 

On Thursday, they marked their 60th wedding anniversary with what they thought would merely be a photo shoot commemorating the occasion. Instead, on their diamond anniversary, their five children, seven grandchildren (and spouses) and four great-grandchildren surprised them at the Hitching Post by asking them to do it all over again.

The couple laughed when they arrived to find their whole family in attendance and learned what their daughter, Barbie Peterson, had planned.

“It was about this time of day, too,” Paul Peterson recalled.

They had a few minutes before the ceremony began and they dutifully parted before they would exchange their vows for a second time, this time with granddaughter Kortni Peterson as the maid of honor and her father, Mitchell Peterson as the best man. Two great-granddaughters, Ruthie and Charlotte, were their flower girls.

“They kept it secret,” Marilyn said with amazement as she waited for her cue to walk down the aisle.

Paul kept his speech short and sweet as they prepared to say “I do,” once again, saying simply, “Thank you” to his wife of six decades.

“I love you,” Marilyn said, and Paul told her, “I know you do.”

The ceremony concluded as Rev. Donnie Marlar said, “You are now officially newlyweds again.”

As the couple signed their names on the certificate and discussed how the cost of things had changed, Paul joked that he had gotten a good deal paying for the wedding all those years ago.

Afterwards, they placed a lock engraved with their names outside the Hitching Post as a symbol of their vows to one another. With a crowd of family members filling the room at the wedding venue on the big day, Zisk hopes that her grandparents know how much it means to have them in their lives.

“In the world we have today, I am very honored to get to grow up with grandparents like them,” Zisk said.

 Marilyn and Paul Peterson (center) pose with their family after saying "I do" for the second time at the Hitching Post. Children: Denna Peterson, Kelly Baldwin (with spouse, Ronnie), Barbie Peterson, Mitchell Peterson (with spouse, Tricia), and Patricia Burt (with spouse, Steve). Their seven grandchildren are Aaron Baldwin, Kortni Peterson (with spouse, Ryan), Katie Halland, Hayley Red (with spouse, James), McKenzie Moulton (with spouse, Cade), Abigail Peterson and Audra Zisk (with spouse, Josh). Their four great-grandchildren are Karter, Kolten, Ruthie and Charlotte.
 

Paul and Marilyn Peterson reunite during their surprise vow renewal Thursday.
 

 The Petersons conclude the vow renewal ceremony at the Hitching Post and are announced as newlyweds for the second time.
 

 Ruthie gets ready to pass out mini pumpkins and throw flower petals before her great-grandparents renew their vows.