The 88 and 86-year-old were married in Cheviot on September 6, 1958.
It is a day recalled with fondness by the couple - but it did not start well.
Annette recalls there was a cold wind blowing, while Murray recalled a car crash on the way to the ceremony.
"My favourite cousin, who was my best man, was driving us into Cheviot in my uncle’s, his dad’s, Jag," Murray said.
"We had a crash on a corner in the hills.
"The rural mailman who had been married just the week before, so must have still been in love, ran into us.
"No one was injured but my uncle wasn't too impressed with the dings in the Jag."
Annette said her mother made her wedding dress. "Mum was good at sewing. My bridesmaids’ dresses were a lavender colour."
After the ceremony and celebrations, the couple headed off on a two-day honeymoon at Hanmer Springs.
Today they look back on their married life together and feel lucky.
"We are extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to reach 65 years together," Murray said.
"The years have slipped by quickly.
"Our health has been pretty good and that is the greatest stroke of good fortune we could have."
The couple have both been golfers, while today Murray also enjoys curling and pool.
They said being married was a bit like life itself - there are challenges, but they can be worked through.
"I have had people say to me that they have never had an argument in their marriage. I certainly can't say that," Murray said.
"(The secret) is to work through whatever, work through the challenges, and move on," he added.
Just five to six weeks before marrying, Murray had taken up a position on a farm in the Ashburton District.
He and Annette packed up the car and came to Ashburton after the honeymoon.
"We arrived around 5.30pm on the Tuesday afternoon," Murray said.
"There were no restaurants open.
"So the first meal we had as a married couple here was from Scott’s pie cart."
Murray had earlier been living near Annette’s home town of Cheviot, where he had gained experience in dryland stock farming after leaving school.
It was his dream to be a farmer that inspired their move to Ashburton.
They started at a "difficult" property at Ashton, where, in the first year, Murray had to rid the farm of 4000 rabbits.
Annette said she has enjoyed her married life supporting and caring for the couple’s children.
They said they were fortunate today to have both their son and daughter living close by, and their three grandchildren all living in New Zealand.
Giving back to their community has been something that has been important in the Andersons’ life.
Murray spent 24 years in Ashburton District local government, including nine years as mayor from 1995.
His service was recognised with a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2005.
For 25 years, Annette walked the corridors of Ashburton Hospital on a weekly basis, pouring cups of tea, chatting to patients and bringing a cheery smile, in her role as a Friend of Ashburton Hospital.
Over their 65 years of marriage they recall with happy memories many of the people they have met from actor Sam Neill to former United States president Bill Clinton.
But they said their happiest memories were of each other, their children and their grandchildren.
By Dellwyn Moylan
