Today's post in my Life After the Dress series is a little different to those you may have read so far. To read all of their other interviews, click here. Today I am going to be introducing you to one of the most precious people in my life, my Gran.

My dear sweet Gran is a very private person, and when I first asked her to be part of this series she very graciously declined, but after some serious arm pulling, she agreed to write me a little email response to my questions. I wanted to post what she wrote to me as it is so inspirational, and well, being married for 57 years is just such a wonderful accomplishment (is accomplishment even the right word to use here?).

May all of us married women have a marriage as prosperous and loving (and as long!) as theirs.

My grandparents have been happily married for 57 years. He was her best friend’s brother and they started dating at the tender age of 17, finally marrying at 26, after my Grandfather (Charles) qualified as a dentist.

"We have four lovely children and are still happily married – now with 7 lovely grandchildren!

'After the dress' we were very much in love and I was happy to marry and spend the rest of my life with my new husband. I regarded married life as a “vocation”, bringing up the children and looking after my husband.

Life for both of us was very busy — Charles in practise and me running the home — I was fortunate in not having to go out to work but mostly it felt like “running a small hotel singlehanded” to quote a friend of mine!

But we had lots of fun. We have a lot in common and enjoyed our tennis, music, good friends, weekends away with the children, holidays at the cottage and so many things go into making a happy home life!

Of course there were ups and downs along the way but nothing we could not sort out together; having our religion in common is a big plus for us too.

'A pearl of wisdom' to quote my beautiful sweet mother “ Tis loving and giving that makes Life worth living”; this is very true".

Thank you Granny, I love you very much xxx