Retirement case study - Love is in the air at retirement homes development in Hertfordshire

Ken Walker and Brenda White have been together for as long as Retirement Villages has been one of the UK's premier retirement property companies - that's 30 years! But the couple had never actually got around to marriage - until last weekend. The couple became the first in the history of the company to get married at one of its retirement village developments.

Ken, 80, and Brenda, 73, celebrated their union with a special blessing in the Japanese Garden at Castle Village, its development of 150 privately owned properties for over-55s in Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, surrounded by dozens of friends and family members. There really was a sense of community and friendship at the party, with one neighbour running the bar and another baking the wedding cake.

"We wanted it to be a real party and it was just that," says Ken. "We opened the ceremony to the village and over 100 people immediately sais they were coming. It is one big family community where people offer to help and wish you well - our living room is full of cards. It's been an amazing weekend, it couldn't have been any more special."

Having had their ceremony at a registry office, followed by the fabulous party at Castle Village, the couple, who met at work all those years ago, have headed off for their honeymoon on the Scilly Isles.