By TIA PRIEST-WILLIMOTT

When 17-year-old Milutin Paunovic met 17-year-old Ruža on the street in their village in Serbia in 1956, he knew he wanted to marry her. 

The couple are still happily together and preparing to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary in Canberra in February.

As I sat in their Bruce living room and heard their story, a part of me was inspired to believe in the fantastical notion of true love. 

“We met on the road in our village, when I was 17. He just asked me a few questions – not much,” Ruža says.

After their brief encounter, Milutin told his sister-in-law he’d seen Ruža and wanted to marry her. 

“This was on Monday and by the Thursday it was organised and we were married straight away. Married at first sight!” Ruža says. 

Their union in February was simple, with no guests beyond family, no celebrations and no special clothes. 

Ruža and Milutin were just happy to be together. 

“It had been a very big snow and there was only family, no [big] wedding,” Ruža says. 

However, Milutin and Ruža had to wait until they both turned 18 to get their marriage certificate. 

“We married February 2, 1956, and signed the certificate in January 1957,” Milutin says.

The young pair welcomed their first and only child, Slobodan, later in 1957.

Seventy years on from that first meeting, Milutin and Ruža both agree that it feels “easy” to be married for this long.

In fact, their secret to a long and joyful marriage is a lot less complicated than you may think.

“Number one, love each other. Number two, trust each other and always be together. If you need to do something, never do it by yourself, always ask each other,” Milutin says.

“Don’t make each other cranky or upset.” 

Their seven decades together hasn’t been all smooth sailing, with Ruža sharing that, like all couples, they have arguments, too. 

But Milutin has an answer to help keep arguments few and far between. 

“Always be nice and smooth things out,” he says. 

When they were both 34 years old, Milutin and Ruža made the decision to move to Canberra to try a new way of life.

Their strong sense of loyalty made it difficult for them to say goodbye to 17-year-old Slobodan, who was training to be a police officer and wanted to stay in Serbia. 

So, they packed up their bags and made the journey together, equipped with very little English. 

Ruža became a cook at the then new Lakeside Hotel, while Milutin managed to pick up enough English over two years while washing dishes at the restaurant to then land a job welding at S&M Engineering in Fyshwick. 

The pair have been back to Serbia for a holiday twice, but agreed they wanted to stay in Australia, specifically Canberra.

Ten years after they’d moved to Australia, Slobodan and his wife made the move, too – bringing Milutin and Ruža’s first grandchild.

Milutin and Ruža agree that the time they’ve had with their two grandchildren and seven great grandchildren has been some of the best experiences they’ve had over their 70 years of marriage. 

While plans for their wedding anniversary are still being confirmed, it looks like it’ll be a small celebration with family and friends. 

“I’m really happy like that, no need for a big celebration,” Ruža says. 

In just one afternoon chatting with Milutin and Ruža, I was enveloped in the love and support they have given each other over the years. 

But beyond support, their relationship is full of admiration and respect.

Whether it’s the meals Ruža cooks for them, or the items around the house Milutin has welded, or even the thriving fruit-and-vegetable garden they tend together, their love is present every day. 

They have cultivated an everlasting love from such small gestures, that all began with a few simple questions on a street in their home village.