Vernon and Alicia Taylor recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. (GP)

ON JULY 25, 1957 Vernon and Alicia Taylor started their new life together as husband and wife. Fifty years later, their family gathered in Barbados, along with relatives from the United States to celebrate their golden anniversary.

The Taylors celebrated their golden wedding anniversary by renewing their vows in an intimate ceremony at the
St Christopher's Anglican Church on Sunday, July 29 with priest-in-charge, Rev. Henderson Guy, officiating.

The couples' son, Rev. Sylvester Taylor priest-in-charge of St Barnabas Episcopal Church in Brooklyn,
New York, conducted the ceremony.

In the special service, family and friends watched as the couple gazed lovingly into each other's eyes and pledged their lives to one another, once again.

The ceremony was punctuated with their favourite hymns which another son, Patrick, organist for the evening, played heartily.

The heartfelt tributes paid to the couple through special songs by Alicia Parris, Joycelyn Taylor and Glenda Daniel, and Junior Parris – along with a special dance to Kenny Rogers' classic Through the Years, which was elegantly performed by Simone Taylor, one of the couple's six grandchildren – added a special touch to the occasion.

After the ceremony, family and friends continued the celebrations at a reception at Sunbury Plantation House,
St Philip.