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91-year-old couple who met at a senior home prove it's never too late to find love and marry

"He didn't get down on one knee because he might not have been able to get back up!"

Cecily Knobler

Warren and Sandy pose for a photo.

At 91 years old, many feel the odds are against them for falling in love with someone brand new—especially once they’ve moved into a senior living facility. And yet…

Sandy and Warren were married for over 50 years. The thing is, not to each other. They each lived full, beautiful lives with their spouses but lost them years ago. Life went on with both of them having fulfilling years brimming with kids, grandkids, friendships, volunteer work, and church. Perhaps they each thought new love, like lightning, couldn't possibly strike in the same place twice.

That is until one day when their eyes locked. They were on the Reserve at North Dallas Senior Living facility van, en route to their respective churches (his, Northpark Presbyterian; hers, Trinity Fellowship). The van driver, Chad, asked if they knew one another, and they didn't. But just like that...they did.

"The very first thing I noticed about him," Sandy shares, "was his head full of white hair. It was beautiful! A little bit later on, I noticed his piercing blue eyes." She laughs and adds, "I'm not sure what he thought about me!"

Warren jumps in as they're on speakerphone. "She just enticed me! Her overall appearance and her hair all nice." Here, Sandy (who is all of us in this moment) eggs him on. "My smile?" And he concurs, "It's terrific and so welcoming. And I thought that was outstanding. So one thing led to another and we seemed to gravitate toward each other."

senior citizen, elderly, love, hope, marriage Warren and Sandy happily post after signing their marriage license. Photo Credit: Mickie McGregor

Two weeks later, on Valentine's Day to be exact, Sandy was having breakfast in the dining hall. Warren asked if he could join her at her table. Sandy beams, "Ever since, we've been an item!"

They were essentially the prom king and queen of the senior home. Their time together began to multiply. They "Netflix and Chill," of course, but they go out, too. Warren was especially excited to take her to a Casa de Vida gathering, which is an Alzheimer's respite program where he volunteers every week through his church.

Each minute spent together was making them more and more certain they'd found their "person." One day, as they were cruising (with Sandy on a walker) down the long hallways that lead to the elevator, Warren had something on his mind. "I don't know what got into me, but I decided I'd been meaning to tell her something. She was getting ready to get on the elevator and I said, 'I think I'm beginning to fall in love with you.' That kind of shocked her!"

Sandy jokes that at the time, she said "Do what?" Because it was the elevator and many others might soon be joining them, she told Warren, "Okay, let's talk about this tomorrow! So we did…and here we are."

love, senior living, hope, marriage, life Sandy poses for a photo.Cecily Knobler

Next thing they knew, they were ordering wedding bands! Their love is so strong, it kind of blurs the details of the actual proposal. Sandy shares, "We were sitting on the couch and it seemed like we were talking about cuddling and I probably said something to the effect of, 'Well I want more.' There was no big proposal, we just kinda knew we loved each other and wanted to be together and live together. So that's how it kinda happened."

So, he didn't get on bended knee? Sandy laughs, "No, because he might not be able to get back up!"

They will be joined by many of their family members (who Sandy points out "highly approve" of the union) at a private ceremony with Warren's pastor. The celebratory reception at The Reserve will be held soon after, which they love for both sentimental and practical reasons.

"Since most people who live there don't drive," Sandy pointed out, "having it there will enable them to come. But it will also enable me, if I want to come to my apartment and take a rest."

They both agree, holding back joyful tears, that their meeting was divine intervention. Sandy shares, "We know that God has put us together. We're very thankful for that and feel blessed. For whatever time we have left, we want to be together and share our memories and our love."

love, senior living, hope, church, marriage Sandy and Warren fell in love post 80. Cecily Knobler

"We'd love to be a good example to other couples," Sandy imparts. "And my advice to everyone is—to never, ever give up."

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Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard reveal why they regularly discuss people they're attracted to

"He pauses the Olympics on a lot of runners."

via The Walt Disney Company / Flickr
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard open up about being attracted to other people - and why that's OK

In a relationship, it can be a little uncomfortable when a super attractive person comes on the TV. Maybe a beautiful actress or a handsome athlete. How couples handle these moments can actually tell you a lot about them and their relationship. Do they talk about it? Squirm in silence?

One of the ways to tell if you're in a healthy relationship is whether you and your partner are free to talk about other people you find attractive. For many couples, bringing up such a sensitive topic can cause some major jealousy.

dax shepard, kristen bell, celebrity couples, frozen, armchair expert, marriage, marriage advice, couples therapy, relationship tips OK, maybe don't do this around your partner. Or ever. Giphy

Of course, there's a healthy way to approach such a potentially dangerous topic. Telling your partner you find someone else attractive shouldn't be about making them feel jealous. It's probably also best that if you're attracted to a coworker, friend, or their sibling, that you keep it to yourself.

But, being open about your sexual feelings, can be a way to spice things up in the bedroom and to let your partner know what you like.

Actress and mental health advocate Kristen Bell admits that she and her husband, actor Dax Shepard, have learned how to be open about their attraction to other people.


dax shepard, kristen bell, celebrity couples, frozen, armchair expert, marriage, marriage advice, couples therapy, relationship tips Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are one of the most relatable couples in Hollywood.By MingleMediaTVNetwork - Kristen Bell, CC BY-SA 2.0

The couple believes that being able to talk about such taboo topics without making each other jealous is a great way to preserve their relationship.

"He can tell me someone he finds attractive, female or male, 'cause he pauses the Olympics on a lot of runners, but it doesn't make me feel like he's going to leave me for that person because I'm not allowing my self-esteem to be affected," she explained.

Bell believes that it's completely normal and healthy for people in monogamous relationships to be attracted to other people.

"I know there are people on planet Earth that are more attractive than me, and well, we're not dead. I have to acknowledge we're monkeys," Bell said. As an attractive, famous couple working in Hollywood, there is extra pressure for them to be able to handle their jealousy.

Some couples might choose to keep their attraction to others a little closer to the vest, and that's OK, too. But if you feel like you have to lie or pretend that no one else on the planet is good looking, well, your relationship may have some communication issues to examine.

The couple has also done a good job at accepting the fact that Bell is the primary bread-winner in the family. Studies show men have higher levels of stress if their wives earn more than 40% of their home's combined income.

About a third of women in the U.S. make more than their husbands.

While Shepard has had a successful career, acting in films such as "Idiocracy" and "Without a Paddle," Bell has starred in some major hits including, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and the "Bad Moms" films.

She's also made a pretty penny voicing Princess Anna in Disney's "Frozen" franchise. Shephard's work on his successful podcast "Armchair Expert" has no doubt been a big boon for their family, but come on: Bell's got Disney money!

dax shepard, kristen bell, celebrity couples, frozen, armchair expert, marriage, marriage advice, couples therapy, relationship tips Kristen Bell plays Anna in Frozen, so her career has been going OK. Giphy

"I think I've always out-earned him," Bell said about their careers. "I got a lot of opportunity, you're sharing in it, we're able to provide for a ton of our family members who may or may not be struggling," she continued, as if addressing Shepard. "I don't look at it like, 'This is mine and this is yours.' I'm like, 'This is ours. Get over it.'"

Bell and Shepard have also worked through his very public battles with addiction, including a relapse after a motorcycle accident in 2020. FHE Health writes, "Bell shared [at the time] that Dax was forthcoming with her about falling back into the desire to use and communicated that he wanted her help coming up with a new plan for how to keep him sober."

Bell believes that the couple's ability to get over petty jealousy is one way to make sure their unique relationship stands the test of time. But it's not just about suppressing jealousy. It's about open, honest communication; even when it's hard or uncomfortable. That, truly, is one of the bedrocks of a successful marriage.

"Do you want to be on the porch with someone when you're 80?" Bell asked. "We both want that."

No one knows the inner workings of anyone else's relationship, of course, but from the outside, Bell and Shepard sure seem like great role models for how to keep love alive in a longterm marriage.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.


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Couple's viral Elvis wedding shows what happens when an extrovert marries an introvert

The minute she began belting he was fleeing the scene.

@ortaledri/TikTok

Proof that opposites attract.

A video of a Vegas wedding, wherein a bride appears to be chasing down her groom while belting out Elvis’ “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You,” not only went mega-viral on social media, it incited a perpetual flurry of negative comments.

Upon first glance, perhaps some of the conclusions people jumped to were understandable. First off, you’ve got a Vegas wedding, Elvis and all—which tends to lend itself to the stereotype of rushed or even forced nuptials.

Second, even in the onscreen text, the bride wrote “you decided to surprise your camera-shy husband with a wedding song and you had to chase him down the chapel because he disappeared on you."

With these factors in mind, it’s no wonder that people saw the little-over-a-minute-long clip and thought the husband might not want to be part of the ceremony at all, or that the wife was pressuring him in some way.

Watch:

@ortaledri Surprising my shy husband with his favorite Elvis song at our Vegas wedding ended up Elvis enjoyed it more 😭 #canthelpfallinginlove #elvis #wedding #elvispresley ♬ original sound - Ortal Edri

Needless to say, comments looked a little something like this:

“Bro looks like he would rather be in a dentist’s chair..!”

“Poor guy looks so uncomfortable.”

“This looks like his worst nightmare.”

“Is he marrying you willingly?”

However, after talking to Ortal Edri and Shamir Fink—the bride and groom, respectively—folks might be compelled to think that nothing all that questionable was going on at all. Rather, it was simply a case of an extrovert marrying an introvert (something many of us can relate to).

Turns out, both Edri and Fink met making music (Edri is a professional singer and Fink a producer). For over twelve years, they’ve been recording out of their Blue Fire Studio, where they work as a team. Edri told Upworthy that for every live performance she does, Fink is there with her, running sound.

Having only a few days to prepare, Edri, who knew she wanted to surprise Fink by singing at the ceremony, chose to sing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to honor Fink’s late father, who was a “big fan of Elvis and loved that song” according to Today.

On the big day, Edri recalls that there were nerves, excitement (and drinks) involved, for both parties. But she went on with the surprise as planned, and tried to “take the lead” to “ease the pressure” from her groom, who was already a little "overwhelmed."

Fink, who normally stays far away from the spotlight, was reacting more to being filmed than anything else. It was the first time he has been in a video with Edri, after all.

Knowing this, the clip tells a slightly different story. After all, it’s not uncommon for introverts and extroverts to be attracted to the opposing energies of their partners. As psychologist and podcaster Abby Medcalf PhD explains, the challenge normally is found in maintaining the relationship since each person has “different wants and needs.” One partner wants to go out when the other wants to stay at home, for example. Or in this case, one partner wants to be center stage with a mic in hand and the other wants to stay behind the scenes.

However, Medcalf says that harmony is established when partners don’t try to change each other, but instead make agreements and/or compromises that honor those differences. Part of that might mean getting out of our respective social comfort zone from time to time.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

While Edri noted that the video did receive a lot of hate, she and Fink also received an “incredible amount of support, love, and encouragement.”

“Many people, especially couples who are opposites, connected to the video and told us how much it made them smile. It was a great reminder that opposites really do complement each other. If we were both the type to want the spotlight, it probably wouldn’t work!”

Just goes to show that a small video never tells the whole story. For other introvert/extrovert relationships out there—the world might not understand, but as long as you understand each other, that’s what counts.

As for Edri and Fink—they are currently working on a debut album. Follow them on TikTok and Instagram to know when it’s released.














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Survey of 3,000 couples reveals striking link between wedding costs and 'Happily Ever After'

More proof that money can't buy happiness.

via PixaBay
"I now pronounce you, in debt. You may kiss the bride."

In 1964, Paul McCartney of the Beatles famously sang, “I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love.” While Mr. McCartney’s sentiments were definitely a major foreshadowing of the hippie, free-love movement that was to come in the ‘60s, it appears as though he was also onto a big truth that wouldn’t be proven for another 50 years.

11 years ago, researchers Hugo M. Mialon and Andrew Francis-Tan from Emory University embarked on the first study to determine whether spending a lot on a wedding or engagement ring meant a marriage would succeed or fail.

The pair wanted to see if the wedding industry was being honest when it came to claims that the more money a couple spends, the more likely they are to stay together.

“The wedding industry has consistently sought to link wedding spending with long-lasting marriages. This paper is the first to examine this relationship statistically,” the researchers wrote.

wedding costs, expensive weddings, wedding rings, weddings, marriage, love, family, research, psychology, culture Maybe don't splurge on the big balloon release. Photo by Álvaro CvG on Unsplash

The researchers carried out online surveys with more than 3,000 people who have been married at least once and live in the United States.

After reviewing the answers to the questionnaire the researchers learned that spending big bucks on a wedding and engagement ring made a couple more likely to get divorced.

So much for the idea that "Diamonds are a girl's best friends." Thanks a lot, Marilyn!

The researchers determined that "marriage duration is inversely associated with spending on the engagement ring and wedding ceremony."

For example, couples that spent between $2000-4000 on an engagement ring were about 1.3 times more likely to divorce than couples who spent in the $500-2000 range. For wedding ceremonies, $20,000 was the big cut off — any more than that was correlated with a 1.6 times increase in divorce likelihood. Remember that this study was conducted in 2014. In 2025, the average cost of a wedding is a whopping $31,281. Clearly, an updated survey is needed.

Conversely, the research found that "relatively low spending on the wedding is positively associated with duration among male and female respondents."

Those cheap courthouse weddings that cost almost nothing? Very often, they foreshadow a long-lasting marriage!

The researchers also found that the number of people who attend the wedding matters, too. The questionnaire revealed that “high wedding attendance and having a honeymoon (regardless of how much it cost) are generally positively associated with marriage duration."

The researchers haven’t studied why people who splurge on weddings and rings have a greater chance of having to hire divorce lawyers, but they have a few theories.

wedding costs, expensive weddings, wedding rings, weddings, marriage, love, family, research, psychology, culture A romantic wedding day kiss. Giphy

“It could be that the type of couples who have a … (cheap wedding) are the type that are a perfect match for each other,” Mialon told CNN. “Or it could be that having an inexpensive wedding relieves young couples of financial burdens that may strain their marriage,” he added.

Francis-Tan believes that people who have weddings with a large number of attendees are more successful because they have a lot of support.

“This could be evidence of a community effect, i.e., having more support from friends and family may help the couple to get through the challenges of marriage,” Francis-Tan said. “Or this could be that the type of couples who have a lot of friends and family are also the type that tend not to divorce as much.”

(Interestingly, common sense would indicate that a high guest count naturally drives up the cost of the wedding — so it really comes down to how much you're splurging on food and decor.)

Could it also be that people who put a big emphasis on a flashy wedding and jewelry tend to bit a bit more materialistic? It makes sense that couples that are really into keeping up appearances may not have their priorities straight when it comes to building a loving relationship.

wedding costs, expensive weddings, wedding rings, weddings, marriage, love, family, research, psychology, culture Gwen Stefani throws a bouquet in a music video. Giphy

Of course, there are many, many factors that go into a long, happy, and successful marriage. And don't forget that not all marriages that last are happy. Spending big on a fancy engagement ring or splurging for the chocolate fountain at the wedding don't spell doom for couples that communicate and work on their relationship. Like anything in life, there are no guarantees either way.

To finish things off with another pop music analogy, “If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it,” (just make sure it’s an inexpensive one, in front of a lot of people, in your backyard).

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.


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