Staff Photo by Angela Lewis Rev. Don Hubbard, center, recites vows for Patsy, left, and Glenn Barker to repeat as the couple celebrates their 50th anniversary by renewing their vows in Dunlap on Saturday afternoon.

Fifty years ago Glenn Barker didn’t kiss his bride Patsy Barker after the Rev. Don Hubbard married the young couple in a small country church in Concord, Tenn.

On Saturday, Mr. Barker didn’t make the same mistake twice.

After Mr. Hubbard renewed their vows, he held Ms. Barker by the face and gave her the kiss she didn’t get when she was 19 because he was too shy.

The Barkers celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Mr. Barker’s family farm in Dunlap, Tenn., with the same wedding party, preacher, piano player and singer that celebrated their special day 50 years ago.

Including a 1956 red and white Chevy that was their courting and honeymoon car.

“It’s a very special day. It’s a milestone, with everybody getting a divorce now,” said Mr. Barker of their 50th wedding anniversary.

“This was never an option for us — when we married, we married. Now young people marry, and if it doesn’t work out they get a divorce,” Mrs. Barker said.

Mrs. Barker walked the aisle wearing a long, colorful skirt and a white shirt, holding the same Bible her parents gave her when she was 13 years old and she used for her wedding.

Her wedding dress was displayed on the front porch, next to where they renewed their vows and promised to love each other for the rest of their lives.

Mr. Barker wore black pants and a white, short-sleeve dress shirt, a variation of the black pants and white sport coats the groomsmen wore when he got married.

The bridesmaids carried the same pink Queen Anne Lace flowers. Although they didn’t wear the pink taffeta they did back then, instead they traded it for black pants and a white blouse.

“When Patsy called me and asked me, she said, ‘Linda would you be my bridesmaid again?’ without even missing a heart beat I said, ‘I would be honored to be in your wedding again,’” said Linda Ford, who has known Mrs. Barker since they were in the first grade.

“They are wonderful people and it’s an honor to be their friend,” she added.

After the ceremony, family and guests proceeded to the reception, where the tables were decorated with a yellow rose in a glass vase, next to a framed wedding picture in black and white and one of the many love letters the Barkers wrote to each other while they dated for three years.

“We have all of our love letters,” said Mrs. Barker. “You didn’t have telephones back then so you wrote letters every day, we both saved them not knowing each other was doing the same thing.”

When asked if it was love at first sight, Mr. and Mrs. Barker both quickly replied no and chuckled.

“Definitely not love at first sight, but it grew and we are here today and we’ve enjoyed 50 years together — not all been good, not all been bad, but it’s been a remarkable life on the farm,” Mrs. Barker said.

Mr. Barker had been planning their 50th year anniversary since they celebrated their first, she said.

“(Fifty years later) we still have each other, we still love each other, we still respect each other, we enjoy traveling, enjoy being together, enjoy our family,” said Mrs. Barker as her eyes watered with emotion.

“And we are still good friends,” added Mr. Barker.