Meet Joe and Wanda Nelson.
They’ve been married for 63 years.
It was 1949 when Joe first saw Wanda, she was walking down a street while Joe was driving. He didn’t want to risk never seeing her again, so he pulled over and asked her on a date.
They’ve been together ever since.
Their granddaughter Shalyn, a Texas-based photographer, wanted to create something special to celebrate true love. For her, there was no better example than her grandparents.
“My Mamaw loved every minute. It was so cute to see how excited she was to get all dolled up. I went to Macy’s to try to find my Mamaw a dress, and ended up stuffing the top with my coat at the time to make sure there was enough room in the dress for her,” Shalyn shared.
“This right here is my heart. This right here is the most important thing I have ever been a part of and put together.”
“They are without a doubt the best people I know. I call them my heroes.”
Joe and Wanda’s photo shoot is the first of an ongoing project Shalyn has, called ‘Love, The Nelsons.’ She wants the series to be a documentation of old love.
As part of the photography project, Shalyn had her grandparents write love letters to each other to read out loud.
Joe’s letter reads: “Dearest Wanda, it’s been a long time since I have written you a letter. I think it was when I was working in Canada, that I wrote you last. Anyway, I still love you just as much, probably more.”
“I love you as much today as the day I married you. And just think, the license only cost $2. The best bargain I ever made.”
Shalyn hopes for ‘Love, The Nelsons’ to be a reminder that at the end of this life, when all is said and done, love is what matters.