Mudgee residents Lynne and Rob Waller have been married for 40 years. But it wasn't a straight line to marriage for the couple who faced many bumps along the way.

Lynne and Rob were introduced at the Uniting Church in Castle Hill, Sydney, where Lynne's father was the church minister.

"There were some girls at this church we went to, and I always seemed as slow as a paralysed slug in saying to any one of them, 'what are you doing tonight,'" Rob said.

Rob was first engaged to be married to Lynne's best friend, Gwen, and Lynne was to be her bridesmaid. In 1979, Rob's fiancé, Gwen, was killed in a car accident before their wedding day.

In the wake of Gwen's death, a close bond formed between Rob and Lynne. "For some time, we just started to play squash and things like that, but without there being anything I saw of a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship," Rob said

After some time, Lynne and Rob's friends and family noticed how close the pair had become. Rob's sister was the first to inquire into Lynne and Rob's close new friendship, asking Rob "is there anything between Lynne and you?", Rob replied "well, I suppose so."

Rob and Lynne spent their courting days playing squash, going to movies and taking on long drives. "Because Lynne was the minister's daughter, I was given strict instructions by my mother not to get her home late," Rob said.

One summer evening after the Sunday church service, the couple went back to Lynne's family home where Rob popped the big question. "I was surprised at the time as I remember, I was hoping it would happen but didn't quite think it would then," recalled Lynne.

Lynne's father was playing the piano in their living room when Rob asked permission to marry his daughter. "He nearly fell off the chair. I felt he was stunned beyond belief," Rob said. Lynne's father gave them his blessing, and the wedding preparations began.

Lynn's mother made all the bridesmaid dresses, the flower girl dress, and the bridal gown itself, which is now proudly displayed at Mudgee Historical Museum.

Lynne and Rob were married the same year as Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The royal wedding was scheduled for the July, while the Waller wedding was to be held in the October. Rob kept a note of a remark that spoke to him during the Archbishop of Canterbury's address. "He used an expression that the wedding was not the end of the romance but the beginning of the journey together. I have never forgotten that, despite what might have happened in their marriage. It's not the end it's the beginning," Rob said.

In October 1981, on what Lynne describes as "the wettest day you could possibly imagine", the couple exchanged vows at the Castle Hill Uniting Church, before Lynne's father. The reception was held in the church hall.

Lynne described her wedding day as "lovely". "The church was quite full and that was thrilling," Rob said, "it was beautiful", he added.

Lynne and Rob's big day was held in the middle of a petrol strike - a common occurrence in the 1980s. "I had relatives coming from the country bringing big jerry cans of petrol, so we could get out of Sydney to go on our honeymoon," Lynne said.

After their Noosa honeymoon, Lynne and Rob moved into their three-bedroom home in Kellyville, where they stayed for twelve years before moving to another home in the area.

Lynne and Rob confronted the struggle of conceiving a child early on in their marriage. "It was one of those things that happens to people, we couldn't," Rob said.

Lynne and Rob now have a son, Stephen, who is thirty-five and works for a Mudgee winery three days a week. "We have done a lot for him over his life so he can read, write and do all sorts of things," said Lynne.

14 years ago, Lynne, Rob and Stephen moved to Mudgee after really liking the town, and wanting to make the move to the country. Lynne and Rob are now at the Oak Tree Retirement Village where they have lived for the past two years.

During Rob's long career as a solicitor in Sydney, he took on countless family law matters, and saw many marriages fail. "The one thing I never did is look at someone somewhat less because their marriage was finished or bitter, they are humans," Rob said.

This year Lynne and Rob are celebrating their ruby wedding anniversary after 40 years of marriage together. "We've loved every minute of it," Lynne said.

Valentine's Day is this Sunday, but more importantly its Lynne's birthday the day prior. "I'll tell you what, its Lynne's birthday the day before, and I say to her she's got to pick. Valentine's Day or your Birthday," joked Rob.

After forty years of marriage, Lynne and Rob Waller have offered some timeless advice for couples... "There is such thing as commitment. To me, that is the most important thing, being committed whatever the relationship is, and being committed to one another," Rob said.

Lynne added, "Every person, and every marriage has challenges, but if you are committed to that person, and to the relationship, you can get through anything."