93-year-old bachelor marries woman he met 64 years ago at his sister's wedding in wholesome love story

Love knows no age, as it transcends time to connect two people. It also proves that genuine affection is ageless and enduring. It seemed to be the case for lifelong bachelor Joe Potenzano when he got married to Mary Elkind at the ripe age of 92. According to PEOPLE, they initially met at his sister's wedding 64 years ago, where he was a groomsman and she was the maid of honor.

The couple tied the knot on October 15 in a small ceremony of 90 people in New Jersey. Elkind, 84, wore an elegant "mother of the bride" dress as she walked down the aisle accompanied by her daughters, grandson and Potenzano's nieces. Elkind spoke about the marriage to the outlet, saying, "It wasn't meant for us back then, but it is now and it's perfect." After their initial meeting in 1959, during the wedding, they talked to each other for some time but had to part ways.

Potenzano went on to attend college and Elkind worked at Radio City Music Hall located in New York City before she met her late husband. Elkind spoke about their long relationship, saying, "In fact, Joe was at my wedding and we've always been very close through family functions over the years." She continued, "How we got back together was at the baby's christening and we were sitting there and Joe decided to ask me if I'd like to go for coffee or lunch with him one day."

Potenzano shared that he did not wish loneliness on anybody. He spoke about it, saying, "It affects us all. Some of us remain silent, but I thought I don't intend to remain silent when I know my life is dribbling away from me in my late years." He revealed that he thought about Elkind many times and all he had to do was give her a call to ask her out. Potenzano said, "All my friends can tell you. I was stupid. I was the first one to say 'I love you' and I should have said it sooner."

He had only been in one serious relationship in the early 1960s with a flight attendant. Unfortunately, he came to know that she only decided to see him because she was feeling lonely despite having a boyfriend back home. The experience soured his outlook towards marriage. He says, "That knocked me off mentally. And I just thought in my heart and my mind marriage was not meant to be. No matter what I do, it's always going to be a failure. And I didn't want to pursue it anymore." 

But things changed for the better once Elkind returned to his life as he decided that he wanted to spend his final years with her. Potenzano's sister became Elkind's maid of honor at their ceremony in a wholesome turn of events. Elkind spoke about the ceremony, "The church ceremony was beautiful. We had planned just a small wedding, but everybody said we have to have a celebration, so we did it up big." She shared how they were Italian and how their wedding was like a big "family reunion."

The couple also got a short honeymoon, thanks to a contribution from The Drew Barrymore Show. "We just wanted to go someplace nearby that we could drive to," Elkind said. "So we went to Woodloch Pines for a few days and it was beautiful." The duo are currently living happily as a married couple, with both of them teaching each other new things and just being happy. They also appeared in an interview with Eyewitness News ABC7NY and spoke about their relationship.