Couple is using a hotel voucher from 1983 to celebrate their 40th anniversary: 'Unusual request'

Gift certificates are a popular and versatile way to express appreciation, celebrate special occasions, or provide freedom of choice to recipients. However, they do have a validity period beyond which businesses don't accept those particular cards. However, a Missouri hotel is defying this rule as it has agreed to honor a 40-year-old gift certificate. Tim O'Brien found a hotel voucher from decades ago while cleaning a wedding mementos box this spring. When he noticed the date, it dated back to when he and his wife, Melinda O'Brien, tied the knot, June 25, 1983, according to The Washington Post.

The coupon shows the couple had paid $38 to stay for one night in Room No. 314 at the Radisson Muehlebach Hotel. "I didn't even recall them giving it to us," the now 64-year-old said. "But I thought there was at least a 50-50 chance that the people now running the hotel might let us use it on our 40th anniversary," UPI reports The Muehlebach Hotel, which opened in 1915, became part of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown complex in 1996.

Surprisingly, the hotel has offered the pair to stay on their property. While the exact room the couple booked for the stay is not available, they can still have a one-of-a-kind anniversary. "Forty years is a pretty long time," said Derek McCann, managing director of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. "Tim wrote in his email that it was a long shot, but he wondered if there was any possibility we could honor the gift certificate."

The room now costs between $200 to $250 a night, he said, adding, "This was definitely one of the more unusual requests we've ever had." "A 40th wedding anniversary is a significant milestone," McCann added. "The fact that they'd found the certificate almost 40 years after they received it made it even more special."

McCann consulted with hotel manager Dustin Holcumbrink to finally go ahead with the gift certificate. "Even though it was no longer possible for them to stay in their original room, we thought this would be a good opportunity for them to relive some happy memories," Holcumbrink added. The hotel even had big plans for the couple with thoughtful additions to their big day. "It's their ruby anniversary, so we're planning to have a few red decorations and other surprises in the room when they arrive," he said.

As for the happily married couple, they first met in 1978 when they were attending the University of Kansas. Melinda O'Brien, a retired IBM systems engineer, shared that "a mutual friend introduced us, and we hung out in the same group of people as good friends at first," the 65-year-old said. "She pursued me for years before we got engaged," joked Tim, a retired attorney.

Tim was preparing to take the Kansas State bar exam so, they could stay at the Muehlebach only for one night during their honeymoon. "I remember our room was quaint and charming with high ceilings," she said. "Unfortunately, we didn't get to stay very long in it because we'd foolishly arranged to meet our families for a gift-opening brunch at 10 a.m." The O'Briens said they would use the certificate on the 40th anniversary of their wedding night. "Maybe we'll check in at 3 a.m. again after we visit a local jazz club," Tim quipped.