Retired Congressman and former presidential candidate for both the Libertarian and Republican parties, Ron Paul celebrates his 56th wedding anniversary with his wife Carol today. (2/1/13) Ron met Carol in High School when she asked him to escort her to her Sadie Hawkins style 16th birthday party on February 29th, 1952. Carol is quoted as saying "I came into the picture about 1952 when Ron was my escort to my 16th birthday party. Don't tell anyone – but I asked him... actually my birthday is February 29th and it was a Sadie Hawkins-type party where the girls asked the boys... and I asked him." [1]Ron and Carol were together for several years before he proposed to her in the summer of 1956 while they were having a picnic in the park. They were finally married on February 1st, 1957 in Pittsburgh, when Ron was 21 years old and Carol was 20. "We married in an all-white wedding with the bridesmaids carrying armloads of red roses,” Carol said in “ The Ron Paul I Know ,” posted on lewrockwell.com. “The flower girl wore a white dress and sprinkled rose petals down the aisle. A fraternity brother of Ron's sang ‘The Wedding Prayer’ and the ‘Lord's Prayer.’”Dr. Paul, who retired from congress this year [2], will be free to spend his 56th anniversary with his wife, unlike last year or their 55th anniversary when he was busy campaigning for president and let his wife, who usually followed him on the campaign trail, sleep in and surprised her with breakfast in bed Since their marriage in 1957, Ron and Carol have had five children, eighteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Their son Rand Paul is a U.S. Senator from Kentucky.Ron Paul retired from Congress just this year. His farewell speech can be seen here . He is currently 77 years old.Read Ron Paul's full biography here [1] - Carol & Ron Paul Marriage Profile [2] - Ron Paul announces retirement from Congress - Yahoo! News