Nicholas and Rafaela Ordaz from California, had a double party last weekend to mark their 82nd wedding anniversary and Nicholas turning 102.

An American couple have reached a milestone few others have achieved by celebrating their 82nd wedding anniversary.

Nicholas and Rafaela Ordaz of Tracy, California, had a double party last weekend to mark their vows and Nicholas turning 102 on Friday.

Even their grandchildren have grandchildren; their great-great-grandchildren were present.

The pair said "I do" in 1934 - the same year the Great Depression slowly started to turn around with unemployment decreasing and Adolf Hitler declared himself to be "Fuhrer".

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The couple said the secret to their eight-decade long union was "respect, affection and not sweating the small stuff", ABC6 reported.

The pair have been married so long there is not even a traditional gift to give, but they are on their way to having the longest marriage ever recorded.

According to the Guinness World Records, US couple Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher had been married for 86 years and 290 days as of February 27, 2011, when Fisher died.