A Brazilian couple has accomplished an astounding milestone: 84 years of marital bliss, breaking the Guinness World Record for the longest marriage by a living couple.

The record was validated by LongeviQuest, a global database that chronicles the lives and times of the world’s oldest individuals. According to the firm, Manoel Angelim Dino, 105, and his wife Maria de Sousa Dino, 101, have been married for 84 years and 77 days as of February 5.

The pair, from the rural municipality of Boa Viagem in the northeastern state of Ceará, met around 1936 while working in agriculture with their separate families. Manoel had gone to the Almeida district of Boa Viagem to pick up a supply of rapaduras, a typical Brazilian confection, when he met Maria.

Despite the failure of their first meeting, the two reunited years later and began their decades-long love story. They got married in November 1940, when Manoel was 21 and Maria was 17.

LongeviQuest reports that Manoel instantly fell in love with Maria, despite her mother’s initial opposition to the romance. Undeterred, a smitten Manoel worked hard to win over his potential in-laws, even starting to build a house for the family he intended to create with Maria.

Following their marriage, Manoel and Maria worked in agriculture, growing rolled tobacco. They went on to have 13 children (nine of whom are still alive), 55 grandkids, 60 great-grandchildren, and 14 great-great-grandchildren.

Nowadays, the pair leads a calm life at home together. According to LongeviQuest, Manoel spends much of his time resting due to his age, but he wakes up every evening to join his wife for a particular nightly ritual.

The two sat next to each other, listening to the rosary prayer on the radio before watching a mass on television.

When asked what they feel is the key to their long and happy marriage, Maria, who just celebrated her birthday with a butterfly-adorned cake, gave a simple answer: love.

According to Guinness World Records, the previous record for the longest-living marriage was held by an American couple, Herbert Fisher and Zelmyra Fisher, who were born in 1905 and 1907. They were married for 86 years and 290 days when Herbert died in February 2011. In 2010, former President Barack Obama presented the couple with a signed commendation.

David Jacob Hiller and Sarah Davy Hiller, born in 1789 and 1792, respectively, had the longest marriage ever documented. The American couple was married for 88 years and 349 days when Sarah died at the age of 106 in 1898.