Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Celebrate 77th Anniversary in Same Small Town as Their 1946 Wedding

The Carters exchanged vows in Plains, Georgia — the small town in which they live today

President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn Carter are celebrating 77 years of marriage in the same small town in which they tied the knot.

A source tells PEOPLE the couple is "spending their 77th anniversary together quietly in Plains with family."

The couple, who has the longest marriage in the history of U.S. presidents, exchanged vows in 1946 in the Georgia Georgia — where they have lived since leaving the White House in 1981.

"Wishing Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter a joyful 77th wedding anniversary! The Carters married on this day in 1946 in their hometown of Plains, GA," The Carter Center wrote in a post shared to Twitter, alongside a vintage photo of the couple.

Their anniversary celebration comes months after the former president began receiving hospice care and the former first lady announced her dementia diagnosis.

The couple met when Jimmy, now 98, was just 3 years old and Rosalynn, now 95, was a newborn.

Sparks flew early and, after their first date in the summer of 1945, the future president told his mother he wanted to marry Rosalynn.

They tied the knot one year later, on July 7, 1946, mere weeks after Jimmy graduated from the Naval Academy. The newlyweds moved to Norfolk, Virginia, shortly after their nuptials for Jimmy's first naval assignment. The family would move several times in accordance with his military postings, including to California, Hawaii, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

But the Carters — who have four children, 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren — returned to their humble beginnings after their presidency, and continue to live in the house they built in 1961.

Related: Jimmy Carter’s Faith ‘Grounding Him’ 3 Months Into Hospice Care, Grandson Says: ‘It’s as Good as It Can Be’

The Carters have spoken openly about their marriage, with the Nobel Peace Prize winner saying in a 2015 interview, "The best thing I ever did was marrying Rosalynn. That's the pinnacle of my life."

Ahead of their 75th anniversary in 2021, Jimmy told Good Morning America that the secret to his and Rosalynn's marriage is having lives separate from one another while balancing shared interests.

"We've survived this long together because first of all, we give each other plenty of space to do our own thing," Jimmy said, adding that they share plenty of common interests.

Rosalynn also chimed in, saying: "We're always looking to do things or find things we can do together, like fly fishing and bird watching and just going out to the pond, catch a fish."

Related: How Jimmy Carter's Presidency Was Really 'Ahead of His Time,' According to New Documentary

In February 2023, Jimmy entered hospice care after a series of short hospital stays.

"Former US President Jimmy Carter today decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention," a statement issued by The Carter Center said.

Then, in May, the Carter family announced that Rosalynn has been diagnosed with dementia. A statement from her family read that the former first lady "continues to live happily at home with her husband, enjoying spring in Plains and visits with loved ones."

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