It could have been the most extended wait, yet on Saturday, 100-year-old American World War II veteran Harold Terens wed his 96-year-old fiancée in Normandy, shortly after being recognized on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in northwestern France. Amidst the melodies of "I will always love you", "Ave Maria", and bagpipes, Terens and his beloved Jeanne Swerlin exchanged vows in the town of Carentan-les-Marais, surrounded by numerous guests, some in military attire. To cap off an extraordinary day, the newlyweds then attended a state banquet at the Elysee Palace in Paris, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron in honor of visiting US President Joe Biden. "I waited 96 years to find the right man, and now I have a wedding fit for royalty," Swerlin shared with AFP prior to the ceremony in Normandy. "I feel young again," Terens remarked. "This is the pinnacle of my life." Dressed in a light blue suit, Terens was greeted with applause as he entered the local wedding hall. Clad in satin pink, Swerlin made her grand entrance to the tune of Whitney Houston's "I will always love you." The couple embraced, moved by the moment. "Oui!" Swerlin affirmed in French when asked by Mayor Jean-Pierre Lhonneur if she accepted Terens as her husband. Terens and Swerlin, residents of Boca Raton, Florida, sealed their union following the 80th anniversary commemorations of the June 6, 1944 Normandy landings. "Today, Harold chose our country to marry Jeanne. They are with us today. Congratulations to the young couple!" Macron toasted to Biden at the state dinner. The illustrious gathering rose to their feet, cheering for the couple. "My religion is love," Terens expressed to AFP in Normandy, noting he always taught his family to "just love." "I never leave my home without saying goodbye and kissing them, from the day they are born until now." His son, Bill Terens, mentioned they were uncertain if Harold would be well enough to travel to France for the D-Day anniversary, a regular occurrence in past years. Yet, Terens felt strong. "I want to marry Jeannie," he declared, as recounted by his son. "We thought it was a bit mad, but we supported him, and here we are. He's always been a dreamer, aiming for big things, and sometimes he achieves them." Anne-Marie Ruffier, a 66-year-old local, described the wedding as a "unique event." "It's also a way of thanking this man who aided in liberating France," she told AFP. Pierre Le Goubey, 69, said he "wouldn't miss this wedding for anything." "It's a powerful symbol," he added, suggesting that in a way, the veteran was "marrying France." Philip Taubman, Swerlin's son-in-law, lauded the "once-in-a-lifetime" celebration. "It exemplifies what life is about," he said. "Harold was a hero who fostered a safer democracy worldwide, and this is the culminating celebration of his life." Terens was bestowed the French Legion of Honour by Macron in 2019. "We are deeply honored that Mr. Terens chose to marry here, in Carentan, where in June 1944, Allied forces landed on the beaches of Utah and Omaha," the mayor stated. "We'll be presenting him with champagne, naturally, but also a gift to express our gratitude for his role in liberating France." During the war, Terens also participated in a covert mission that led him through Soviet Ukraine via Casablanca, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Cairo, Baghdad, and Tehran. After the war, Terens married his first wife, Thelma, with whom he shared 70 years and raised three children until her passing in 2018. In 2021, a friend introduced him to Swerlin, a vibrant woman who had also been widowed, and the pair have been inseparable since. "She makes life worth living," Terens told AFP last month in Florida. Swerlin described Terens as "an incredible man." "He's handsome -- and he's a great kisser."