In 1945 my grandfather returned from World War II to his small village in Northumberland, UK. He’d spent six years away from his home and his fiancée, Maisie. His two ambitions on his return were to get a job and to get married. His matriarchal mother, however, had other ideas.

She had singlehandedly kept the family going through desperately hard times when her husband died after an accident combined with the 1918 flu epidemic. There was no way she was going to give up one of her sons to another woman the minute he got back from war. She warned him when he arrived home that a wedding would not be welcome.

My grandmother, meanwhile, was being demobbed from the Wrens (Women’s Royal Navy Service) in Ayr, Scotland, after serving in Northern Ireland. During her six-year wartime engagement her wedding dress had been hanging behind her bedroom door, but she was destined never to wear it. My grandfather travelled to Ayr to meet her in secret and they were married in their military uniforms with their two best friends as the only witnesses. She had no photos of the event.

They were following a long tradition of clandestine marriages in Scotland. In neighbouring England a law in 1753 required parental consent for those under the age of 21. In Scotland, by contrast, the age of marriage consent at that time was 14 for a boy and 12 for a girl. (Even today, the age of consent without parental approval is 16, as opposed to 18 in England). In addition, under Scottish law in the 1800s, anyone could marry a couple as long as there were two witnesses. Young English residents that wanted to marry quickly and without their parents’ knowledge began to head over the border.

Aged 15, she was fooled by Edward Gibbon Wakefield into believing that her wealthy father had been ruined and had agreed to her marriage to save some of his assets

The first major Scottish settlement on the wagon route from London to Edinburgh was Gretna Green and it became particularly famous for runaway weddings (although plenty of other towns performed the ceremonies). Some of these involved society figures and even abductions of wealthy heiresses, the most famous being a girl called Ellen Turner. Aged 15, she was fooled by Edward Gibbon Wakefield into believing that her wealthy father had been ruined and had agreed to her marriage to save some of his assets (the marriage was later annulled and the conman imprisoned).

As Gretna became the Vegas of the 1800s, aspiring brides and grooms would often seek out the blacksmith to perform their wedding ceremony in return for a pint or a handful of coins. The forge and anvil became symbols of these fugitive marriages. According to the BBC one blacksmith wrote to the Times in 1843 that he had performed over 3,500 marriages in 25 years. This “marriage by declaration” was banned in 1940 in Scotland.

Despite that, weddings still take place within the famous blacksmith’s shop and there are plenty of other Gretna options for couples looking for the perfect wedding, runaway or otherwise. With 5,000 marriages happening annually, competition keeps prices here relatively modest; even including the cost of a flight to Scotland (Gretna is about a two-hour drive from Edinburgh), you could end up with a good deal, whether you want an intimate wedding for two or a luxury package for 30. Maltese couples will need to give notice to the registrar 28 days in advance and also provide a “certificate of no impediment to marriage” in order to proceed (check the UK Home Office website for more details).

Some people complain about the ‘conveyor belt’ atmosphere of Gretna weddings, but most are carried away by the romance of this most traditional of locations. There’s also the added incentive of the groom being able to wear a kilt. If that’s a sight you can’t miss, here are your options for tying the knot à la Scot.

The Famous Blacksmith’s Shop

The original Marriage Room couldn’t get more rustically romantic. It has stood in the same place since 1712, the scene of thousands of weddings. The outside is all whitewashed plaster and black timbers while the interior has open beams and still displays some of the original blacksmith’s tools. A basic wedding ceremony package here will set you back €419 with www.gretnagreen.com for up to 45 guests (plus the cost of the registrar, from €344).

For the €2,258 intimate package you’ll get two nights of B&B accommodation for the bride and groom, photos, a Scottish piper, canapés at the Smiths Hotel and dinner for 10. As weddings go, this is a steal.

Gretna Hall Blacksmiths Coach House

If you need something a little larger, the Coach House could work well. It is a contemporary venue set within a 300-year-old courtyard at Gretna Hall. The gardens and woodland provide a spectacular backdrop for photos. Prices start from €438 for the ceremony only with www.weddingsatgretnagreen.com (plus registrar fees). They’ll help you with the forms and even provide the witnesses for free if you’re short on friends on the day. Or for €6,740 you can have dinner and a welcome drink for 40 guests, two nights of B&B accommodation for the happy couple, flowers, photos, pipers, make-up, a limo, a cake, a disco and even a couple of doves primed to fly at just the right moment.

The Crichton

If you dreamed of a grand, cathedral wedding as a little girl, this is the venue for you. Crichton might be classed as a church, but its vaulted ceiling is distinctly cathedralesque. The pictures will be stunning. It’s set in 100 acres of manicured grounds just 20 minutes outside of Gretna Green and is available for religious or secular services. A basic package costs from €1,064 and includes 16 photos (the minister or humanist is extra). A 10-guest package including dinner, one hotel room and photos would cost around €1,747 (both with gretnaweddings.co.uk).

Anvil Hall

The Hall is actually a refurbished church. With its stripped-down brick walls and old flag stones, it has plenty of character and ceremonies are conducted by candlelight to add to the romance. Party size can be anything from two to 100. A ‘silver’ pack-age with www.weddingsatgretnagreen.com will cost from €1,822 and includes witnesses, two nights of B&B accommodation, 16 photos, a piper, flowers and a Rolls Royce.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.