Cross the Scottish border to the north of Carlisle and the first town you’ll reach is Gretna Green – famed around the world as a place where eloping couples could flee for a quick marriage.

Gretna Green’s association with weddings began in 1754 when Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act, was passed in England. Before this time, secret marriages – without parental consent – and marriages where one party was underage, were commonplace. Underage weddings were often arranged by the wealthy and the aristocracy in order to secure family alliances, to maintain the family name and to ensure that wealth passed down through the family line. And the act sought to do away with so-called ‘irregular’ marriages, including those involving fraud, bigamy or coercion.

Hardwicke’s new legislation stated that for a marriage to be valid it had to be conducted by a church minister and required parental consent for couples under the age of 21 – which made clandestine and irregular marriages near impossible in England.

However, just across the border, Scotland refused to adopt the new law – a couple over the age of 16 merely had to declare their intention to become husband and wife in the presence of two witnesses.

This legal disparity between England and Scotland paved the way for a surge in elopements to Gretna Green, where young couples seeking to marry would cross the border for a quick and often secretive union. The village became a haven for runaway lovers, and its most famous venue, the Blacksmiths Shop, became synonymous with these secret ceremonies.

While the legal loopholes that once made Gretna Green a destination for elopements have closed, the village has retained its romantic charm and it continues to be a popular wedding destination.

What’s more, its association with love stories and the defiance of English societal norms meant that Gretna Green became a well-known setting in popular culture, with the village featuring in everything from ‘Pride and Prejudice’ to ‘Downton Abbey’ and ‘Bridgerton’.

The stories of eloping couples fleeing to marry in Gretna Green became legendary and the village was able to capitalise on its growing fame.

THE BLACKSMITH’S SHOP

From the 1750s onwards, couples could arrive at the anvil, where the village blacksmith, often doubling as a ‘priest’, would join their hands together and declare them married with a hammer strike to his anvil.

The law may have changed, but The Blacksmith’s Shop remains a popular wedding venue, preserving the historic traditions that made Gretna Green famous. Couples can choose from a variety of wedding packages, including the traditional anvil ceremony or more elaborate celebrations in its atmospheric surroundings. The Blacksmith’s Shop also houses a newly renovated interactive museum, offering visitors a glimpse into the village’s history as well as some of the romantic stories that unfolded within its walls. You can learn about characters including ‘the Blacksmith Priest’, Joseph Paisley, and see the stagecoach that once carried runaway couples to Gretna Green from Ambleside in the Lake District.

WHERE TO STAY

Gretna Green offers a range of charming places to stay, from historic inns to modern hotels, providing couples with the perfect setting for a romantic retreat and its proximity to the Scottish and English borders make it an ideal destination for a tranquil escape.

OTHER LANDMARKS

The Old Toll Bar, once a crucial point for couples crossing the border, has been restored and stands as a historic landmark. Gretna Hall, a former manor house turned hotel, is another charming venue with beautiful gardens, making it an ideal location for weddings and celebrations.

And the Memorial Garden, near the Blacksmiths Shop, serves as a beautiful spot for couples to contemplate love and marriage.

Countless places around the world have become synonymous, in their own way, with weddings. From the quick-fire ceremonies of Las Vegas to the sandy beaches of the Caribbean, if you’re planning to marry, the world is your oyster. But Gretna Green holds a unique place in English and Scottish history, and few of the world’s most romantic destinations can claim to be so closely associated with runaway couples, young love and clandestine romance.