Getting married in Gretna Green!

Becles

We're planning our wedding at the moment - early stages just yet, but hoping to do it on a shoestring!

He is very anti-religion, so a church service is out. We've been looking at alternatives, and I really liked a local manor house. I phoned them for a quote today and they want £1400 for just the hire of the room :eek: There would then be registrars fees on top of that, and a reception elsewhere as they can't cater at the manor house. There is no way we can afford that, so I jokingly said let's go to Gretna Green.

Anyway, we've discovered that there are companies out there who do a full wedding package where you get married over the anvil. We've decided we're quite keen on the idea now, and it would be something different.

Just wondered if anyone else had done the same? What was it like, and can you recommend any companies who supply a 'package', or is it cheaper to book all the bits yourself?

aussielle

We got married in the original blacksmiths shop in Gretna. We aranged everything ourselves, and it didn't cost as much as we thought.

Everything went well, we had a wonderful day, made all the more special being able to write our own vows.

We stayed in a lovely small family run hotel and bought our flowers from a local nursery, we also had a piper for the ceremony and a harpist to play whilst we were all eating.

If you decide to organise everything yourself and want a hand/recommendations or ph numbers etc just holler

mini

We got married in Gretna Green, was absolutely brilliant:D I organised it by email, I can recommend photographer if you like & the hotel we stayed at, hotel had just been refurbished (that was almost 2 years ago) & the staff were lovely even though weddings must be an everyday occurence for them they certainly didn't act like it. Myslef & mr mini didn't want a big fuss, took a few friends relatives with us, even the cermony over the Anvil seemed increibly special at the time, when we drove there the night before I was thinking what have we done it all seemed so tacky! There are 2 different Blacksmiths, one I think is in a local hotel which looks grand on the pictures online but doesn't look as good in real life, it's incredibly expensive too, I originally wanted that one but didn't want to s-t-r-e-tc-h our money that far & I am so glad we didn't. I discovered a horse & carriage ride was £150 for a mile & a half so I decided against that!!!

Oh I am so excited for you, let me know if you want any more info the only thing I wouldn't do is recommnd our bouquet supplier I felt she tried to rip me off (story told on wedding tips)http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=51

Keep us informed:)

mini

Becles

Details of the hotels and the original anvil would be appreciated - thanks I like organising things and think I'd prefer to do it all myself.

It's probably not going to be till next year, but I'm getting excited already

aussielle

The Old Blacksmiths shop 01461 338224/338441

The Hazeldene Hotel 01461 338292 (literally a stones throw from the blacksmiths, so no wedding cars needed)

You can also get information from http://www.GretnaOnline.net

Hope this helps

mini

I'll tell you only if you promise to keep me informed!

The photographer was great I had paid him in advance through my own choosing & I was so relieved when he turned up! He even brought the photos in an album to our hotel that night because I had paid early & the cheque had cleared & of course he was saving postage, maybe he's a moneysaver on here, it was so lovely hours after to be looking at photos mounted in the album, just had to check I'm not on his website before I post the link :eek: nope it's safe...

http://www.weddingsatgretna.co.uk/

The hotel http://www.gables-hotel-gretna.co.uk/ We had our meal there afterwards, best food ever but that could be because I had been to nervous to eat for days. Hotel is in Gretna about a mile & a half from where we got married.

The original anvil link is on here, there is also a link on this one for all the legalities http://www.gretnaonline.net/GBDDocs.asp?mode=showdetails&busID=109&APV=true&ParentID=3

Good luck with your plans

mini

aussielle

found the hotel website for you

http://www.hotels-gretnagreen.co.uk/

Hope all your dreams come true

Becles

Thank you so much for all your help

The wedding packages were all in a place called the Anvil Hall which is just outside Gretna, but I've got my heart set on the original forge now, and it's cheaper!

Promise to keep you informed too! I've seen a dress I liked at zinniabridal.com which someone posted the other day here (sorry I can't remember who!).

Need to work out dates next. I've got two sons from a previous relationship and we want to take them on honeymoon. Got to find a way of planning it all so the wedding and honeymoon fit in school hols, as I don't want to pull them out of school :rolleyes:

mini

I think Anvil hall is the place which looked nice online not so good when you are there, unless they have renovated it since we were there.
There seems to be al ot of companies wanting to book your wedding for you, not do much else & charge you a fee for not very much, the original anvil is special & I got alittle silver one to bring home

You are being so well organised I'd say to book your honeymoon then sort out your wedding, people at Gretna are used to last minute things, we had about 5 weeks until our wedding, we were using our planned holiday (with our kids too)into a honeymoon so had to fit wedding in before that, everyone in Gretna thought that was planning a long way ahead.

I am so excited for you, do come back & post if you think we can help

mini

sunflower_2

another lovely hotel is

http://www.gardenhouse.co.uk/

the actual gardens are gorgeous - u can have your photos taken there

Mrs_Thrift

Congratulations Becles on your forthcoming marriage!

Like mini, a friend of mine also planned her whole wedding at Gretna Green in only 5 weeks, and she found everything ran smoothly, and the photos are gorgeous.