Tips Please On Gretna Green Or Malvern Registry Office Wedding. :-)

Quaintonlady

Hi there. We have both been married before and are looking at a budget wedding but still want it to be a nice day. We have narrowed it down to eighter Gretna Green or The Council House in Malvern which is an area we are hoping to move to. Has anyone got any views on Gretna Green? Is it all tacky and touristy or can you still have a nice day of it there? Any suggestions for where to stay self catering with two kids and a dog close by for a week or a nice meal after the wedding? My partner has talked of taking a look first but that is a big chunk gone out of our budget to do so as it would be an 800 mile round trip! Otherwise it could be Malvern but it may work out more expensive getting a photographer seperately so any recommendations would be much appreciated. Also somewhere for a meal for around 20 guests. With many thanks. :-)

LEJC

I guess the decision on where to hold your wedding is your choice,and also depends a lot on who you are inviting and what type of thing you want.Although I would say there are some drawbacks to holding a wedding somewhere you have never been before...
Planning can be very difficult if you are not near the area to sort out hitches

You say that to go to gretna will be an 800 mile round trip...is this the same for your guests too..as some may not/or not be willing to make the long journey...also would it be a case that perhaps additional local accomodation may be needed for guests who want to stay over?

Gretna is a very traditional wedding venue and as such it can get very busy at certain times of the year..and as such there may become a sense of conveyer belt...also Im guessing that the nice resturant or place for a meal afterwards will possibly be other couples choices too so it again may get busy and overbooked too....having said that a few years ago we passed through Gtetna on our way to scotland and on the day we were there there were no weddings...so I guess you could be lucky in that respect.
I really cant comment on if its tacky...one mans tack is another mans treasure as they say...thats something you really have to judge for yourselves...its what the day means to the both of you that counts and no one should judge your venue or hospitality otherwise.

There is a thread on the forum listing photographers for under £500...why not have a look there to see if there is a reasonable package in worcester.

Again with the food why not try local pubs/country inns and mention that you want to hire for a select gathering, try and avoid the wedding word and hopefully they will be able to tailor make a menu for you....sometimes the smaller places will do really good food and be very obliging...

rhianna99

Hi, I have recently decided to get married at Gretna, in April 11. I dont think its tacky at all, I think its quite romantic, its not what me and my fiance originally planned, we were going to have a really big wedding in december 2012, howeve due to my dad becoming unwell, we have decided to bring it forward, meaning we now have a smaller budget, and less time for organising. We are going up to visit, so we can decide exactly what we want. We are having around 30 guests, and we are going to provide accomodation, we are either going to have the penthouse at the Smiths hotel, or the bridal suite at the Gables hotel, for 3 nights, both of these look lovely. Im not sure atout the reception yet, although the Gables looks like a good place. One of the reasons we have chosen Gretna, is that you can have a religious ceremony even if you have been married before, which I have. We are looking at either Crichley Church, or Anvil Hall for the actual ceremony, both are stunning, and we are having an evening ceremony, by candlelight, so i dont think tourists will be a problem. I dont think im going to miss having a big wedding at all, everyone who really matters to me and my partner will be there, and it will be much more intimate and special. I have visited gretna with my family when i was younger, i never thought id be getting married there, lol.

Lorne

We got married at the Blacksmith's at Gretna and had our reception at Smith's hotel, can't commend our day high enough. It was fantastic, our guests loved the fact they got to go to a Gretna Green wedding. We had the candlelight ceremony, there were a few people around but no more than there would have been anywhere else. Absolutely loved it, Smith's is beautiful. Hope you make the right decision for you

crystaltipps

I want to do this - I still think it has an element of romanticism about it - and less prep, organising, guest co-ordination etc. Think it would be lovely, even in the winter - with snow, I imagine it would be beautiful (if a bit chilly - investment in a lovely fur stole and thermals!)

Problem is, my boyfriends brother and his wife did it! Before I met him, so I wasn't there. They loved it - and the pictures are wonderful.

mygeorgie

We too got married at the blacksmiths at Gretna and we had a really
fabulous time, i even had a piper to pipe me in from Smiths across the road.
Our reception (only 14 of us ) we've both been married before was at Smiths - the food was first class. As our party was only small we were then able to continue in our room upstairs in the penthouse suite- I cannot imagine a better way to celbrate with close family and friends. My now husband booked me into Smiths for pre wedding spa treatments my wedding makeup hair and nails etc - absolute bliss!
I carn't recommend them highly enough, if your looking for something a little different it could just be the place for you.
Also we booked a local photographer who delivered our wedding album whilst we were still having our reception.
Good luck
x