Gretna Green/Other Ideas

Abbymoo

Sooo... we're gerrin hitched sometime this year hopefully.

There's no family and noone we're close enough to to invite to a proper wedding.

A registry office seems rather dull and not really 'us', so I'm looking for inspiration as to what else could be an option.
I wouldn't mind Gretna, but has anyone actually got hitched there? If so would you recommend it?
Also anyone with any alternative ideas? Nothing like parachute jumping or owt like that though, please, the thought is terrifying!

Anything non scary considered, doesn't matter how 'hippyish' 'goth' 'alternative' or whatever!

I have visions of a sort of ruined abbey at night, in a bit of forest somewhere with the sea in the distance, all lit up with church candles but I doubt it'd be practical

krlyr

I know of someone on another forum I'm on who got married on the beach, with their two lovely doggies in tow. Very much "their" day rather than in a plain registry office. I believe they used a company that arranges it all, so if there are places that do that I'm sure the ruined abbey daydream may not be completely out of the picture..

krlyr

http://www.leistonabbey.co.uk/index.php?pid=1
http://www.jane-nordli.co.uk/index.php/my-perfect-places/the-abbey-inn/

Abbymoo

Ooh they're LOVELY definitely gonna look at those more closely

podperson

If you're mentioning Gretna are you actually living in Scotland? Up here humanist ceremonies are legal and can be done anywhere (well that's considered 'safe') so you could get married on a beach/in the forest/in some ruins etc fairly easily. If you're in England then of course it's still possible but you would need to find somewhere with a licence so might be best trying wedding companies that arrange more unusual venues.
What about a castle or something - someone I know got married at Eilean Donan, which is the castle from the Highlander movies and the photos of it are just stunning.

ecgirl07

http://www.crearweddings.co.uk/

We got married here with about 50 guests, but they can do you smaller than that. It would be a humanist wedding and the lady we used was excellent and made our wedding very special. It was a sunny day and the kids just ran about out (very safe apart from jaggy nettles and sheep) all day.

rhianna99

Hi we got married in Gretna, just me and hubby (witnesses were provided). we have both been married before and neither wanted to do the whole big thing again.

We got married in the Anvil hall, there were candles burning it was lovely.
http://www.gretnaweddings.co.uk/venues/the-anvil-hall-5.html

and stayed in a gorgeous gretna hotel for 4 nights, we still had photographer, limo, champagne, the works, but it was just the two of us and so special. We live in south of england but have visited gretna as a child and always thought it was romantic. Good luck with what you decide x

dundeediva

I was at a beautiful wedding in Gretna a few years ago, there was only 7 of us (including bride and groom) and it was lovely! Not my thing but if thats what floats your boat! I do however love the beach idea, or somethig similar, its a bit "different" iykwim.

Congrats by the way

quinechinoise

podperson wrote: »

Up here humanist ceremonies are legal and can be done anywhere

If you want "alternative", then that's definitely the way to do it. Sky's the limit.

Congratulations on your engagement and good luck with your wedding plans. Don't forget the most important bit is actually just to take a few photos as a keepsake - the day goes by so fast. The rest is mere trimmings - nice but not necessary. If you don't have any close friends, hire a photographer to stalk you for the day.

Teeniepops

Hi. Congrats!

I'm with podperson with Humanist weddings. They're really personal and so long as you do a couple of key bits, you can do what you want, where you want! I've been to a couple and both were very special as a guest so must have been amazing for the couple.

You can make your wedding 'yours' in a lot of ways too - so long as you're both happy and get the day you want, it doesn't matter about anything else!

Congrats again!

PS you can have a Humanist wedding in England but you need a registrar too so you sort of have two weddings in one and you're more limited to locations.

*Louise*

I got married at Gretna, but not at the registry office - we used The Mill Forge and it was such a lovely setting. There is a small chapel on the grounds so everything is handy. We chose it mainly because hubby wanted to get married at Gretna (we looked at loads of places there) and I wanted an excuse for a small wedding (we had 40 people with us)

Oh - and the 3 course meal was delicious - and only £23 a head (this was 2009):T:money: