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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Gretna green wedding

33 replies

TBD201 · 16/07/2020 18:03

Anyone had a Gretna Green wedding 👰🏻 how was it!?

Sadly my nan passed away last year and she was the only reason we was going to have a "proper" wedding with just close family & friends.

Now she has passed away the only people I could give a sh*t about are my DC and we will invite my DM and Dsis as witnesses and because they would want to be there and actually bother with us!

So AIBU to do a Gretna green wedding and let everyone else (who do not actually bother with us anyway) get over it in their own time, or not! Wouldn't change much either way 😏

OP posts:
Leaannb · 16/07/2020 18:06

I loved my.Gretna Green wedding. It was my Mom,Man and a close.friend

Boom45 · 16/07/2020 18:07

I didnt do Gretna Green but I didnt invite anyone apart from immediate family and it was lovely (and very cheap). A friend of mine did Gretna Green tho and she loved it, she said it made it feel special and gave her a reason to not invite a bunch of people that didnt offend them. The got to say "suprise! We eloped to Gretna Green!" To the people that would've been annoyed to not be invited if she did what I did and just nipped down the registry office at lunch time on a Friday. They accepted the Gretna Green thing as romantic rather than a deliberate slight aimed at them.

Plbrookes · 16/07/2020 18:09

I had one too and wouldn't change it! We had a fortnight in a cottage in Annan so it was a lovely no-stress day in the middle of a holiday. We sat in a pub for a couple of hours afterwards and got fish and chips on the way back to the cottage. Wouldn't suit everyone I know but perfect for us!

bridgetreilly · 16/07/2020 18:19

If you actually want to get married at Gretna Green you do have to book pretty far in advance (18 months/2 years maybe?)

If you just want a tiny wedding asap, then YANBU to do that.

bridgetreilly · 16/07/2020 18:19

If you just want a tiny wedding asap, then YANBU to do that.

But not at Gretna, was what I meant to say.

gotothecooler · 16/07/2020 18:23

Sorry if this is stupid but by 'do a Gretna Green' wedding so you mean go to Gretna or simply get married minimally at your local registry office?

It would depend on which is easier and cheaper for me I think. If you just want the wedding done it you live hundreds of miles from Gretna then it WBU to go there and not just do it local.

dontlikebeards · 16/07/2020 18:33

I attended a wedding at Gretna, it was lovely but in winter so not busy. I think it can be a bit "conveyor belt " in peak season.

IwishIhadaMargarita · 16/07/2020 18:37

Try CREAR weddings they cater for elopement and our elopement was perfect. They Tailor the package to you and you can have guests. They also provide the piper and photographer in the price.

happystrummer · 16/07/2020 18:39

one of my family got married in Gretna ....it was the best wedding i've been too..so relaxed but with all the wedding niceties....about 40 of us in the wdding party

itsstillgood · 16/07/2020 18:44

We did Gretna, just us and son, 15 years ago. Week in Annan to make a holiday. It was quiet, it snowed. We are not romantic but I am so glad we did it that way, made it special with very little fuss and expense.

84claire84 · 16/07/2020 18:53

We're getting married just immediate friends and family at a registry office and then onto a lovely restaurant for cocktails and dinner.

It's perfect for us. Anyone who we don't invite will have to just suck it up and get over it.

GreenTulips · 16/07/2020 18:56

We had one. We booked a date in June 3 weeks in advance. On a Saturday.

Booked a photographer and ordered a bouquet delivered to the room.

Had a meal in the hotel after.

It was a lovely relaxed experince

You can have some rooms that have live links if people want to watch at home.

Would recommend it.

Original poster
TBD201 · 16/07/2020 19:13

Thanks all! Sounds fab.

Think we want Gretna Green! Its 1 hr 30 from us so not far 🙂

Not keen on registry office because then I "could have" invited people were as with Gretna I can say its a 10 person package, even though their will only be 5 of us... well I can't invite my dad without DP dad and can't invite him without future BIL MIL etc etc 🤭😜

OP posts:
Bargainhuntbore · 16/07/2020 19:13

We got wed there. Just us and the kids when they were 4 and 2. Hotel found us 2 witnesses and got married in the Blacksmiths Cottage. Bliss!

FairyDogMother11 · 16/07/2020 19:20

We had a Gretna wedding at one of the hotels and it was lovely, there was 12 of us including myself and DH and everyone said it was the nicest wedding they'd been to. Wouldn't change a thing about it!

LongLiveTheQueenBee · 16/07/2020 19:38

We had a gretna wedding, got a fab package for 30 guests, were both the I'm big families so was just parents and siblings/their dc.
Booked 4 months in advance, on a Saturday in summer. We didn't pay for a Piper but one was playing when we left the blacksmith shop/ceremony.

No regrets at all.

HansBanans · 16/07/2020 19:41

I know several people who have had Gretna Green weddings and they absolutely loved them. All the best OP!

Original poster
TBD201 · 16/07/2020 20:40

Thanks so much every one defo made my mind up 🥰

OP posts:
CoffeeBeansGalore · 16/07/2020 21:01

We married at Gretna. Loved it. A lot easier & cheaper than organising a big wedding. Celebrating 29th anniversary this year. It's your day. Do what makes you happy. Congratulations Flowers

catmum2019 · 16/07/2020 21:08

Hey

I'm getting married at gretna in 10 weeks time !

I booked in advance as I knew I wanted a small thing, everyone been very supportive re friends and family

The staff are amazing they do everything u want for the day I literally organised a whole wedding over a cup of tea !!

Go for it !!

jacqelinedaniels · 16/07/2020 21:16

We eloped to a place near Gretna but totally different. Roulette retreat is lovely. Wild flowers, carved wooden roulettes (really comfy) and a wood fired hot tub. It was great. We did stop at Gretna en route for photos because of course! Whatever you do it will be perfect

Shamrocksunshine · 04/10/2020 22:31

Yep. Married in Gretna, loved it.
Took me 25 minutes on the phone to arrange the ceremony, hotel stay, food, piper, hairdresser, photographer and all the other touches. It was so easy. I’ve been with my husband since I was 16 and we are still very happily married. We had a brilliant day, and had our own private cove in the hotel opposite where we ate steak, and drank cocktails.

We will return one day for a blessing. It was super fun announcing it on Facebook later on in the evening.

Junkmail · 05/10/2020 00:17

Do it! I had a Gretna green wedding and it was wonderful. The staff are fantastic. They will bend over backwards for you. It was literally just me and my husband and then we went on a month-long honeymoon. Best decision—zero drama.

Seeingadistance · 05/10/2020 00:22

Why does it have to be Gretna Green? You can have a small wedding anywhere.

DeRigueurMortis · 05/10/2020 00:31

@Seeingadistance

Why does it have to be Gretna Green? You can have a small wedding anywhere.

I think there is something quite nostalgic about Gretna.

Also, though I didn't get married there, from a friend who did they are all "set up" for low fuss weddings while still understanding how to make it special and tailored for the couple.

Essentially there is a whole industry there that's wedding oriented - unlike "anywhere" so getting what you want is easy plus there is a reputation to uphold so the quality of service reflects that.

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