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Weddings

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Original poster

Anyone done Gretna Green just the two of you?

18 replies

Lottapianos · 23/01/2023 15:44

Would you recommend it?
What did you do for food / drinks after your ceremony?
Can they supply witnesses for you?
Any tips or recommendations?

OP posts:

orangegato · 23/01/2023 15:45

Placemarking as I’m all for this. Weddings aren’t my thing whatsoever but I want that ring and name!

Original poster

Lottapianos · 23/01/2023 15:58

'Placemarking as I’m all for this'

😁 Let's hope we get some good info!
Keep your own name though.... It's yours....

OP posts:

doadeer · 23/01/2023 16:01

I got married with two witnesses only. It wasn't Gretna green but local registry office. They couldn't supply witnesses we asked.

We had our son with us so after we just went home and had some tasty food!

If I didn't have my son I would have booked a beautiful hotel room and had a romantic night!

LunchBoxPolice · 23/01/2023 16:06

We got married just the two of us in Gretna last year. The registrar supplied witnesses, I think one of them was from Smith’s hotel (where we stayed over the road).
afterwards we drove to Edinburgh and stayed for the night.

WolfFoxHare · 23/01/2023 16:10

We did - we got married at the registry office. We’d asked in advance if they be able to find us witnesses on the day, and they’d said ‘yes, not problem’ but then when we turned up in our finery they did seem a bit flustered about finding someone! We ended up with two people who’d come in to fill out their paperwork for their own wedding in a couple of months.

We actually stayed in a boutique hotel in the Lake District and drove up to Gretna for the day. We had a lovely dinner in a private dining room in the hotel that night (can’t remember what we did for lunch!). We had a ‘mini-moon’ poking around the Lakes for the next few days - it was in winter and snowy so all the tourist villages and towns were quite quiet and very pretty.

Littlebummybums · 23/01/2023 16:15

we went on a wet Monday in January. The registrar provided two witnesses from the museum. They’d done it loads of times. Then one of the witnesses took us a private tour of the museum and took our photos! We went for a cup of tea after in the adjoining visitors centre then home for a Macdonalds and our fav tv programme. It was joyous!

SuperSange · 23/01/2023 16:16

We did, at Mill Forge. It was all taken care of by them bar the music. We stayed there the night before and after the ceremony, had an amazing wedding breakfast, they had witnesses. Wouldn't have changed it for the world.

gogohmm · 23/01/2023 16:20

I quite fancy the idea myself, maybe the answer is to pick the same day as another Mumsnetter and swop witness duties!

MissWings · 23/01/2023 16:24

I did. We had a fab day. A lovely steak and chips at Smiths afterwards. Intimate service, piper and photos all in the package. I had my hair done in the salon at smiths beforehand too. Still happily married. Been together since we were 16 but never got round to marrying for a while. It was a really beautiful day but it was also LOTS of fun.

MissWings · 23/01/2023 16:34

Plus you can elope anywhere but I organised the whole day in a 20 minute phone call. They’re set up for it, and I’m fuss free so it did the job for me.

Original poster

Lottapianos · 23/01/2023 17:27

'They’re set up for it, and I’m fuss free so it did the job for me.'

Absolutely, same here. To be honest, the main attraction is that they are happy to provide witnesses. I know you can risk it with a couple of strangers off the street, but I would be too nervous that it just wouldnt wish out on the day

So many lovely stories and great experiences on the thread, thanks for sharing!

OP posts:

Lennox78 · 23/01/2023 17:52

We did as well, everything was sorted with a few emails. We booked a “package “ deal which included staying over at smith’s hotel, had a meal after and added the witnesses for an extra £30. It was the photographer and a woman who worked for the wedding company. We had a great day! Stress free and low key

Original poster

Lottapianos · 23/01/2023 18:21

'We booked a “package “ deal which included staying over at smith’s hotel, had a meal after and added the witnesses for an extra £30. It was the photographer and a woman who worked for the wedding company. We had a great day! Stress free and low key'

Sounds absolutely perfect ☺️

OP posts:

ohlordnotagain · 23/01/2023 18:26

We did - well us two and our child. It was amazing. We contacted a company to arrange flowers, hair and make up for me. My husband did my dress up for me and drove us to the ceremony.
The company arranged for witnesses for us and the minister and the piper.
We had a pub tea after the ceremony.
We were staying in a really lovely apartment so did our own breakfast the next morning.
I honestly can't recommend it enough. There was zero stress and it was just how we wanted it.

ohlordnotagain · 23/01/2023 18:27

Oh yes, they also did some photos for us too.

annonymousse · 23/01/2023 18:34

We did the runaway wedding package. Everything arranged for us. We just had to turn up. We stayed in the hotel opposite the blacksmiths and walked over for the ceremony then back to the hotel and a lovely meal just the two of us. I wouldn't change a thing. 🥰

Original poster

Lottapianos · 23/01/2023 19:01

'We did the runaway wedding package. Everything arranged for us'

Just love this 😁 which hotel did you stay in?

I think we would want to arrive and stay the night before the wedding, then stay the night of the wedding too, then go to Edinburgh for maybe another 3 nights

OP posts:

annonymousse · 23/01/2023 19:16

We were at smiths hotel too. We came up the day before - it was right at the end of covid lockdown. We got married on a Sunday and didn't know if it was going to go ahead until the Friday before. The hotel gave us a bottle of champagne and a lovely hamper of goodies. It was so chilled out and relaxed. DH laid on the bed chatting while I did my hair and make up. In fact we're so relaxed we lost track of time and had to run to the blacksmith shop. I would recommend it to anyone.

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