Love conquers all as Gretna Green remains top destination for wedding couples

A town in Dumfries & Galloway remains Scotland's undisputed wedding destination, as latest figures reveal.

Gretna Green, consistently sees a 12% share of all ceremonies in the country which is more than the Edinburgh or Glasgow local authority areas.

The small village has become synonymous with romance and runaway lovers.

Last year alone there were more than 4,000 weddings in Dumfries and Galloway - about 80% of them were held in Gretna Green.

The recent report to Dumfries and Galloway Council shows that Gretna remained an area selected by thousands of couples every year.

It is said that tourism in the area brings in an estimated £37m into the local economy. However, it said the volume of weddings tended to decrease in times of "economic uncertainty".

The town became a destination for young lovers after the Marriage Act was passed in 1754 in England, which outlawed marriages without parental consent if either party was under 21.

Later a tradition developed of couples travelling over the border to Scotland, which had more lenient laws.

Dumfries and Galloway has maintained a market share of 15-16% - meaning it hosts nearly one in six of all marriages in Scotland.

The council report said customer satisfaction with their wedding experience in the region was high.