Love is in the air for couples getting married in Gretna Green on Valentine's Day
ITV Border caught up with people in one of the most romantic places in the world on Valentine's Day
Once known as the place that runaway lovers would elope to, Gretna Green is still seen as one of the most romantic places to get married by many around the world.
It became the place for young couples to get married after the 1754 Marriage Act was introduced in England and Wales.
The Law meant you couldn’t marry without your parents’ permission unless you were over 21.
The laws in Scotland were less strict, and so the little village on the Scottish border became world-famous as a place for young couples to rebel and elope.
You can still get married in many of its historic buildings including the Famous Blacksmith Shop.
Susan Houston is the director of Gretna Green Ltd., her family have been hosting weddings in three of the village’s historic venues for five generations.
She said: “It’s part of living history when you come here to get married on your wedding day.
“It’s tradition, people have heard of it, the romance and in days gone by of course. “it was the place for rebellious love as they tired to run across the border to be married without consent from parents, because of the age difference, between England and Scotland.
“It’s the atmosphere, the love, you can’t really explain it.
“They’re here for a reason coming often their two selves and we’re providing witnesses for them.
“It’s many couples that just want a day themselves taking in the atmosphere the romance, reading about the history and just being in this little cottage of a building.”
Many couples travelled Gretna Green to tie the knot on the most romantic day of the year.
One of those couples was Amy and Grant Balcombe.
After nine years together, Amy booked their wedding in the Famous Blacksmith Shop and broke the news to Grant as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve.
She said” “I’ve always thought about Gretna Green and then I started to look more into it and I just fell in love with it, it’s just a dream.
“Just look at the romance, it's so romantic this place you look at the history that it's got behind it and I just think it was right for us wasn't it”, Grant added.