Gretna Green weddings became popular in 1754 when Lord Hardwicke introduced an Act of Parliament which stated firstly that any marriages performed in a church would have to be recorded in the parish records which both bride and groom have to sign, secondly that weddings carried out in places or at times which were deemed illegal in the 1604 canons were not legal ceremonies, thirdly that only weddings performed in a church would be deemed legal and finally that both bride and groom must be at least 21 years of age to marry without parental consent.
This law was introduced to prevent the thousands of marriages which were taking place illegally around the country, causing outcry as these ceremonies were never properly recorded and led to many disputes where landowner's daughters had married against their father's wishes. To be married in this way all that the bride and groom had to do was appear before a parson and two witnesses declaring their wish to be married. Irregular marriages were most common around Fleet prison in London where there were 50 marriage houses.
Over the years couples would runaway to one of the Gretna Green wedding venues for a marriage over the anvil. The ceremonies were performed by the local blacksmith who was at the heart of the community. When angry fathers appeared before the ceremony was complete the young couple would be ushered into the next room where they would climb into bed and the father would then think he was too late to prevent the ceremony and ride off in disgust, after a suitable wait proceedings would then recommence.
The next change in the law occurred in 1977 when the 3 week cooling off period was abolished and a new system was brought in whereby couples must give a minimum of 14 days written notice to Gretna Registry Office of their wedding.Anvil weddings started becoming popular again in 1994 when Ministers began to conduct ceremonies over the anvil for many couples.In 2002 the law changed yet again allowing Registrars to come out of the office and perform a civil wedding ceremony over a Gretna Green anvil. The first civil ceremony in Scotland to take place outside a Registration Office took place at The Mill Forge.
This law was introduced to prevent the thousands of marriages which were taking place illegally around the country, causing outcry as these ceremonies were never properly recorded and led to many disputes where landowner's daughters had married against their father's wishes. To be married in this way all that the bride and groom had to do was appear before a parson and two witnesses declaring their wish to be married. Irregular marriages were most common around Fleet prison in London where there were 50 marriage houses.
Over the years couples would runaway to one of the Gretna Green wedding venues for a marriage over the anvil. The ceremonies were performed by the local blacksmith who was at the heart of the community. When angry fathers appeared before the ceremony was complete the young couple would be ushered into the next room where they would climb into bed and the father would then think he was too late to prevent the ceremony and ride off in disgust, after a suitable wait proceedings would then recommence.
The next change in the law occurred in 1977 when the 3 week cooling off period was abolished and a new system was brought in whereby couples must give a minimum of 14 days written notice to Gretna Registry Office of their wedding.Anvil weddings started becoming popular again in 1994 when Ministers began to conduct ceremonies over the anvil for many couples.In 2002 the law changed yet again allowing Registrars to come out of the office and perform a civil wedding ceremony over a Gretna Green anvil. The first civil ceremony in Scotland to take place outside a Registration Office took place at The Mill Forge.
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