Wedding capital sees surge in post-Covid marriages

The area's popularity as a wedding venue dates back to the 18th Century

A surge in post-Covid marriages is continuing to be seen at Scotland's "wedding capital".

Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) confirmed there were 4,029 weddings in the Gretna area last year - significantly higher than figures before the pandemic.

It is the fourth year in a row that the small town has seen more than 4,000 ceremonies - a rise of about 20% compared with the last full year before the outbreak of Covid in 2020.

The local authority said the increase was attributable to the "enduring appeal" of the area as a wedding venue.

Gretna Green owes its popularity as a wedding venue to its location just across the border from England.

The Marriage Act - passed in 1754 in England - outlawed marriages without parental consent if either party was under 21.

A tradition developed of couples hopping over the border to Scotland, which had more lenient laws.

It remains a magnet for marriages with the local authority estimating that about 18% of Scotland's weddings take place in Dumfries and Galloway - the majority at Gretna.

The record for the highest number of marriages in the past 50 years was set in 2004 when the figure hit 5,555.

However, numbers fell away after that until the post-Covid boom which has seen four years in a row with figures above 4,000 for the first time in more than a decade.

Prior to the pandemic, that annual total was closer to 3,500.

A lot of weddings were cancelled during lockdowns or held under tight conditions with restrictions on numbers.

Since they were lifted, figures have continued to be strong - with the vast majority of them being couples coming to the area from outside Scotland.

Dumfries and Galloway Council said the latest figures were a "significant increase" on the pre-Covid period and reflected a "positive trend" seen in the past few years.

"Gretna continues to be a highly popular destination for weddings in Scotland – with a whopping 18% of Scotland's weddings taking place in Dumfries and Galloway," said a spokesman.

"The increase in numbers is a testament to the enduring appeal of Gretna, and our region, as a romantic and picturesque location for couples to celebrate their special day."