Gretna Green is a village in the south of Scotland famous for runaway weddings

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It has usually been assumed that Gretna's famous "runaway marriages" began in 1754 when Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act came into force in England. Under the Act, if a parent of a minor (, a person under the age of 21) objected to the minor's marriage, the parent could legally veto the union. The Act tightened the requirements for marrying in England and Wales but did not apply in Scotland, where it was possible for boys to marry at 14 and girls at 12 with or without parental consent

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Size: 4580px × 3012px
Location: Gretna Green, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Milena Boeva / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: green, gretna, historically, romantic, scotish, scotland, south, statues, traditions, uk, village, wedding, weddings