An iconic wedding venue and visitor attraction has undergone a £1.5 million transformation.
Gretna Green, the home of romance, rebellion, and runaway marriages, has given its iconic Famous Blacksmiths Shop a £1.5 million transformation to create a modern and immersive new experience that tells the story of the world-famous destination.
The aptly named Gateway to Scotland has been operating for over 250 years and has hosted thousands of weddings since its very first ceremony back in 1754.
Now, the Famous Blacksmiths Shop is set to become the UK’s first immersive visitor attraction dedicated to love and marriage. The newly transformed The Famous Blacksmiths Gretna Green Experience will open on April 28.
The renovation has seen a full internal building makeover, including the brand new museum experience, as well as the launch of a new wedding room, named The Forge.
The creation of The Famous Blacksmiths Gretna Green Experience will future-proof many more love stories. As part of the new attraction, guests will be taken on a magical journey of true love.
From showcases of historic weddings to explorations of what it means to get married today, visitors will get the chance to add their own love story to the wedding wall. They can even experience a sneak peek of a wedding in action.
History of Grena Green
Historically, the prestigious Scottish landmark was a popular hotspot for eloping couples due to its location on the Scottish border and the strict Marriage Act in place in England, resulting in couples travelling across into the neighbouring country to tie the knot.
Originally and traditionally known for shoeing horses, Gretna Green blacksmith Joseph Paisley quickly realised he could make more money marrying star crossed lovers escaping the marriage act in England and reinvented himself as an anvil priest.
With marriages being deemed official solely by declaration up until 1940, the self-declared anvil priests at the Blacksmiths shop had stumbled on a new line of business.
Over the years the venue has developed and grown dramatically, drawing in customers from every corner of the globe and becoming a five-star award-winning visitor attraction.
Today, Gretna Green houses a retail shopping experience, restaurant, a food hall, three hotels – Smiths, Gretna Hall in Gretna Green and Greens at Gretna – an online retail business that ships to 55 countries worldwide, and at the heart of the destination remains the historic Famous Blacksmiths Shop.
A family-run attraction established in 1885, the business has been handed down through four generations and remains family-run to this day.
Isabel Rhodes, CEO of the Gretna Green family estate, said: “We are the home of runaway love – what could be more romantic? We wanted to fully tell the fascinating story of our destination and the recent investment is our way of paying tribute to that.”
Susan Houston, family director of the Gretna Green family estate, commented: “Since the family took on the estate in 1885, we have built a successful visitor attraction whilst maintaining the compelling appeal of forbidden love and romance. We offer something very unique with the abundance of history.”
Lucy Houston, family director, added: “The Famous Blacksmiths Gretna Green Experience is a huge milestone in our history and we are excited to welcome everyone so that they too can experience the world’s greatest love story.”
