Wedding Blog
A Guid New Year to Yin An' A'
A guid New Year to yin an' a'
An' mony may ye see,
An' during a' the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
And let us wish that yin an'a'
Our friends baith far an' near,
May aye enjoy in times to come -
A hearty guid New Year!
From all at The Mill Forge.
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Merry Christmas
Christmas time is upon us once more,
Time for mistletoe, wine & parties galore!
Enjoy the festive period - It's the Season of "Good Cheer"
We all wish you. Merry Christmas
& A Prosperous New Year!
From all at The Mill
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Lady in red…. and Horse
I couldn't resist sharing this wedding picture with you.
Perfect mild weather, a backdrop of the water wheel at The Forge, a beautiful bride resplendent in her red dress, a groom looking handsome in his kilt and a wonderful carriage and horses to match.
What could be more perfect? Quite makes you want to get married!!
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Who is hiding in the tree?
In case you're wondering, thats not the paparazzi loitering in the undergrowth but our arty photographer Colin - determined as always to get the best angle for the shot. You must agree it's going to make a lovely picture...
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What could be nicer ??
Each morning when we come into the office there is a friendly little face waiting to greet us.........
A cute little robin is outside our window waiting for the blind to go up.
Do you think it might be the bread crumbs we put out that are enticing him?
Makes you think Christmas is just around the corner.......
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Autumn Colour
The Mill Forge gardens are struggling to hold on to their autumn colours.
The last leaves are just managing to hold on after a couple of night's ground frost.
Winter is just round the corner......
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Spooky!
I'm happy to report that Halloween passed at The Mill Forge with no nasty surprises or supernatural goings-on - just a full quota of brides and grooms enjoying their own very special day.
However, soon afterwards I heard rumours of an 'unusual' cake which appeared in the function room.... We're not exactly sure where it came from or who it was meant for, but I think you'll agree it is rather spooooky!!!
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11/11/11
We have six couples taking their vows in The Forge today.
There's no excuse for the husbands we marry today to forget their wedding anniversary.
Not only "a memorable date" - but Remembrance Day as well !!!
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Remember, Remember the Fifth of November.
As the bonfires are being set alight across the country.......
We have lit the match for five happy couples today at The Mill Forge.
May all your marriages sparkle with excitement and rocket to success!!
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Smoking Shelter.
Our latest addition to The Mill is our new Smoking Shelter. A covered area at the conservatory bar door where our guests can sit outside in comfort.
The workmen were being ably assisted by Benny, one of our Chefs on his day off.
Benny just could not resist the temptation to monkey around once he saw me with the camera!!
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Very wise words read in The Mill Forge
Marriage Joins Two People
In The Circle Of Its Love
by Edmund O'Neill
Marriage is a commitment to life,
the best that two people can find and bring out in each other.
It offers opportunities for sharing and growth
that no other relationship can equal.
It is a physical and an emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime.
Within the circle of its love,
marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships.
A wife and a husband are each other's best friend,
confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and critic.
And there may come ...
We were all quite amoosed...
by this wedding cake which was delivered today - isn't it wonderful?
All the staff were trying to guess who would want such a cake. A dairy farmer? A milkman? A cheesemaker? A cowboy? Maybe a 'moo'sician? But it turned out it had been specially made for a bride who's just crazy about cows - simple as that! Moove over darling!!!
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How to tie a cravat
For those of you who may not need to wear a morning suit or a kilt on a regular basis, we though you might appreciate a bit of advice about how to tie a cravat...
Loves Young Dream !!!
A lovely romantic wedding was held in The Mill Forge. The bride and groom had 'run away' to Gretna Green without telling anyone -- Nothing unusual. - This couple were over the age of 16 - of course I could not tell you how old they are - but I am sure they would not mind if I mentioned that the bride was born in 1925 and the groom in 1932!
Both widowed, they decided after knowing each other for over 30 years that Gretna Green was the place for them.
Our wedding co-ordinator Andrea and wedding photographer Paul Taylor ...
Couples come to The Mill Forge for their wedding
Couples come to The Mill Forge for their wedding - but did you know........ ?
The word "wed" is derived from the ancient Greek word for "pledge." And that's exactly what a wedding ceremony is, no matter what country it takes place in, no matter which culture its part of. To wed is to pledge yourself to another. There are few acts we perform that are more pure or more beautiful than the act of marriage.
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Do us a favour!
At the Mill Forge we know them as wedding favours... but have you ever wondered where this tradition came from? A lot of people think this is a modern wedding practice, in fact it is a tradition steeped in history.
The custom of giving wedding favours dates back to early European history where they were given to celebrate marriages, birthdays and christenings by the wealthy aristocrats of the period. In those days these treats were luxury items such as sugar cubes which would illustrate your wealth and were symbolic of royalty.
At this time sugar was such an ...
Double Trouble ?
This pair of little cuties nearly stole the show at one of our weddings in The Mill Forge
The twins were living every little girl's dream of being a flower girl at a lovely summer wedding, dressed in matching fairytale frocks.
Luckily, they continued to live up to their 'sugar and spice and all things nice' reputation during the ceremony and whilst the photos were being taken. Sweet...!
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Pastor Sandy Jamieson
Pastor Sandy Jamieson is a minister with Assemblies of God a Christian denomination. He has been serving Gretna now for 11 years conducting Religious marriages and blessings in and around the area.
Pastor Sandy says " it's a real privilege to serve the couples on their wedding day at the Mill Forge, I always try to put them at ease and help them to enjoy their day by putting a bit of my personality and humour in where appropriate".
Pastor Sandy Jamieson is married to Jan a primary head teacher and has 3 children; he loves eating out ...
Who needs a wedding car ?
Who needs a wedding car when you can travel in style!!
Or - are they the Bridesmaid and Best Man at the ceremony at The Mill Forge?
Our happy couple were married by a registrar at 10am then went on their merry way.
Congratulations to you both. Happy biking !!
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Special Request
One of our brides today had a special request.
Can we play an Elvis song as we walk out of the the Mill Forge - my husband-to-be is a big fan?
Uh-huh, of course you can!
We always do our best to make your big day individual and special. !!!!
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Pipe Major Craig Irving
Even Pipe Major Craig Irving sometimes needs a bit of help with his plaid.
But at home Craig has his wife Bev to lend a hand, ably assisted by his two wee boys Matt and Archie.
Craig earns his living piping couples to and from their weddings. The pipes certainly add a Scottish theme to your big day. Always happy to pose for photographs, Craig in his pipe major regalia brightens up any wedding album.
We are often asked to help grooms don their kilts, which we're always happy to do. But if you would like to ...
Does anyone know this man??
We asked him his thoughts on years of doing weddings in Gretna Green.
The Mill Forge is a very special place, made special by the warmth of the welcome that is given to everyone and the care and attention given by the staff to ensure everything runs smoothly for the couple on their wedding day.
For my part, I have been conducting religious weddings at The Mill Forge for the last ten years. My chief aim is to ensure that every couple has what I describe as a 'good experience' in their wedding ceremony. By nature I am described ...
Hidden surprise
A beautiful young woman floated up the aisle looking every inch the conventional bride. Her proud husband-to-be looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. Their friends and family sat down and the minister began the wedding ceremony. Nothing unusual here, I hear you say...
But as the happy couple reached the door of the Mill Forge as man and wife, the bride looked towards me and winked. She raised the hem of her dress and nodded towards her feet ... "It's the rebel in me" she whispered!
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Today is a day you will always remember
Today is a day you will always remember
the greatest in anyone's life.
You'll start off the day just two people in love
and end it as Husband and Wife.
It's a brand-new beginning, the start of a journey,
with moments to cherish and treasure
and although there'll be times when you both disagree
these will surely be outweighed by pleasure.
You'll have heard many words of advice in the past
when the secrets of marriage were spoken,
but you know that the answers lie hidden inside
where the bond of true love lies unbroken.
Cutest little page boy and flower girl
Just seen the cutest little page boy and flower girl in the world!
They were really good during the ceremony but were very excited by all the confetti when they got outside and started fighting over who could collect the most. Thankfully, peace was restored in time for the photographs!
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A family member married at The Mill Forge
Spencer, son of the owners Mr & Mrs Smith, was married to his sweetheart Sarah recently in the The Mill Forge with a religious ceremony performed by Jack Strachan.
After Piper Craig Irving had escorted everyone into the Forge they exchanged vows over the anvil in front of family and friends.
Not even the torrential rain could dampen the atmosphere - The smiles on many happy faces chased away the clouds, long enough for photographer Colin to grab a few shots in the gardens.
A party at The Mill in the evening was the chance for everyone ...
Special memento of their wedding day
A Grooms mother was looking for a special memento of their wedding day for her son and his new wife but hadn't been able to find anything suitable.
I suggested she had a look at the gifts in the display cabinets in our gift shop in the reception area - the crystal glasses engraved with the Mill Wheel and The Forge were perfect!
We are often asked which item of stock is our best seller. The horseshoes and confetti are always popular, but closely followed by the paracetamol and Alka-Seltzer. (The next morning)!!!!!
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Good things come in small packages !
It's always been claimed that good things come in small packages and here's the photo that proves it!
One of our wedding cake suppliers has chosen this dinky little car as an environmentally-friendly way to make their deliveries and it's become a regular visitor to The Mill Forge.
Whilst it probably couldn't transport a cake of recent 'royal' proportions, it's just the right size for traditional three tier wedding cakes, single tier chocolate cakes, individual cup cakes - or anything else the bride and groom may desire.
So, if you would like a little inspiration or assistance ...
Words of wisdom
Words of wisdom read out at one of our religious wedding ceremonies today.
Captain Corelli's Mandalin By Louis de Bernieres
Love is a temporary madness,
it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.
And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together
that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.
Because this is what love is.
Love is not breathlessness,
it is not excitement,
it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.
That is just being "in love" ...
The Mill Forge, Gretna Green Receives Award!
We are delighted to announce that we received an award from TripAdvisor the well known hotel review website.
We were awarded a Certificate of Excellence for the many positive reviews our customers have left on their website.
We would like to extend our thanks to all the people who left these wonderful reviews of their experience at The Mill Forge. We cannot put into words how pleased we are with this recognition. Every member of staff has played their part and we are all cock-a-hoop to receive such a prestigious award.
All we need to do ...
Wedding Planner Jamie turns 30
All the staff had a night out to celebrate Jamie's 30th birthday.
We caught the train from Gretna to Carlisle and went for a lovely meal at Michaelangelo's restaurant. With a few glasses of wine to accompany our food, a cheerful time was had by all.
Now a fully-fledged wedding planner, Jamie has been with us for two years and is an important part of our team.
But, like the conscientious lot we are, we made sure to catch the late train home for a good night's sleep, ready to face a busy time ...
Welcome - from all at The Mill Forge
Hello to all our past, present - and future - brides and grooms. We've been very busy over the past couple of months getting our new-look website up and running and we hope you like the result.
Our wedding planner team found it rather daunting to have to move around in front of the camera lens for a change, to have a new photo taken for the website. We're much more used to directing from behind the scenes!
We've only just calmed down after the excitement of Wills and Kate, but of course every day is ...
