#gretna green

[bethanydelleman]

Greetings! My today's question is: how scandalous is it to elope and marry in Gretna Green? What consequences does the couple face? Edmund's reaction to Julia's elopement seems to indicate that it's pretty bad, though definitely not as bad as Maria's folly: "At any other time this would have been felt dreadfully. Now it seems nothing; yet it is an heavy aggravation."

Remember that the Bertrams are on the conservative side of moral beliefs, so they aren't the best meter for judging how scandalous something really is to the wider public.

Here are my thoughts:

Obeying your parents was a big part of the moral system of the Regency and elopement is a defiance of your parents. You are acting without their permission or approbation. Given that "honour your mother and father" is the 5th commandment in the Bible and the first one that applies to how we treat other people, it's a big deal (yes, it's before "don't murder")

It's stupid, so society makes it taboo. As a woman, it's a huge risk. If you elope and never marry, you are ruined (the fear with Lydia). If you are an heiress, you marry without a proper legal agreement (marriage articles) and your husband can steal and squander your wealth (the fear with Georgiana). Marriage articles protected women. Lydia's eventual one gives her £1000 that Wickham cannot touch. That is so important for her! Things like a jointure (basically survivor's benefit) were also put in the marriage articles. For Robert Ferrars and Julia Bertram, the risk of elopement was that they may not be accepted back into their families. Given their financial situations, this wasn't a huge risk, but it would be something that would make life difficult for them going forward. Connections are everything!

Both of these things matter so much because marriage is basically permanent. It's not a mistake you can just undo and make up with your parents. I believe there were post-marriage articles that were possible, but if your husband wouldn't sign, you were screwed. Divorce was prohibitively expensive and the criteria were very strict. So marriage shouldn't be a decision of passion without forethought. It's a big deal!

As Mary Crawford points out, if you give good dinners a lot of people will accept you no matter what, but respectable families may shun you.

So to sum up, it's taboo and frowned upon because it's dangerous. To me, it kind of seems like the way we view smoking today. And I think different families would have varied reactions to it, some may cut their children off forever, some may reconcile after a few years, or they may decide to accept the marriage for social reasons (not losing another child like Sir Thomas or to save their reputation like the Bennets)

[jam-and-butterfly]

"Love’s about finding the one person who makes your heart complete, who makes you a better person than you ever dreamed you could be."

-The Viscount Who Loved Me, Chapter 22

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stephanie 🖤🤍 (@jam.and.butterfly_)

[cannedkopi]

Chapter 17 of "Heaven is here if you want it" is up on AO3!

A big thank you to @harnitbee for listening to me rant about the legal considerations of anvil weddings and proving crucial info about it. You are a star!!! ❤️❤️❤️

Enjoy!

[kajaono]

My library putting The Canterville ghost into the child section is wild.

Try to explain to a kid what Gretna Green is. Me, myself probably missed half of the jokes in this book when I grew up

[tonyb-blog]

Another trip to Scotland - a short break in Newton Stewart.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Jane then took it from her pocket-book and gave it to Elizabeth. These were the contents:

My dear Harriet,

You will laugh when you know where I am gone, and I cannot help laughing myself at your surprize to-morrow morning, as soon as I am missed. I am going to Gretna Green, and if you cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton, for there is but one man in the world I love, and he is an angel. I should never be happy without him, so I think it no harm to be off. You need not send them word at Longbourn of my going, if you do not like it, for it will make the surprize the greater, when I write to them and sign my name 'Lydia Wickham.' What a good joke it will be! I can hardly write for laughing. Pray make my excuses to Pratt for not keeping my engagement, and dancing with him to-night. Tell him I hope he will excuse me when he knows all; and tell him I will dance with him at the next ball we meet, with great pleasure. I shall send for my clothes when I get to Longbourn; but I wish you would tell Sally to mend a great slit in my worked muslin gown before they are packed up. Good-bye. Give my love to Colonel Forster. I hope you will drink to our good journey.

Your affectionate friend,

Lydia Bennet.

"Pride and Prejudice" - Jane Austen

[tenth-sentence]

The first village over the border was Gretna Green, where one blacksmith alone estimated that he performed the marriage ceremony over the traditional anvil for more than 100 runaway couples a year.

"Normal Women: 900 Years of Making History" - Philippa Gregory

[cabbakansas]

Chapter 1

Cover art by T0XIC on DeviantArt - link

Stock photos from Pinterest and CLT Express

[vaguely-concerned]

I feel like many uneasy relationships and political alliances in the Alpha Quadrant can be summed up with the general sentiment in this quote from the Discworld book 'Going Postal':

Gilt and Vetinari shared a look. It said: While I loathe you and every aspect of your personal philosophy to a depth unplummable by any line, I'll credit you at least with not being Crispin Horsefry.”

Many a deal has been closed by the nominal camaraderie inherent in both parties having to reluctantly allow 'I'll credit you at least with not being Gul Dukat'

[gardenerian]

i need a tiny mickey to stomp around in his bigass boots and plan my wedding SO BAD i need his little notebook more than anything i can’t dO this anymore

[jam-and-butterfly]

Gretna Green - There wasn't a day during their long engagement where Anthony didn't wish he can just whisk Kate into a carriage and make their way to Gretna Green to marry immediately. It is only fitting that they make a stop here, on their way back down to England, to celebrate their love once more.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stephanie 🖤🤍 (@jam.and.butterfly_)

[seokjinite]

its just . harder and harder for my man to hide it

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

"Unhappy marriages may be occasioned by the determined opposition manifested by parents. Much unhappiness in the married state may have been caused by the haste and rashness of young people in entering into engagements without due consideration and prudence. Clandestine courtships followed by a Gretna Green marriage could subside into a persuasion that will in no way elevate the reputations of the pair. Yet at times the opposition is so cruel and unprincipled, that young persons may be justified in uniting in matrimony without the consent of parents or guardians."

The Etiquette of Love and Courtship, 1850

[minimitchell]

listen i loved the wedding we got but just imagine if the wedding had just been the two of them and no one else. like imagine them lying in bed one night talking about caterers or venues and how expensive it all is and callum just jokes that ‘maybe they should just elope then’. and they both laugh it off and that’s that except the thought won’t leave ben’s mind. he keeps thinking about them doing this just for them. they’re both not keen on all the attention and they’re both acutely aware that weddings in walford just spell disaster. and of course he wants lexi to see her dads get married and he wants pam to see he’s happy again and he wants his mom and dad to be proud of how far he’s come but.. he also just wants to marry the love of his life in peace. so a few days after callum’s initial joke they’re in bed again and ben just decides to blurt out ‘let’s drive to gretna green and get married?’. and callum’s a bit taken aback but he loves ben and he really really wants to be married to him so of course he says yes. and then they probably celebrate because you know. it’s them. and so they pack a bag the next day and just drive. and they get married just the two of them without telling anyone about it. they spend a few extra days in a little hotel there and basically never leave their room and then it’s time to drive back to the square again. kathy definitely chews them out for getting married without her and lexi stews for a day or two but ultimately everyone’s just too happy for them to give a shit. mostly because ben and callum are so obviously and deliriously happy as well.

[hotelbooking]

Days Inn by Wyndham Gretna Green M74 Indulge in a world of entertainment at Days Inn by Wyndham Gretna Green M74, where there is something for everyone. Whether you're looking to shop till you drop, relax in a rejuvenating spa, explore beautiful gardens, or pick up a unique souvenir, this hotel has it all. Step into a shopper's paradise with a variety of shops conveniently located within the hotel. From fashion boutiques to specialty stores, you'll find everything you need just steps away from your room. After a day of retail therapy, unwind and pamper yourself at the spa. Indulge in a range of treatments designed to melt away stress and leave you feeling refreshed and revitalized. For nature enthusiasts, the hotel offers a stunning garden where you can take a leisurely stroll and admire the vibrant flora. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the surroundings and reconnect with nature. Finally, don't forget to visit the gift/souvenir shop to pick up a memento of your stay. Whether...

[youremyonlyhope]

Me: *Talking to my cousins.* My Dad: *20 feet away talking to other family members.* Me: Yeah so the strike – Dad: HOPE! HEY HOPE! *Yelling across the room* Me: – might reach some sort of negotiation. Dad: HOPE! Me: One sec. WHAT? Dad: SCOTLAND IS FOR MARRIAGES RIGHT? Me: GRETNA GREEN, YEAH. Anyway, as of yesterday there are rumors that negotiations are looking more promising. Cousin: Wait, what? Scotland? Me: Don't worry about it.