Woman says 'I do' on exact same date ancestors tied the knot at Scotland's marriage mecca
A woman has said 'I do' at Scotland's marriage mecca exactly a century after her great grandparents tied the knot at the same place.
Amber Chappel and Benny de Garis got married at Gretna Green on August 12 – following in the footsteps of Amber's ancestors Archibald and Isabella Bone.
They crossed the border on motorbike on August 12, 1925 to get married in the village that was already legendary for runaway weddings.
Amber and Benny, both 36, opted for an intimate ceremony to honour the moment her family's story first intertwined with Gretna Green's.
Their own romance feels like fate playing a long game. Though they knew of each other as teenagers and shared mutual friends, their paths never quite aligned until years later, when a match on Tinder finally brought them face-to-face.
By then, the coincidences were uncanny: they had lived in the same cities, worked in the same shop at different times, and even walked the same streets years apart.
Marking the day with yet more history, Amber – from Salisbury – wore a handmade wedding dress first created by her grandmother and worn by both her grandmother and mother before her.
Head of sales at Gretna Green, Sophie Lytollis, said: 'It is incredibly special to welcome Amber and Benny on such a historic day.
To marry exactly 100 years after Amber's great-grandparents stood here is not just romantic, it is a living reminder of why Gretna Green has been such an enduring place for love stories through the generations.'
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2 days ago
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Woman says 'I do' on exact same date ancestors tied the knot at Scotland's marriage mecca
Amber Chappel and Benny de Garis got married at Gretna Green on August 12 – following in the footsteps of Amber's great grandparents Archibald and Isabella Bone. A woman has said 'I do' at Scotland's marriage mecca exactly a century after her great grandparents tied the knot at the same place. Amber Chappel and Benny de Garis got married at Gretna Green on August 12 – following in the footsteps of Amber's ancestors Archibald and Isabella Bone. They crossed the border on motorbike on August 12, 1925 to get married in the village that was already legendary for runaway weddings. Amber and Benny, both 36, opted for an intimate ceremony to honour the moment her family's story first intertwined with Gretna Green's. Their own romance feels like fate playing a long game. Though they knew of each other as teenagers and shared mutual friends, their paths never quite aligned until years later, when a match on Tinder finally brought them face-to-face. By then, the coincidences were uncanny: they had lived in the same cities, worked in the same shop at different times, and even walked the same streets years apart. Marking the day with yet more history, Amber – from Salisbury – wore a handmade wedding dress first created by her grandmother and worn by both her grandmother and mother before her. Head of sales at Gretna Green, Sophie Lytollis, said: 'It is incredibly special to welcome Amber and Benny on such a historic day. To marry exactly 100 years after Amber's great-grandparents stood here is not just romantic, it is a living reminder of why Gretna Green has been such an enduring place for love stories through the generations.'
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On August 12, 2025, Amber and Benny stepped into that history, choosing an intimate, unconventional ceremony to honour the moment when her family's story first intertwined with Gretna Green's. Their own romance feels like fate playing a long game. Though they knew of each other as teenagers and shared mutual friends, their paths never quite aligned until years later, when a match on Tinder finally brought them face-to-face. By then, the coincidences were uncanny: they had lived in the same cities, worked in the same shop at different times, and even walked the same streets years apart. Amber Chapell and Benny de Garis chose an intimate, unconventional ceremony (Image: Gretna Green) Marking the day with yet more history, Amber wore a handmade wedding dress first created by her grandmother and worn by both her grandmother and mother before her. The dress has now seen three generations married. Sophie Lytollis, Head of Sales at Gretna Green, said: 'It is incredibly special to welcome Amber and Benny on such a historic day. To marry exactly 100 years after Amber's great-grandparents stood here is not just romantic, it is a living reminder of why Gretna Green has been such an enduring place for love stories through the generations.' The Famous Blacksmiths Shop in Gretna Green has welcomed couples from around the world since 1754, making it one of the most iconic wedding destinations in history. Today, it remains at the heart of a family-owned business that spans five generations, offering a 5-star visitor attraction, two 4-star hotels and the historic Old Toll Bar, the First and Last House in Scotland. READ MORE: Gretna Green 'Gateway to Scotland' attraction launched Last year, Gretna Green was named in the top three destinations globally for couples seeking to elope, beating off competition from Spain, France and Italy. To crown the world's top elopement destinations, experts looked at Google search results, Instagram posts, the cost of marriage certificates, hotel prices and weather data, along with the data surrounding the most publicised celebrity elopements. Las Vegas took the top spot, followed by the Californian city of San Diego. Gretna Green is the marriage capital of the UK, facilitating nearly 4,000 ceremonies a year - 3% of which are weddings from overseas, the US, Canada and Australasia. It has appeared in films, TV shows like Coronation Street and Downton Abbey, and was a central part in Jane Austen's book Pride and Prejudice.
