ISSUE 1568 Friday 10 September 1999

Couples crowd in for a 9.9.99 wedding By Auslan Cramb

MORE than 50 couples yesterday chose the ninth day of the ninth month of 1999 to marry at Gretna Green.

It was the busiest day of the year for weddings in the Borders town, which once attracted runaway teenagers taking advantage of Scotland's right to marry without permission at 16. Thirteen couples were married in the Old Blacksmith's Shop, another 13 at nearby Gretna Hall, 24 in the Gretna registrar's office, and two at the Old Toll Bar, the first house in Scotland. Alaster Lynn, of the Gretna Wedding Bureau, was involved in 16 services. He said: "It is more like Valentine's Day than a week day in September."

He believed the date was particularly popular among men who might otherwise forget their anniversary. But Roger Harrison, 59, of Rowlands Castle, near Portsmouth, and his bride Christine Dix, 38, felt it was lucky. Mr Harrison said: "We wanted to marry on the stroke of nine but when we arrived we were told we would have to wait until 9.30am. However, we were still the first to wed here today."

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 09, 1999