It became a haven for young lovers after an 18th century English law made it an offence for couples under 21 to marry without their parents' permission.
Love-struck teenagers could marry on the spot in Scotland in a simple marriage declaration or 'handfasting' ceremony with two witnesses.
The 1754 Marriage Act led to an influx of couples travelling north to Gretna Green on the Scottish Borders,which was the first village on the main post road from London.
Now the world-famous blacksmith's shop has been transformed into the UK's first visitor attraction dedicated to love and marriage following a £1.5million transformation.
Visitors are being welcomed to the new 'Gateway of Scotland' where thousands of couples have eloped.
The tourist attraction tells of the historic tales of love and marriage dating back many generations in an immersive experience that also aims to future-proof the experiences of many more couples.
Guests can browse original love letters from the 1700s and learn from the Anvil priests themselves how Gretna Green became the home of runaway romance.
Visitors can even experience a ‘sneak peek’ of a wedding in action and have the chance to add their own love story to the wedding wall. The tour ends with a 360 degree immersive show celebrating what love means to us all.
The blacksmith's house now has two wedding venues including the original marriage room, which has remained untouched and still provides the iconic experience of getting married over the historic anvil.
The Forge has now been added, which has retained all of its original features but incorporates modern aspects such as the opportunity to project imagery of a couple's own love story across the walls.
Two newly refurbished hotels have been unveiled to tie in with the launch of the new visitor attraction. A penthouse suite has been added to the four star Smiths Hotel while the historic Gretna Hall has been completely refurbished.
Dennis and Marie returned to the 'land of love' for the first time since their wedding at the venue in the 1960s. They were joined by Cole and Abbie, who took part in a handfasting ceremony.
In 18th century Scotland, the laws allowed boys as young as 14 and girls of 12 to be married.
After the English laws were tightened a new trade developed allong the Scottish border providing swift marriages for those eloping.
Other popular places in the Scottish borders to wed included the toll house on the Scottish side of Coldstream Bridge and the toll house at Lamberton.
Couples arriving at Gretna Green were married by a self-appointed 'anvil priest' not a clergyman.
As they tended to be typically rich and in a great rush to be married, the 'priest' could charge what he liked.
One of the most famous marriages to take place was between Sarah Anne Child and John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmoreland, which was held on May 20 1782.
Sarah Anne's father,Robert Child chased the couple all the way to Scotland but failed to prevent the nuptials.
Such was his fury, he cut his daughter out of his will, determined that no Earl of Westmoreland would benefit from his riches.
Gretna Green features in the Jane Austen novel Pride and Prejudice when Lizzie Bennet's sister Lydia runs off with the villainous Mr Wickham.
Susan Houston from the Gretna Green family estate, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have launched this immersive new attraction here at Gretna Green.
"This is our way of telling our love story to the world and we can’t wait to welcome visitors from across the country and the globe to our famous destination at the gateway to Scotland."
In 1940 the institution of "marriage by declaration" was outlawed in Scotland and in 1977 English couples could finally get married without parental consent at 18.
There is still a small Gretna "gap" in the two legal systems. Marriage is legal at 16 in Scotland without parental consent.
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