Couples wed on 'perfect tens' day

TENS of thousands of couples around the world are due to get married today in the hope that the special date will bring them luck.

On what is known as the day of "perfect tens" the significance of 10/10/10 has seen hotels and venues report soaring demand.

Scores of couples are due to tie the knot at Gretna Green, on what will be the busiest day of the year for ministers and celebrants outside of Valentine's Day.

The Dumfriesshire town's registration office has received applications from 46 couples to marry on the tenth day of the tenth month of the tenth year. On a normal Sunday in October, the town will host around ten weddings.

Although the registry office will be closed, religious and civil ceremonies will be taking place in churches and hotels around Gretna.

Most of those celebrating their special day are Scottish. From further afield, parties are due to arrive from Germany and Chile.

The number of weddings is up on last year when just 28 weddings were held on 9 September (9/9/09). The low turnout was put down to the fact that the unique date fell on a weekday.

One couple due in Gretna today even postponed their wedding from 2009, reasoning that the date reminded them of the emergency telephone number.

The flurry of weddings at Gretna will be matched around the world. According to Brides magazine, 31,050 couples will get married on 10/10/10. That is almost twice the number of weddings on any other day during the month.