“. . . she was gone off to Scotland!” (265)

Couples who wanted to marry during Austen’s time were subject to the Marriage Act of 1753 – a strict set of rules set up in hopes of preventing the moral decline of the institution of marriage. In order to skirt the rules that required the waiting period (so that banns could be read) and parental consent for those under 21, many young couples simply crossed the border to Scotland for their wedding. The fact that Lydia feels that it is necessary to go to Scotland for her wedding shows that she knows that her parents will not approve of her union to Mr. Wickham - especially in light of their relationship out of wedlock in a time when such a situation caused scandal and shame for more than just the individuals involved but for their families as well.

Source:

"Marriage Act of 1753." Humboldt State University. Web. 13 Mar. 2010. http://www.humboldt.edu/~jbd2/Eng350/Marriage%20Act%20of%201753.htm.