The traditional wedding song "Here Comes the Bride" echoed through the hotel courtyard yesterday to celebrate romantic Valentine's Day weddings.

Instead of one couple vowing their love, 21 couples were wed in a mass ceremony at Marriage Mania.

The event, backed by radio station Beaver 103 and the Ramada Inn, 1450 S. Atherton St., wed the couples free of cost and provided a reception, cakes, flowers and photography donated by various local businesses.

Officiating the ceremony was Centre County District Justice Brad Lunsford. He offered the couples words of advice during the ceremony: "Marriage should be entered into with discretion and love," Lunsford said. "Keep your commitment primary."

After the couples professed their vows, reactions ranged from wide grins to tearful embraces.

When Lunsford declared the couples husband and wife, a burst of applause and cheers rang out from the guests.

Thirteen couples were wed and eight married couples renewed their vows at the Inn, amid silver candelabra surrounded by rose petals on each tabletop. Red, white and pink balloon arches added to the Valentine's Day theme. The guests watched from balconies and floor seating. The wedding gowns ranged from traditional white to bright red that complemented the Valentine theme. Most of the grooms wore tuxedos or suits.

Newlyweds Joseph and Wendy Ollison, area residents, were delighted with the ceremony.

"We've been together in our hearts for long enough," Wendy Ollison said. "We were supposed to get married in the spring, but we decided to hurry it up."

Julie Oleksak, marketing consultant for Forever Broadcasting, said the main reason most of the couples chose the mass ceremony was to save money and get around the hassle of planning a wedding.

Carlos and Mindy Sanchez of State College agreed with Oleksak. They had been planning to marry and chose the mass wedding to make it easier.

After 29 years of marriage, Jerry and Sara Carlson of State College decided to renew their vows. Jerry Carlson surprised his wife with a new ring for the event, and she wore the wedding dress from their original ceremony.

The bride took with her mementos of her three children, such as a bouquet made by one of her daughters, as they were unable to attend the event. Carlson also followed the traditional wedding rules of "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." Her sister celebrated with the couple and hoped to read a special poem during the reception.

Guest Barbara Shaffer of Bellfonte said "I loved it. What can I say? I wouldn't mind doing this myself." Shaffer was honoring the marriage of her granddaughter.

Jennifer Brooks-Stahl, director of sales and marketing for the Ramada Inn, said Marriage Mania might become an annual event. "We were very pleased with the ceremony."