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San Antonians Maria and Jesus Ramirez tied the knot at midnight on the Bexar County Courthouse steps. They got married on their anniversary.
"I told him he was my boyfriend on Valentine's Day about five years ago," Ramirez explained.
They were among the 122 couples who said 'I do' on the steps at midnight — the first ceremony of the mass wedding tradition on Feb. 14.
This year, Bexar County Clerk Lucy Adame-Clark announced that for the first time they had an ASL interpreter present. "It's awesome to see all the couples here and celebrate this special moment in their lives," said Teresa Beard, the ASL interpreter.
The festivities continued with a 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. ceremonies.
The noon ceremony featured San Antonio Postmaster Robert Carr unveiling the Love Stamp for 2025, another Valentine's Day tradition.
"We've done them from puppies and kittens, chocolate to stars and just love," Carr explained about the history of Love Stamps.
This year, the stamp is from a 1985 drawing from iconic graphic artist Keith Haring. The stamp features two figures reaching towards a red heart in the center. "It's intended to invoke warm feelings and playfulness," Carr said.
Lauren and Jamar Williams married at the noon ceremony. They met at work together, and he said it was love at first sight.
"I was standing across the office ... and I [thought,] 'man, there's something about her,'" Williams recounted. "Love is not something you go out and you see. ... I sat down, and I prayed, and I just asked for some guidance, and here she came."
Adame-Clark said last year they hosted marriages for 327 couples. She said she feels the popularity comes from it being a free ceremony. However, even when it's not, she said marriage rates have been up in the past few weeks.
"We're very specific on checking identifications, just to make sure that everything meets the criteria that it's supposed to," she explained. "It's better to be cautious and safe when they're getting a marriage license, because you're tying the knot for the rest of your life."
The county clerk added that people from all over Texas and some from outside of the state come to get married on the steps of the courthouse during the holiday of love.
Airmen Denise Fernandez, a San Antonio native, and Brandon Gomez came from out of state to participate in the mass weddings.
"We found out we were both stationed at the same duty location, and one thing led to another and ever since then, the rest is history," Gomez said.
They are stationed in Louisiana. They exchanged rings and said 'I do' in Fernandez's hometown of San Antonio.
