1,000 Couples Tie the Knot at Magic Mountain

VALENCIA — On an overcast Valentine’s Day, Elsner and Ariana de la Roca took the matrimonial plunge--literally.

They and 999 other couples were wed Monday at Six Flags Magic Mountain, most in an employee parking lot. A hearty few, such as the De la Rocas, exchanged their vows just before dropping 255 feet on the new Goliath roller coaster.

“I saw the drop and I thought, ‘Aw, man,’ ” said Elsner de la Roca, 19, of Ladera Heights. “I was more nervous about the way we were getting married than about getting married.”

Ariana de la Roca, 21, of Los Angeles, said the amusement park wedding was her idea. “I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ It’s Valentine’s Day, it’s the new millennium.”

The mass wedding was sponsored by KLVE-AM radio, known as “K-LOVE.” Two ministers, who stood on a catwalk at the apex of the ride, performed the wedding rites in English and in Spanish.

A camera mounted on the ride captured the newlyweds’ exhilaration and terror, said park spokeswoman Erika Klinger.

The park was closed to everyone but lovebirds who preregistered at a downtown wedding chapel in preparation for the event.

The ceremony was followed by a reception, including wedding cake.