I, Julia, one half of the White Balance duo, am writing this story for you. In 2022 I spent six months travelling, including a month in Mexico. I started the adventure on the Holbox peninsula. How did it happen that one of my very first experiences there was a humanist wedding on the beach?
One afternoon I was strolling along the beach with my camera dangling carelessly from my shoulder. I didn’t yet know how glad I’d be that I’d brought it. And that’s not at all a given – I was on holiday after all, I had my phone with me, and I don’t always feel like lugging the camera around… But that day, unusually, on an ordinary walk, I had both my camera and my drone with me.
A mystical ceremony on the beach on the Holbox peninsula
Suddenly my attention was caught by a small group of people gathering on the beach. I walked closer, curious about what was going on. You could immediately sense a joyful atmosphere, and hear laughter and lively conversation. Everyone was wearing white or black flowing clothes. Colourful blankets and vessels for a ritual ceremony lay on the sand. I instantly felt a little thrill: is this a wedding?! No way, have I stumbled upon a beach wedding?! A beach wedding in Mexico? Wait, so where’s the couple?
At first I sat down a little way off, watching the group. I didn’t want them to see me as an intruder. I looked around carefully – was there a professional photographer anywhere? There clearly wasn’t. Oh no, would they really have no photos of moments like these? I plucked up my courage and approached the woman wearing the longest white dress of the whole group – a bit stereotypical, I know. I asked what kind of ceremony it was and whether there was a couple getting married, and told them I was a photographer travelling and just happened to be passing by. It turned out to be the wedding of two men, Alberto and Alejandro – or rather… one of their weddings. They turned out to be a lovely couple who, that day, had decided to tell the story of their love as the marriage of Hellen and an Egyptian king. The guests’ outfits referenced the Ptolemies – the Egyptians. I stayed with them for a while and, with their permission, photographed unobtrusively. Afterwards they thanked me warmly for capturing their love. If you’re curious about their story, you can read more at the bottom of this post, below the photos.
Alberto and Alejandro’s humanist wedding ceremony
Wedding inspiration – a wedding your way. Or… a few weddings.
As I mentioned, this was one of their SEVERAL weddings. How come, you ask? Let me explain! Alberto and Alejandro are from Mexico, but their story is much more complicated. Alberto has lived in various countries, including Israel, Switzerland and Italy, as has Alejandro, who also spent several years abroad, in England, Spain and Morocco among other places. Their families live in Mexico, but their friends are scattered all over the world. At first the couple planned a modest wedding in Spain, but over time their plans grew bolder, and instead of a simple ceremony in Madrid they decided to rent an entire castle in France! It was a breath of madness and romance: they invited their families and closest friends from all over the world to spend a whole week together in France, near the Loire Valley, home to the most beautiful castles. Before that, though, there were several other ceremonies, in different traditions and countries: a traditional gathering at home connected with Jewish culture, then a civil ceremony in Guadalajara, Mexico, Alejandro’s hometown. And the very first ceremony was the Spiritual Union on Holbox in Mexico, which I happened to stumble upon.
A relaxed atmosphere, earth-toned decorations, spiritual rituals – it made an incredible impression. Add to that guests playing the guitar, singing together and celebrating the setting sun. And at the heart of it all was the couple’s deep love – for each other, and for their friends too. I feel honoured that I was able – completely unexpectedly – to capture it.
Planning a humanist wedding on the beach?
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