My first experience with a Mexican wedding

This past weekend I got the priviledge to shoot a wedding, and it just happened to be a Mexican wedding! The wedding was very fast paced, as I just found out that I was the photographer 9 days before the wedding. But the couple, Gaby and Fernando, were very fun to work with and it was a fun wedding.

Some would say that there aren't a lot of differences between Mexican and American weddings. Of course they have a lot of the same things: a church, a bride, a groom, a priest. I mean there isn't much to that. I have never been to a Catholic wedding, so I don't know the differences and similiarites there. But let me just say that I think there are a lot of differences, Mexican weddings are crazy (good crazy)!

After the bride finished getting ready, we headed off to the church. They didn't have a driver, so I quickly switched from photographer to chaufer in a matter of seconds. So I drive to the church with 15 minutes until the wedding. I was worried about getting there early, but apparently that didn't matter. Driving was an adventure in in itself, as there was gigantic flower arrangement on the hood of my car! Driving in Mexico is hard to begin with, but with a gigantic flower arrangement, you are pretty much going on a prayer...

So we get there with negative 2 minutes to go, and I was nervous because I wanted to get set up and prepare and everything. I found that that was actually unnecessary because when we get there there is an entire paparazzi to escort the bride down the aisle! So this paparazzi proceeded to follow the bride even up on stage! I don't know if that's customary, but I just sort of followed the crowd. Just go with the flow. No need to "setup". haha!

But the bride was dressed very beautifully. And the ceremony went wonderfully. Maybe except for the 70 year old woman in the back who kept screaming "AMEN!" "Hallelujah" after everything the priest said. It was quite funny. And there was the dancing kids in the aisle. I figured they were part of the act. And afterwards the reception!

Receptions in Mexico are similiar like that in the states, but on a much grander scale. It was in this very fancy estate and if you didn't have a suit and a tie or a dress (for the ladies), you felt out of place. Waiters and decorations and everything dressed to the nine... I was told that the reception was a small wedding. It is very customary in Mexico to spend a lot on the wedding, even if you don't have the ability to.

And the reception was a party! That is the biggest difference between American and Mexican weddings. Americans dance at a wedding......ha! yeah right! Mexicans at 11:00 the place turned into a club! Everyone, young and old were dancing to Norteñas, Rancheras, Reggaeton, Rap, Oldies, Salsa, Tango, everything! I left at 1:30 (that's AM...) and the party was just getting started! Even the bride and the groom were still there. I was told it was probably going to last until 4am or 5am!

Let me end on one tradition that is definitely different, which I'm glad the US hasn't found out about. During the reception, it is tradition for the Bachelors to do the garder thing--same as in the states. But after that is when it gets crazy. It is tradition for the bachelors to grab the groom and haul him off to the bathroom. They then strip him of all his clothes and leave him there. After they do this cruel deed, they then present the clothes to his new bride, and she has to go rescue the poor humiliated man! It's a good thing that many traditions stay in Mexico... :-D

So many other incredible stories, I wish I could tell them all..

Thus is the story of my first experience with Mexican weddings.

Final Pictures

Sorry I've been a while getting these last pictures up from Colombia! Coming back to Mexico has been crazy. When I got back to Mexico, I found out I had a wedding to shoot...next week! Apparently, when it comes to parties and weddings, that's how Mexicans work--who cares about details, let's just have a party! sheesh! So I've been frantically trying to pull together loose ends. I'll let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, check out the pictures from Colombia!

Gallery 1
Gallery 2
Gallery 3

Final Thoughts on Colombia

And so today I am leaving Colombia. It has been quite an adventure and this is an experience I'll never forget. I feel almost like a cop-out, as I have only been here a week. I have done very little with regards to helping out the orphanage. I have fed some mouths and I have given some hugs and I have carried a few kids with dirty diapers to be changed, but I have only been here for a few days. I will leave today but the workers who slave away for 40+ hours a week will stay and will continue to do ten times more what I have done. Though we have loved on some kids, they and Sister Valeriana are the ones who truly care about them and sacrifice their lives to create an environment for these kids where they feel loved and accepted. In comparison, we have done nothing.

But we have done something, for we did show love to these kids, and it is awesome (and sad) to see these kids cry when they know that we are leaving, for I suppose we accomplished what we came to do and that perhaps they will remember us. However, if they remember us doesn't really matter as much as they they have a place where they are continue to develop their self confidence and esteem. They are happy, and not just happy but joyful, more so than most people who have beauty, wealth, love, fame, and family. That is what matters now.

I came into this trip thinking that I was going to serve them and help them that they might be blessed. I thought they needed our help, but after the trip, I realize that wasn't the purpose of this trip. The purpose of this trip was to learn from them--the kids and the workers--and to bring back what we have learned in order to bless those around us. Sister Valeriana has had a vision and just was used as an instrument by God to help a couple of orphans some 17 years. Because of this heart and vision, it has grown to an incredible size and so many people have poured so much money and time into this place. Just because of one vision.

I can't stay forever, but since my stay I've caught a glimpse of something big coming from the actions of one person. So perhaps we can take this back to Cincinnati. If we have a desire to see our community changed, and it might seem too great a task, we only need to remember the heart cry of a little Spanish Catholic nun years ago, the persistence of these angelic workers, and the simple love and faith of these little kids and how much we are able to see the kingdom of God in them. "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these..."

Learning about service

I think the incredible thing that has struck me these last few days is the workers who work there. See we are only a group of 10 going for a very short time. There are so many workers there. Saints. I have talked with them and some of them have worked there for years. It has been incredible to me because even after working there for 3 hours in one day, I have become absolutely exhausted. And all we have done is feed the kids and play with them (as that is what they have requested). But these workers, every...single...stinkin...day. Have come to this place to care for the kids, love these kids, feed these kids, change dirty diapers on 15 year olds, have put up with there screaming, have taken them through therapy, have put up with the emotional drainage of seeing the state of these children--every single day from 6 in the morning to 6 at night.

It is incredible and I don't know how they do it. I don't know how they wake up in the morning and continue to do what they do. Not getting much pay and not getting much vacation. I have been amazed and am ashamed at myself for getting tired after 3 measly little hours. I haven't found their secret, but I suspect that it can only be divine strength, as I cannot believe that any human is capable of such act.

These past few days we have had the opportunity to visit some of the other locations of Luz y Vida. Like the schools and the other orphanages and the rest. Sister Valeriana has done an incredible work with these children and have build them a kingdom! She has vowed not to rest until sickness or death keeps her down. And her whole family has backed her. Currently, she is trying to build a hospital in the orphanage in order to care for the children. Yesterday we got to tour another facility in a town miles away that is a huge building fit to care for many children. She has done everything and has given everything to ensure that these children have an chance for love, healing, life, and laughter. I could go on and on about what she has done but one thing I'm convinced of: I haven't found their secret, but I suspect that it can only be divine strength, as I cannot believe that any human is capable of such act.

And what is incredible is that she is working to ensure the integration of the children. Within the orphanage, there are kids helping other kids. Not so disabled children helping the disabled. And the semi disabled helping the rest. Sister is really working hard to try to integrate these children into society. By sending them to school and so that someday they might be back in the world. It is truly an incredible.

In other news, throughout the week we have battled smelly diapers, splattering food, lice, bumpy Colombian roads, gas exhaust asphyxiation from our ghetto car, backdoor of car randomly deciding to open (see picture), Colombian gringo stares, and thus... we are exhausted. Tomorrow we are going to take a rest from the orphanage but Saturday we will be back there for a little fiesta!

Redefining Love through Deformity

You never know what to expect when you walk into situations that are extremely uncomfortable and not ordinary. Such as walking into a special need orphanage containing mental and physical disabilities you have never encountered before in your life. Of course you always first walk in and act like nothing is wrong with them and that you can talk to them like they are normal, but the fact of the matter is, you can't, and that isn't to discriminate but is just a fact. You walk in and you are totally shocked that actual disabilities like this exist. You wonder how they can live like that, for that is all they have ever known.

Luz y Vida is enormous. They have like 5 levels of bedrooms and rooms with various rooms equipped to handle the various needs of the children. They have the biggest kitchen with vegetables that they grow from a farm that they own. They have all these tunnel ways that weave to and fro throughout the place taking you around like a maze. They have a courtyard and also a huge playroom with every toy imaginable and many therapy type things like bikes, and weights and such things.

You walk in and you see all these kids running everywhere. Or perhaps not running because they do not have legs, or do not have legs that work. Everywhere you look you are taking aback because you cannot go anywhere without seeing something you've never seen before. Like the girl wrapped in saran wrap because she has a disease that her skin is pealing off slowly. Or like the little girl with a clef palette who is 3 years old. Almost everything is not normal and often hard to look at. A lot of the kids are quite normal but have very devastating diseases like HIV, it is very tragic because many of them are the cutest kids and will steal your heart.

But the fact of the matter is, is after you get past deformities and past the stupid fear that you might break them, you begin to see something in them that was born of a human spirit. That is personality. Each one of them has an amazing personality and shows it off to the world as a beautiful person would show off their beauty. Joan-Anna, the little girl pictured with a clef palette is very hard to look at if you have never seen that circumstance before. But she is the bravest of the bunch, and though she cannot speak she has a voice and a personality that could start a revolution. But she is the sweetest girl and will come up to you and loves to be held. Or Claudia, who has a severe retardation and is in a wheelchair, loves hot guys. And when a hot guy enters the room she has the biggest smile on her face and becomes quite shy when approached. But see that's what makes them human, despite that they happen to be often grotesque on the outside, inside they are beaming with spirit and personality and smiles. They are deformed but they still need touch and love. They aren't like everyone but they are everything like everyone else. Deformed, often broken, hurting, often crushed, but still needing love, attention, laughter, food, or maybe just a good conversation.

I think the thing that struck me the most was was something Joan-ann did, the one with the cleft-plate who is 3 years old. After she was done with lunch, she saw all of us feeding the kids and decided that she needed to help and started feeding one of the kids near her. I was hit by that moment that this little three year old who is hard to look at...got it. She understood what the life was about. She saw someone who was hungry. She fed them. She saw someone in need and did something about it. She didn't care who they were. She didn't care who she was. She didn't care what problems she had. She understood what many of us go through life and never understand. She fed the hungry. I was humbled by this act and dreamed of what the world would look like if everyone understood what Joan-Anna understood. The world wouldn't be hungry. I wonder if what we all actually need is to be deformed, then perhaps we might begin to understand the basics of humanity. I have posted more pictures of the first and second day that can be viewed here. Thank you for stopping by. More will be coming tomorrow.