Prehispanic Spiritual Wedding in Punta Cometa, Mazunte, Oaxaca

Bride and groom ocean view picture in Punta Cometa — Lorena & Aaron - Punta Cometa

There are such adventurous and original couples who choose unusual and extremely magical settings for their wedding.

Punta Cometa is a sacred place located in the municipality of Mazunte, on the coast of Oaxaca. It is a hill with spectacular views at sunrise and sunset, where you can enjoy an unique connection with nature. In pre-hispanic times it was a place of offerings and ceremonies (today those who are dedicated to perpetuating the tradition continue to visit it and consider it as a powerful natural space).

Drone view of a wedding ceremony in Punta Cometa — Drone view of Punta Cometa by @chuchopotts

In order to hold a ceremony in this place, it is necessary to process a permit with the municipality of Mazunte and make a mandatory donation to help preserve the place (we can help you with these procedures): however, this does not guarantee that the área will be private, as it is open to public at all times.

We recommend planning wedding ceremony at sunrise for more privacy since at sunset is normally a very crowded space. Lorena & Aaron choosed sunrise.

On wedding day we met Aaron and the guests at 5:30 am, with batteries to illuminate as everything was dark, and we began the descent through Punta Cometa. The altar and offering were set up before sunrise.

Native elder with a cornshell in his hands — The ceremonialist Elder ready to start the descent

People with incense going down a mountain — Procession at 5.30 am to get to the ceremony venue

Women in traditional dress walking with an incenser and sacred smoke — Sahumadoras - healers with sacred incense

People around an offering for a prehispanic wedding — Setting up the altar before the ceremony and waiting for the bride

Lorena arrived shortly before sunrise accompanied by her mother and brother: hers was a triumphant entrance while the sun was barely peeking out from the ocean.

The pre-hispanic ceremony that took place is one of the most representative Anahuaca ceremonies of our culture. It is registered in the Codicie Mendocino and it’s a cosmic spiritual ceremony, full of symbolism and love.

In ancient times, this was a very complex ceremony that was prepared long in advance, starting from the request for her hand, when the groom's parents had to go to the bride's house to offer gifts (turkeys, cacao, pulque, corn). They were rejected on more than one occasion and it was not until the fourth attempt that the bride's relatives accepted the engagement.

Bride walking in nature with family with ocean view — Lorena walking to the altar at sunrise

Before accepting the commitment, they went to the Tonalpou'ke to ask if the energies of the couple were compatible and if so, they asked the most fortunate date to organize the ceremony. Today we continue doing this reading of the Tonal for couples, but it is more common for them to choose the preferred day themselves.

On the day of the wedding, the groom's relatives used to pick up the bride carrying her in a blanket to the place of the ceremony. Everyone went in a procession, with lit torches they walked through the streets, upon arrival they were awaited with incensers and cornshell blows; the groom took her and they entered to start the celebration.

Even today, the bride and groom sit on a mat woven with palm (petate) and the officiating Elder dresses them with a huipil and tilma (a cotton blanket that is tied around the shoulder as a kind of cape) to perform the sacred binding. The spouses feed and offer each other corn, cacao, fruits and seeds, acquiring the commitment to feed and care for each other.

Groom with his eyes closed waiting for the bride — Groom waiting for her bride with his eyes closed, symbol that at the beginning of the relationship they do not really see each other.

Bride and groom sitting with godparents helping them — The godparents helping Lorena & Aaron wearing the tilma for the prehispanic union

Bride and groom sitting with their son — Lorena & Aaron with their son Mateo

In the center of the area, an altar of flowers and offerings (Tlalmanalli) is placed with an incensor, to which they had to offer copal while they raised prayers and presented the couple to the guardians of the four directions, to Father Heaven and Mother Earth, so that they would have an happy marriage.

Among the rituals, the four flavors of life stand out, where the godparents will offer the bride and groom four liquids of different flavors that symbolize the different emotional states that they must go through and overcome in life.

Honey (sweet) joy and happiness;

Sea water (salty) tears and sadness;

Lemon (sour) annoyance, problems;

Bitter tea (bitter) losses, anger, rage.

It ends with a circle of words where those present, including the bride and groom, will speak, expressing from their hearts their wishes for the couple and advice for their better harmonization.

Bride and groom walking barefeet in Punta Cometa with ocean view — Bride and groom walking in Punta Cometa

PLANNING: @events_weddings_mexico

PHOTOGRAPHY: @ChuchoPotts

CEREMONY: @spiritualityoaxaca

People standing on a rock throwing offering into the ocean — Offering to the waters - wedding ritual

At the end of the ceremony, Lorena, Aaron and guests met in a private house overlooking the sea, where they had their brunch and in the evening their dinner and their big celebration (we can help you planning all the details, that day with the help of Events Weddings Mexico we also organized flowers, table decorations, cake and music).

It was a pleasure to be a part of your special day, blessings for a lifetime!