In a tradition that dates back to 1789, Mayor Victor Aguilar of San Pedro Huamelula, Oaxaca, Mexico, married a crocodile to ensure the prosperity of the region’s fishermen.

The ceremony, which is only symbolic, as CNN reported, represents the union of two competing indigenous tribes — the Chontales and the Huaves — which once competed for fishing territory, until a prince from the Chontale tribe married a princess from the Huaves tribe. In this annual ceremony, the mayor represents the prince, while the crocodile represents the princess.

For the wedding, the bride wore an elegant, chaste-white dress.

How lovely.

The crocodile, which many called “princess,” was given the name Ema Narváez Muñoz, after the mayor’s actual wife.

No word on whether or not the mayor’s wife was okay with polyamory.

The croc’s mouth was tied shut.

I wonder how she said “I do.”

The mayor made the ceremony official by kissing his new bride.

Say what you want, but there have been more awkward kisses.

And then the newlywed couple danced for everyone to watch.

With those moves, you know they must be dancing to “Despacito.”

Afterward, there was a celebration, and fisherman showed their respect to the centuries-old tradition by casting nets over the couple.

No word on where they will spend their honeymoon.

For more info on this ceremony, check out the following video!

I always cry at weddings. ?

MORE: Mayor of Mexican town ‘weds’ crocodile for good luck

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