Victor Hugo Sosa, the mayor of San Pedro Huamelula, Mexico, married an alligator bride in hopes of bringing prosperity to his community.

The unique and somewhat creepy wedding is part of this small Mexican community's tradition.

The mayor kissed the seven-year-old beast in a wedding gown. The bride, whose name is Little Princess, is believed to be a god-like creature representing Mother Earth.

With the kiss, the two symbolically joined the humans with the divine.

The manifestation was colorful, with traditional music, as the mayor carried his bride across the streets.

Elia Edith Aguilar, who organized the wedding, said:

"It gives me so much happiness and makes me proud of my roots. It's a very beautiful tradition."

She also said it was a privilege to organize this wedding and admitted she spent a lot of time thinking about what the bride should wear.

The small alligator's snout was tied to avoid biting the mayor kissing his new bride, which he did several times throughout the ceremony.

The gator also changed her wedding gown for a more colorful outfit.

The ritual marriages date back centuries before Hispanic times in the Oaxaca state's Chontal and Huave indigenous communities.

Mayor Sosa said:

"We ask nature for enough rain, for enough food, that we have fish in the river."

Oaxaca is in Mexico's poor south, with the country's richest indigenous cultures. It is home to many groups that have maintained their languages and traditions.

San Pedro Huamelula is a small fishing town on Oaxaca's Pacific coast.

The ancient rituals in San Pedro Huamelul are mixed with Catholic traditions. The search for abundance involves dressing the alligator or caiman in a white wedding dress with other colorful garments.