Guadalajara’s massive International Book Fair (FIL) has been setting records and “firsts” for three decades.
This week, another first was notched up, when a young couple became the first to wed during the literary event. Both enthusiastic readers, Gabriela Jiménez from Colima and Héctor Ortiz from Oaxaca, met 12 years ago and took their first trip together to the book fair.
“The FIL is symbolic for us, because it’s where our relationship began,” Ortiz told reporters. When the couple sent off an email – partly in jest – asking if they might be married during the event, neither expected to receive a positive response. Appropriately, the salon was decked out with hearts made from book pages for the civil wedding. A violinist added romance to the unusual occasion.