Using lightboxes for image blocks in 7.0 - must I choose Wexley? With many thanks, from a beginner

Hi squarespace expert users! I'm choosing a template for my portfolio site. I'm a sculptor. I want my website to include Lightbox enlargements of my photos (not for the thumbnails on the index page, but for the large scale photos on each “gallery page”. Though, maybe significantly to my question, I’m planning to build these pages from blank templates rather than use real gallery pages because I need to include little bits of text (which I believe isn’t possible in gallery pages). I wanted to use 7.0 (more flexibility and control, recommended by various friends) . HERE’S MY QUESTION THOUGH - if I want to use Lightbox, should I/must I, go for Wexley? My doubt about Wexley is that it doesn’t allow Ajax, which I want. I sort of presumed Brine would allow lightboxes as it is apparently the most feature-rich and flexible 7.0 template, but the advice here https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/205812708 has left me confused. Apart from wanting lightboxes and Ajax I want a super simple clean portfolio site. Any advice hugely appreciated, thanks so much for reading. 

Image blocks using the Inline layout support a lightbox