Chinhoyi Backyard Magic – DIY Meets Lobola Vibes 🏡✨

Theme: 
Location: Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe
Couple: Tendai & Rutendo Mutsvairo
Date: 
Guest Count: 90
Vibe: Authentic. Joyful. Proudly local.

💌 THE LOVE STORY

Rutendo and Tendai met during university in Gweru, and after years of long-distance love and weekend road trips between Harare and Bulawayo, they decided to tie the knot. But not in a fancy hotel, not in a safari lodge—instead, they said “Let’s do it at home.”

Rutendo’s family home in Chinhoyi became the setting for what can only be described as a magical, meaningful, and proudly Zimbabwean wedding. With a tight budget, big dreams, and a very hands-on crew, the couple pulled off one of the most emotional and beautiful home weddings we’ve seen.

🪘 THE ROORA CEREMONY

Everything kicked off the weekend before the wedding with an intimate roora (lobola) ceremony in the courtyard under the msasa trees. The cows arrived with style (literally—with ribbons on their horns), and Tendai’s family was welcomed with song, ululation, and a cooler box of Mazoe and Zambezi.

The negotiation was deeply traditional and deeply emotional. Elders gathered, families exchanged totems, and blessings were spoken. Rutendo, peeking from behind a curtain, later changed into her green and gold Zambia and made her debut with her sisters—dancing and smiling from ear to ear.

At the end of the evening, a traditional meal of road-runner chicken, sadza, and muboora was served, and the two families toasted to a new beginning.

🛠️ DIY WEDDING VIBES

Instead of hiring a fancy planner, this wedding was powered by WhatsApp groups, prayer, and Pinterest.

Rutendo’s mum led the décor team. They rented chairs from the local council office, borrowed fairy lights from church, and hand-cut table runners from chitenje fabric.

The cake? Baked by Rutendo’s cousin who watched YouTube tutorials for weeks.
The bouquets? Wildflowers picked from the field next door.
The seating chart? Pinned on a wooden door with thumbtacks.
The tables? Decorated with jam jars filled with proteas, marigolds, and baby's breath.

Even the wedding arch was made from mopani branches tied together with sisal rope and wrapped with fairy lights and eucalyptus.

💒 THE CEREMONY

Held in the backyard under the jacaranda tree, the ceremony started with drums and song. Rutendo’s uncle, a retired pastor, officiated. There was no sound system—just raw joy and acapella choirs.

Rutendo walked down a grass aisle lined with tin lanterns, barefoot, with her father on one side and her mother on the other.

Their vows? Handwritten and tear-filled. The kiss? Cheered on by distant neighbours leaning over the fence.

🎉 THE RECEPTION

Forget chandeliers. Forget cold starters. This was Chinhoyi-style fun.

Food: Home-cooked goat stew, rice, sadza, and coleslaw, dished out from giant pots by the aunties

Drinks: A cooler box bar – Castle Lager, Mazoe Orange, and ginger beer

Music: Local DJ spinning sungura and amapiano

Entertainment: Gogo got on the dance floor before the cake was even cut!

Later that evening, guests gathered around a bonfire. A mbira band played softly as the couple shared their first dance under the stars. People sat on crates, sang along to old Chimurenga songs, and toasted with shot glasses filled with maheu.

👗 THE LOOK

Rutendo’s Dress: A soft off-white gown made by her aunt using local fabric from Mbare market. Her veil? A hand-me-down from her cousin.

Tendai’s Suit: A beige suit rented from a Harare tailor, paired with sneakers and a traditional black hat with gold trim.

Bridal Party: Mismatched chitenje skirts and white shirts—simple but stunning.

❤️ GUEST FAVOURS

Instead of imported trinkets, guests were gifted:

Handwritten thank-you notes

Mini calabashes filled with wild honey

Seeds of African Marigold with a note: “Plant something that lasts.”

🧠 WHAT MADE THIS WEDDING SPECIAL?

It wasn’t the co.
It wasn’t the flash (there was none).
It was the feeling.

It was the community. The honouring of tradition. The way the kids ran barefoot, the way everyone danced like the world had paused, the way every detail whispered: “We did this with love.”