This couple decided to make their relationship legal and saved up "for ages" so they could "do a really good one in the church." It was a unique experience for us, as Shona and British Colonial cultures intertwined in this joyful wedding ceremony between two of my brother-in-law's three domestic workers. The Harare, Zimbabwe wedding occurred the Saturday we arrived from the USA. My sister-in-law and niece were very involved, making computer invitations, cooking the cakes and chickens, and driving the couple to the church. The wedding party was even happier when I brought out my camera and offered to take some casual pictures.

She is April (but everyone calls her Apil, sounds like "apple") from the Shona tribe, and he is Victor, a Mozambican with some Portuguese blood, although he is now also Shona. She is dark skinned, buxom and extraverted; he is slight and quiet, with a pencil-thin moustache. April and Victor both speak pretty good English and she loves having long conversations with the "sirs and madams" of the house, as she calls them, using terms remnant of the country's colonial heritage.

An unfinished African Apostolic-type church on the edge of Harare is the venue for both the wedding ceremony and the reception that follows. The building consists of a brick facade with a small gable in front, a dirt garden and parking area, with the inside offering up a hard-packed dirt floor, two round windows high up at the entrance and a simple large hall with rows of plain wooden pews on either side of a center aisle. The bridal table, in front of the altar stage, is decorated with a white lacy cloth and three vases of gorgeous white carnations and lilies, arranged by the third domestic worker, who is the gardener.

After the sermon, there's a ring exchange in front of the cake table, on which lie three fruitcakes topped with bright yellow icing on a metal cake tray, which in turn is covered with a white net cloth. The bride and groom sign the register and the certificates in full view of everyone. While they do so, the guests chant, "Welcome, welcome, welcome" in unison, creating a moving sound with ululations and a few trills. The bride cuts the yellow cake and they feed each other small pieces; she feeds him one small piece, but he feeds her about six, which causes great laughter.

Next the whole wedding party gets involved in a sort of line-dancing with partners and a caller. The guests dance slowly in full body movements up and down the aisle, with so much clapping, chanting and shouting that they almost drown out the jazz music playing on the big, old-fashioned radio. The rhythm master stands, clapping vigorously and tapping his foot. It's all very joyous and powerfully moving. The congregation joins in, especially the women, who dance on the edge of the aisle, either singly or in pairs.

The men wear black or cream suits and boutonnieres. April has a Western-style white wedding dress -- long and lacy with a veil, extensive train (fondly called "the tail"), artificial flower bouquet and white pump shoes. Her sister, the maid of honor, is in a long cream suit and matching wide-brimmed hat, while the four flower girls sport lacey cream dresses and new white shoes. The five bridesmaids are all very formal in shiny blue dresses trimmed in white lace and net coronets with a big bow at the back, while the groomsmen don black tuxes. Guests are in their best clothes, many with ethnic embroidery, and some of the older women wear bandana-turbans on their heads. Little girls tend to prefer frilly pink dresses.

My sister-in-law takes April and Victor for wedding photographs in Harare City Gardens and we all wait outside the church. Everyone is very interested in us. The men come over, say hi and shake hands. Kids follow us around and practice their few words of English ("Hallo" and "How are you?").

Victor is dropped off and goes into the church. We wait expectantly. The bride returns in the Toyota Hi-Ace and treads on a path of brightly patterned cloths laid on the dirt to the door. I follow to witness the grand entrance of the bride, who meets the groom at the entrance. They walk down the aisle, now strewn with the same brightly patterned cloths, and the attendants follow. The guests sing, chant and ululate again, dancing and clapping with uninhibited abandon. We feel honored to be part of such an inspiring, uplifting ritual. Every stage of the event involves the guests, with people walking around, chatting, dancing or singing as the spirit moves them. It's an unusual mixture of formal ritual, yet relaxed.

We sit on the front pew next to April's paternal uncle (her representative, as her father died a few years ago), a Muslim in his little cap who sits quietly and smiles all the time. Her mother, in a black dress and colored turban, is a real character, jumping up and dancing and taking part in everything. Ladies in the back corner of the hall bend over big black cooking pots, which contain the wedding feast food -- rice, a little home-cooked tomato sauce, coleslaw, fried chicken and beef cut into large chunks -- all served on big enamel plates with plastic forks. They give us a huge serving, far more than most of us can finish. We're served first, but can't start eating until the bridal table is all served. We all get our own bottle of Fanta or Pepsi, proudly opened from a case of bottles. No alcohol is served at all.

We wonder about a small table and two chairs next to the stage. We're told the setup is for the next event, in which money is raised for the couple. The event is a challenge of sorts between families and groups to raise the bid amount, with the aim of raising Z$15,000 (we heard the next day the couple received the incredible sum of Z$15,305). Contributions vary from Z$20-100 to Z$400-1,000, with a few of the more well-off adding as much as Z$2,000 to the matrimonial pot. (At the time of our visit, the exchange rate was US$1 = Z$38; many domestics earn between Z$600-700 per month).

The MC and his helper are real live wires who fire up the guests. People also come up on the stage with presents, wrapped mostly in newspaper. The two men open the top of the gift to call out what's inside so that their helpers at the recording table can write it all down. Excitement mounts. They get lots of bowls, dishes, cups and glasses, plasticware and dishcloths -- all very acceptable. The next day April and Victor spread them out in their small living room and ask us to go and look. They are more than satisfied with their ceremony and proud that it had been "a very big, very blessed event."