We know that you don't book musicians every day, so we've answered some of your FAQ's to help you with this process. Feel free to contact us if you have any more questions, we are happy to help.
How far in advance should I book?
We receive most of our bookings 3 - 9 months in advance. It is advisable to book as soon as you've decided that you want Zest Music at your wedding or event as we do get very busy, especially in the peak wedding season from October to April. Feel free to drop us an email if you've waited until the last minute though, you might get lucky!
Do I have to pay a deposit?
Yes. We require a 50% deposit to secure the date. This means that we won't accept any other work for the time that we have agreed to be at your wedding. We will gladly refund your deposit should you wish to cancel the booking up to 1 month before your wedding.
How do I book?
Fill out the contact form on the contact page and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Please provide as many details as you have available so we can give you a detailed response. We will always try to get back to you on the same day, but if we haven't we are probably stuck in a rehearsal/concert/recording session/gig. We will DEFINITELY answer by the next day.
How much time should I book for?
Remember that you are booking us for our time, not only the amount of playing that we do. You should therefore book us for the total amount of time you would like us at the venue for (we will always be 30 mins early, free of charge, to set up). We are happy to play for the full booking, although the musicians will need to take breaks of a few minutes every hour or so. We will plan these to fit in smoothly with whatever you have planned. We have found that a 1.5 hour booking is perfect for most wedding ceremonies. A two hour booking is usually good for a ceremony and a bit of pre-drinks entertainment. A three hour booking is perfect for a full (maybe longer) ceremony and a long pre-drinks.Our minimum booking time for weddings outside metropolitan areas is 2 hours.
Is there a travel fee?
Yes. We charge R3,50 per km to cover our travel costs for weddings and events outside the City of Cape Town.
Can we choose our music?
Absolutely! We will send you a repertoire list from which you can choose. You are also very welcome to request from us to add new songs to our repertoire. This must be done at least a month in advance to give us time to source the music. There will be occasions when we won't be able to find sheet music. For an extra fee, we can hire an expert arranger to transcribe and arrange the music for you. We will let you know well in advance if there is something we can't find. You are also welcome to let us draw from our experience and play what we think your guests will enjoy.
Can you play outside?
We love playing outside and do it very often. If you would like us to play outside, please provide adequate shade for all the musicians. This means that you might have to ask for two or three umbrellas to be set up for us. Besides comfort reasons, direct sun and the consequent heat can cause irreparable damage to our instruments.
Will the musicians require food?
We always appreciate a bite to eat and especially some water or cooldrink on a hot day. However, for bookings less than 3 hours, we are very happy to ensure that we are well fed beforehand. If you have booked us for longer than 3 hours, we will probably get peckish, and no one wants a hangry musician at their wedding.
Do we have to have a meeting?
We know how much it means to you to have every last detail planned for the most extraordinary day of your life. We are very happy to meet with you in person to discuss the logistics and music choices. It is, however, not necessary for us to meet in person if you do not particularly feel like you need to do so. Email correspondence is perfectly adequate too.
What are the requirements of the musicians on the day?
A 3 x 2 metre space to sit
Armless chairs
Shade (if outdoors)
Parking - if you have booked the harpist,
she will need to drop the harp off as close to the
performance space as possible.
Do the musicians require amplification?
Our classical groups do not need amplification unless you have a fairly large wedding party (over 150). We are happy to play with amplification should you wish, but you will have to book the sound equipment and engineer. (This is often covered by the DJ anyway). Our Jazz musicians have their own sound equipment which they can bring along for an increased fee. They are also happy to liaise with your DJ if they already provide sound as part of their service.
Do you travel outside of the provinical boundaries of the Western Cape?
We love an adventure and are very happy to travel to any destination worldwide as long as travel and accommodation costs are covered by the client. We will need overnight accommodation for venues that require more than 3 hours of driving.
What happens if a musician is sick on the day?
Luckily we draw from a pool of professional, qualified musicians from all over the Western Cape. We will almost certainly be able to replace the musician in question with another of the same calibre. We have never failed to deliver and will always be 100% honest with you.
What happens if the ceremony goes overtime?
It is by far the best to plan your time carefully and stick to it. You are welcome to ask our musicians to stay for longer, but this is subject to their availability. We often have more than one gig on a day, so it is very likely that we won't be able to stay. If we can, you will be invoiced at R850 per hour (or part thereof) per musician.
How far in advance should I book?
We receive most of our bookings 3 - 9 months in advance. It is advisable to book as soon as you've decided that you want Zest Music at your wedding or event as we do get very busy, especially in the peak wedding season from October to April. Feel free to drop us an email if you've waited until the last minute though, you might get lucky!
Do I have to pay a deposit?
Yes. We require a 50% deposit to secure the date. This means that we won't accept any other work for the time that we have agreed to be at your wedding. We will gladly refund your deposit should you wish to cancel the booking up to 1 month before your wedding.
How do I book?
Fill out the contact form on the contact page and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Please provide as many details as you have available so we can give you a detailed response. We will always try to get back to you on the same day, but if we haven't we are probably stuck in a rehearsal/concert/recording session/gig. We will DEFINITELY answer by the next day.
How much time should I book for?
Remember that you are booking us for our time, not only the amount of playing that we do. You should therefore book us for the total amount of time you would like us at the venue for (we will always be 30 mins early, free of charge, to set up). We are happy to play for the full booking, although the musicians will need to take breaks of a few minutes every hour or so. We will plan these to fit in smoothly with whatever you have planned. We have found that a 1.5 hour booking is perfect for most wedding ceremonies. A two hour booking is usually good for a ceremony and a bit of pre-drinks entertainment. A three hour booking is perfect for a full (maybe longer) ceremony and a long pre-drinks.Our minimum booking time for weddings outside metropolitan areas is 2 hours.
Is there a travel fee?
Yes. We charge R3,50 per km to cover our travel costs for weddings and events outside the City of Cape Town.
Can we choose our music?
Absolutely! We will send you a repertoire list from which you can choose. You are also very welcome to request from us to add new songs to our repertoire. This must be done at least a month in advance to give us time to source the music. There will be occasions when we won't be able to find sheet music. For an extra fee, we can hire an expert arranger to transcribe and arrange the music for you. We will let you know well in advance if there is something we can't find. You are also welcome to let us draw from our experience and play what we think your guests will enjoy.
Can you play outside?
We love playing outside and do it very often. If you would like us to play outside, please provide adequate shade for all the musicians. This means that you might have to ask for two or three umbrellas to be set up for us. Besides comfort reasons, direct sun and the consequent heat can cause irreparable damage to our instruments.
Will the musicians require food?
We always appreciate a bite to eat and especially some water or cooldrink on a hot day. However, for bookings less than 3 hours, we are very happy to ensure that we are well fed beforehand. If you have booked us for longer than 3 hours, we will probably get peckish, and no one wants a hangry musician at their wedding.
Do we have to have a meeting?
We know how much it means to you to have every last detail planned for the most extraordinary day of your life. We are very happy to meet with you in person to discuss the logistics and music choices. It is, however, not necessary for us to meet in person if you do not particularly feel like you need to do so. Email correspondence is perfectly adequate too.
What are the requirements of the musicians on the day?
A 3 x 2 metre space to sit
Armless chairs
Shade (if outdoors)
Parking - if you have booked the harpist,
she will need to drop the harp off as close to the
performance space as possible.
Do the musicians require amplification?
Our classical groups do not need amplification unless you have a fairly large wedding party (over 150). We are happy to play with amplification should you wish, but you will have to book the sound equipment and engineer. (This is often covered by the DJ anyway). Our Jazz musicians have their own sound equipment which they can bring along for an increased fee. They are also happy to liaise with your DJ if they already provide sound as part of their service.
Do you travel outside of the provinical boundaries of the Western Cape?
We love an adventure and are very happy to travel to any destination worldwide as long as travel and accommodation costs are covered by the client. We will need overnight accommodation for venues that require more than 3 hours of driving.
What happens if a musician is sick on the day?
Luckily we draw from a pool of professional, qualified musicians from all over the Western Cape. We will almost certainly be able to replace the musician in question with another of the same calibre. We have never failed to deliver and will always be 100% honest with you.
What happens if the ceremony goes overtime?
It is by far the best to plan your time carefully and stick to it. You are welcome to ask our musicians to stay for longer, but this is subject to their availability. We often have more than one gig on a day, so it is very likely that we won't be able to stay. If we can, you will be invoiced at R850 per hour (or part thereof) per musician.