Dj at Zorgvliet
A super stylish and warm hearted couple from Ecuador/ SA asked me to be their dj at Zorgvliet. They wanted a mix of live music and traditional dj party tunes. Since the groom is Spanish, various types of Latin grooves were high on their wish list. That’s where having a university education in jazz and Latin music really helped me out. All those Salsa and Samba grooves I practiced at varsity made there way into our song choices and performances. Such fun stuff!
Their original date was set for December 2020. Due to the lockdown regulations my couple had to postpone their wedding. A month before the new possible date in April 2021 I got a call from them. These guys were determined to get married in SA and were on their way to the airport.
They halved their guest list by the time I got to meet them face to face. I felt a little sad for them. Some of their best friends were not able to fly in. However, I knew if we brought our A game and energy we could help these guys out with one epic night. This was my whole mission for their wedding and it paid off. All the guests personally thanked us for the entertainment, but the best thank you came from the bride’s sister. She said: You guys are not like other DJ’s at all. The instruments you play are epic and you actually played all the songs we like. Well damn done! High five!
About the venue: Most times I have played at Zorgvliet the ceremony was in the chapel. The chapel is romantic but snug to say the least. Setting up bands or any elaborate sound equipment in here is not advisable. If you hire a musician – keep it to one or two max. If the musicians need to be stationary as in the case of any classical ensemble, they will have to set up at the back of the chapel. This will be a slight waste since you will only hear them and not see them. Personally I would just book a DJ if the chapel will be utilized. Very small speakers and a neat setup is a must since there is no place to hide gear nor cables. All and all, it’s a very cozy space that is designed to feel intimate. If you treat it as such the experience will be wonderful.
There are two areas for the pre-drinks setups. Both lend themselves extremely well to an interactive live music setup. The spectacular views and a classy musician or band is a great combo to set the mood. It will make all the difference. We did a combo of guitars and percussion. It went down a storm.
Inside the main reception hall the dance floor can be placed in either one of the three sections. The sound in the hall is fairly reverberant due to the glass panels and naked walls but completely manageable for musicians as long as you do not go for a band with a drummer. That I fear will bounce too much unless the walls are partially covered with draping. Typical DJ setups with a singer, sax or violin works great in this hall. If wash lights are used to illuminate the center columns it creates a particularly inviting dance floor space.
Probably the greatest feature, views and architecture aside is the staff and in-house coordinator. They are all super friendly and ready for action. Professional people and service providers make great weddings. I believe you’ll be in good hands with Christine and the rest of the Zorgvliet team.