Dear Carl

I trust that you are well and have had a little rest after our wedding.

Well, now that it is all over and we can reflect on things, Theuns and I know EXACTLY what we would like for our special day: 

If you go to the facebook of Karen Edwards, the photographer, and check out the photo’s of “Elsabe and Theuns’s wedding”, that is 100% what we want! The same stunning spot under the Witstinkhout for the ceremony, the same forest and stream, the same wooden chairs and little “cathedral”, the same flower bouquet, the same furniture, crockery and décor in the barn and on the stoep, the same beautiful foliage and flowers inside and outside, the same delicious food, the same benches and cushions under the gazebos, the same lovely horses, the same trees and autumn leaves, the same misty weather....

We wouldn’t change a thing!

As I sit here, I am actually crying as I relive our wonderful wedding day on the 10th of May. I never had an idea of what my dream wedding would be – until I met Theuns and Old Kilgobbin..... Our wedding day was even more beautiful than what I have imagined and exceeded my highest expectations by far. But it all passed so quickly – I wish I could press the replay button and experience the day in slow motion, so that I could absorb all the stunning detail and all the wonderful moments and emotions.

Theuns absolutely loved my bouquet and hair piece! He said they were exactly what he would have chosen! J Please express my sincere thanks to Kerry for the lovely bouquet and hair pieces. My niece’s wreath was really so pretty, I will never forget that picture...

My mother told me that the guests were amazed by the little red Proteas that you picked for the flower holders and bottles – how unique they are and how perfectly it matched my dress’s colour. She took some flowers home and believe it or not, the Proteas are still doing fine in a vase of water! I will try to grow them in a pot on our patio, as I just want to keep them for ever and ever....

Carl, words cannot describe our gratitude to you for making our wedding day so special! Thanks for your efforts and hard work, I hope that it was a positive experience for you as well, despite all the challenges.... Thanks for attending to the smallest detail and taking our specific needs into consideration (I have noticed that you set greenish plates for me and also put green crockery on the wooden cupboard...). Thanks for helping out with the name cards, the umbrellas and a number of other things that I don’t even know about behind the scenes!!

Our families, friends and colleagues were overwhelmed by the horses, the stylish venue and the excellent way in which you (and your assistant Karen) coordinated the wedding – we are getting the one compliment after the other, also with regards to the food. What an excellent caterer Hayley is and she is still so young! Everybody just have the highest accolades for the tasty menu – the quality was really outstanding.

My dad walked around on the farm and is very impressed by the neatness of the facilities, crush-pens and metal work (e.g. the welding). Like me, he is attentive to the detail and can appreciate good quality work! Please express my thanks to your son for having the Jag on stand-by. Although we didn’t use it for transport, it made a classic scene for photos of Theuns and contributed much to the ambiance of the occasion.

I still cannot believe that it worked out so well for us! The Enya song (Afer Ventus) that we chose as the 1st song on our playlist, is exactly about that: that special moment in life when all the pieces just fall into place and one experiences perfect peace and happiness.....

Can we do it again next year – same time, same place, same everything...........? J

Keep well and may God bless you and your family abundantly.

Kind regards

Elsabé  and Theuns

On their first anniversary, Christine and Garth came to stay at Old Kilgobbin....
Dear Carl, we just wanted to leave you a big thank you for the tremendous air of hospitality you've cultivated at the Cairn and at Old Kilgobbin that made not only our wedding day, but also this weekend so special and meaningful for us.
We have spent the last 2 days exploring the farm and reliving the most beautiful day of our lives, so far as we've come across spots where we took photos, or objects that we remember from the day. We were reflecting on how rare it is to find a wedding venue which becomes than just a place to have a wedding, but a place which feels like another home.  Things have felt warm and familiar somehow; seeing our names on the Cairn gave us an instant feeling of being welcome.
I (Christine) have kept telling Garth how happy I am; he chose the perfect spot for us to celebrate a beautiful beginning for us. We have loved the tranquility of the farm, we've drunk in the view, we've marvelled at the alterations you've made to the Cairn and we've enjoyed the freedom to roam a little and give the horses a pet along the way. This place has become, truly, a route marker on a wonderful journey for us. In all our photos and in our video, the Cairn has been like another character playing a part in our day, and we know that behind that is your hard work and vision. We are sure we're one of the many people who are incredibly grateful for what you have done here- it certainly doesn't happen by accident and we so appreciate it! Thank you so much for this beautiful place, God bless!  With much love, Garth and Christine


About 6 months ago, Darren and myself set out to find our dream wedding venue. We had a vague idea of what we were looking for but we wanted to see what there was to get a better idea of what was out there. We had booked appointments with a number of wedding venues on a particular Saturday, but we began our adventure at The Crab Apple Chapel in the Midlands. This was where it all began...We had no idea that just up the road was the most magical wedding venue we would ever lay our eyes on - The Cairn.We hadn't even booked an appointment with Carl to look at the venue but she gave us the warmest welcome ever as we kind of just landed up on her farm.She immediately took us around and gave us her heart for the venue. We knew in the first few minutes of being there, that this place is much more than a venue; it's a place that's brings people together in the most special way. Carl didn't need to do much more convincing. Without having to say anything to each other, Darren and I knew that we had found our dream wedding venue. Everything is so perfectly thought out and not even the smallest detail is left out. Carl has literally put her heart and soul into into The Cairn. She has a passion for what she does and I think that is what makes the venue so unique to each couple. When we were walking down the driveway to our car - after over an hour of chatting with Carl - Darren and myself, looked at each other and said, "This is where we are going to have our wedding". It was done for us. The Cairn had captivated our hearts and there was no going back from here. We knew for a fact that The Cairn would provide a space for all our family and friends to come together to celebrate with us and just be with us on our day.In my personal opinion, you would be silly to have your wedding anywhere else :) I think I was the most stress-free bride and was even able to have seconds when it came to the main meal! I was slightly concerned my dress would pop open - but the food was too good to be worried about that! Having our wedding at The Cairn allowed us to have the most enjoyable and stress-free months leading up to the wedding. Even on the day everything was taken care of. We had the freedom to fully enjoy ourselves and to take in everything.
My idea had always been to have my wedding late afternoon around 2:30pm and then have it go into the night. However, when we stumbled upon The Cairn, it didn't take much for me to see that a daytime wedding was just that much better! Having it during the day gave us so much more time to spend with our guests without having to rush off, take photo's and get all the formalities out of the way. The day was relaxed and everyone was able to enjoy their time without feeling pressured to do anything. The couches outside on the lawn made a perfect setting for families and friends to socialize and since nothing was rushed, we were all able to enjoy a such a pleasant afternoon. It was also hugely helpful for the older family members, as well as those who traveled from quite far. They didn't have to worry about leaving late and trying to find their way home in the dark! Also, for myself and Darren, it was great that when 6pm came, all the guests had left and we still had an entire evening together. 
From always imagining I would have a late afternoon/evening wedding, it quickly changed when I saw how much more a daytime wedding suited our goal of bringing family and friends together in the most relaxed and enjoyable way possible.
The Cairn has given me the most incredible and beautiful memories that I will hold close to my heart forever! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! I can in full confidence say that we had our dream wedding.
Darren & Tach Chalmers xxx

Carl, thank you for creating the most magical wedding I had always envisioned, your eye for details and your special touches honestly sets your magical venue apart from so many. You were an angel and brought it all together. Words fail me Carl, you're a very talented woman and will forever be special to us xx

Dale & Roxy

Dear Carl, a huge thank you for all you did to make our wedding so perfect! We couldn't have asked for a better venue and day.
Love Charl and Jo


Dearest Carl, what can I say??? You and your magical Cairn have gifted Jon and me, my family and our friends with the most amazing experience we will all treasure for the rest of our lives. We had so many of our guests saying it was the best wedding they had ever attended!  I am eternally grateful!! Jon has smiled ear to ear all night and morning and cannot stop raving. Laughing...much love, Pen.

Dear Carl, we just wanted to thank you so much for everything you have done to make our wedding so special.  We have enjoyed getting to know you, your farm and your horses, and we have so appreciated your attention to detail and your understanding of what we wanted our wedding to be.  Wishing you everything of the best, and hopefully our paths will cross again in the not too distant future. Lots of love Jo, Errol and Ella

Dear Carl, thank you once again for making our day so special and go without a hitch (well, none that we knew of :D !) You really have a fantastic venue and offer a great service to the bride! Lots of love Fabien and Sarah

Dear Carl , I just would like to say THANK YOU again for the dream wedding that you did for us. People can't stop talking about it, and I really have to thank you from the bottom of my heart as you took my slightly confusing ideas and brought them to life better than I could ever have imagined. We had such an amazing day, you ensured it all ran smoothly and we didn't have to worry about a thing. I can't believe it's all over but I feel like it couldn't have gone better. We won't be strangers, we'll definitely be back to visit, even if it's just for a day or overnight. Kilgobbin and you will always have a special place in our hearts.

Sending you love and good wishes for the future, Amy and Mark

Morning Carl, THANK YOU for an amazing day. EVERYTHING was so perfect!!! You worked so hard and Sue, Tim and I truly appreciate it. People were blown away by your venue. Sue kept telling me how HAPPY she was and she could not believe how her dream was now a reality in every way. I had the happiest of days. We had absolutely no stress, just as you promised and we thank you with all our hearts for everything you did and the way you embraced Sue's dream. I will never be able to thank you enough!  Love, Kerry, Sue and Tim