We Welcome Heidi
December 2011

Heidi Jonker joined our team as our Manageress in October 2011. Heidi has previous hospitality experience and is married to Jakes Jonker who is privately employed by the community of Boston and is responsible for all security issues in the area. Heidi and Jakes both live on the premises at Calderwood. We would like to take this opportunity of welcoming both Jakes and Heidi to the Calderwood family.

We are also pleased to announce that Tinus Swanepoel who joined our team in April 2009 has been promoted to Maintenance Manager. Tinus has become a very valuable part of Calderwood. He is in charge of the gardening team who are responsible for the upkeep of our beautiful gardens and also sees to it that the buildings and rooms are all kept looking good! Tinus can also be seen behind the bar at functions and also helping serve the awesome meals.

New Garden Suites
May, 2011

We have recently built an additional three garden suites in response to the demand for additional accommodation for the weddings held at Calderwood. We are finding that an increasing number of guests prefer to stay over for the wedding weekend, taking a break and enjoying the country environment.

In September 2009, Calderwood Hall Guest House hosted our first marquee wedding on a site which lies directly in front of the Jardine Function Centre and chapel. The bride and groom were Sibingile and Hlenga, who are originally from Pietermaritzburg but now reside in Pretoria. The wedding guest list included 400 of their closest friends and family! Sibongile’s one and only brief was that we supply Silver Tiffany Chairs, the rest she’d leave in our hands. The more we tried to persuade her that White Tiffany Chairs were a better deal (as no one at the time had silver), the more Sibongile insisted on her Silver Chairs. We searched high and low and eventually managed to source chairs from a hiring company on the North Coast. So at the end of the day we had one very happy bride! The marquee, measuring 15m x 48m, was a massive structure which was beautifully draped in white with fairy lights (by Michelle Da Silva) and looked absolutely awesome. Tables were set in beautiful white Bainsbridge Linen with matching serviettes. Sibongile chose the most stunning dove grey Bainsbridge organza overlays with a broad taffeta hem. They were scrunched in the centre of each table to tie in with her colour scheme of lemon and silver. The centre pieces (by Kerry’s Flowers & Decor) comprised a 5 stick silver candelabra with a stunning arrangement of yellow roses atop to complete the look of romance.

The Bridal Table was dressed in white organza with fairy lights and dove grey silver organza runners at various intervals adding interest to the main setting. The bridal table was adorned along the front  with single silver candle sticks alternated with small pewter bowls of yellow roses. To complete the décor every alternate chair had a silver organza sash and tassel on its chair back.

Snack platters were served to guests at their tables as starters.  The main course was a full carvery buffet with a selection of scrumptious desserts to end off. Both Sibongile and Hlenga were “blown away” by their awesome wedding day which was everything they dreamed of and more.

Our “Forest” Wedding

At the beginning of February 2010, Calderwood Hall Guest House hosted the wedding of Cecile and Arno Hattingh, who are both from Durban. Cecile wanted something totally different for the church so when we described the small grove of pine trees (we affectionately call it Our Forest) near our dam she jumped at the idea of having her service under the trees.

Cecile and Arno could not have wished for a more beautiful day, with plenty of sunshine and only the slightest breeze to cool everyone down slightly. Fortunately the trees were originally planted in “almost” straight lines  so they had an aisle in the centre of the “forest.” Extra pine needles were brought in as Cecile would not hear of us having red carpets or anything that wasn’t natural placed in the ground. Guests were seated on chairs dressed in white covers on either side of the aisle with the kiddies sat on big fat over stuffed cushions near the front of our little “church.” The altar was created under a beautiful wrought iron gazebo strip draped in white chiffon and a beautiful vine heart hung from its centre. To the one side of the altar there is a tree stump which became the base for our stunning wrought iron cross. The setting gave one the feeling that you had entered a really special place. On the opposite side of the altar we positioned another big tree stump which Cecile and Arno used to sign their Marriage Contract on! Cecile’s florist (Naomi Hailstones of Lavender and Roses) hung lovely little pink and green floral posies off every alternate tree lining the aisle with little rustic porcelain hearts with pink ribbon hanging off every other tree. All in all a beautiful setting for a lovely couple!

Our Receptionist

We’d like to give recognition to our lady behind the scenes, Brigid Kleu, who manages our reception area. She is always eager to help guests with their ever-changing accommodation requests! Brigid (who is Jon Kleu’s mom) started with at Calderwood Hall Guest Housejust before Brian and Viv and is responsible for responding to and the liaison around guest bookings and wedding enquires. Guest feedback confirms that Brigid is doing a wonderful job!

In her spare time Brigid is a keen gardener who has turned her little cottage garden into quite the English Garden with her mix of vegetables, berries and flowers! Brigid is a lady of many talents and also creates the most beautiful quilts as well as sewing pieces of magic on her machine.