SPOTLIGHT: Rachael Romijin-William
GC Hitched was founded by Rachael Romijin-William, Creative Director at wedding planning powerhouse The Events Lounge. Rachael (affectionately known as “Rach”) has over 20 years of experience crafting concepts, creating plans and executing exceptional events.
We take a moment with the self-confessed wedding enthusiast + styling whiz to ask about her latest project, GC Hitched, where she seeks inspiration and life as a working Mumma.
What inspired you to start your business?
I moved from inner city Sydney to Burleigh on the Gold Coast and was looking for a sea change. I wanted to combine my love of events with creating beautiful + memorable experiences. Weddings are a long way from corporate events which was perfect and so “The Events Lounge” was born. Starting my own business allowed me to have more creative freedom to work with clients who loved the same things we loved, so we could really pour our hearts into the details and create experiences we could be proud of
Where do you find inspiration?
Our biggest inspiration is our couples. Once we get to know each other and start to form a genuine relationship the essence of the experience they are wanting to create becomes clear. Then the fun begins and it takes on a life of its own. But I also do spend a lot of time with my head in interior design magazines, checking out the latest cafes + the newest boutique furniture shops and obsessing over textiles + details.
What’s a typical work day like for you?
Every day is completely different, which I truly love. A typical weekday might include site visits, coffee dates with brides, design sessions with suppliers plus lots and lots of phone calls + emails + budgets + planning. Weekends we are offsite at weddings making sure it all comes together beautifully + smoothly for our lovely couples. It’s a very fast paced environment and there are always lots of things happening in the office.
What is your proudest styling moment?
It’s always exciting when our lovely couples pass on our details to their friends. When those friends are VERY VERY high profile international couples who book us to arrange their private events in their own homes we feel pretty chuffed about just how far we have come and how lucky we are to do what we love.
What first sparked the idea to create an online resource for couples planning to get married on the Gold Coast?
Weddings today have evolved to reflect the growth of the Gold Coast + the expectations of today’s GC Bride. It’s a far cry from the generic “one size fits all” weddings of the past. The current wedding scene is bespoke, boutique + highly personalised. We’re talking about unique, hand-crafted celebrations of love. Attention to detail + flawless finishes. Daring and dramatic floral design. Incredible venues with ocean views and hinterland backdrops. We have an insanely talented bunch of suppliers here on the coast. But felt there was something missing; we were seriously lacking was a collaborative online community that connects these suppliers to the modern GC Bride. This is where GC Hitched was born.
How would you describe your own personal style?
Fresh, modern + relaxed.
If you could ask three people to dinner (dead or alive) who would you invite?
My Dad, Oprah and Nelson Mandela.
