August 24, 2020

Someone pinch us… we cannot believe the day has finally come! If you follow us on Instagram, you may have noticed @ohanaeventsseattle popping up on your timeline. Well we are beyond eager to officially announce that one of our lead planners, Rachel, will be launching Ohana Events Seattle! What does this mean? Rachel will be expanding Ohana Events from Chicago to the incredible Pacific North West (PNW), developing dream weddings for couples on the other side of the US. We cannot wait to see her produce magical events showcasing all the natural beauty that comes with the territory. We asked her a few questions to help better understand this change, both why and when it happened.

Why Seattle, Rachel? Why are you moving now?

“As soon as quarantine hit, my world (along with the entire event industry) was rocked. What will my day to day look like now that most of our couples have chosen to push their wedding to 2021? I couldn’t comprehend not having our weekends full of celebrations. Ironically, my better half Michael, had accepted a job in Seattle so he was in the process of relocating May 2020. Originally, I would have joined him after busy season (end of 2020), but the way things began to drastically change, so did my timeline. Considering everyone was going to be working from home for the unforeseeable future, it didn’t matter whether I was along the coast or in Chicago.

After numerous long, long, long reflections + conversations, I finally had clarity that relocating West was the right decision for me. Think about it, I was confined indoors by the insane cold of Chicago winter with nothing to do, how could I not be ready for a new chapter in a new environment! Not to mention having the opportunity to live with my best friend was a massive bonus. I knew this would ultimately make me the happiest — so I went for it!“

How has the transition been since you decided to move to the PNW?

“One of the most nerve-wrecking conversations I had was bringing my move up to Danielle. But to be honest, she was more supportive than I could have ever imagined. She knew that my dream had always been to live somewhere near the mountains and now was my chance to take the leap. We discussed all the ways we would continue working together, even including flying back to Chicago to work with our amazing couples. Our dedication to remain a team clearly showed that our bond was far from broken. Then one day, Danielle gave me the opportunity and said, “do you want to expand Ohana Events and lead a branch in Seattle?”. It was a no brainer…Of course I would! I had secretly been hoping she would ask something like this because I couldn’t imagine giving up weddings and leaving the OE family. So this really would be a dream come true and we got right to work.”

Let’s do this thing….

We are now here, ready to show the PNW what we’ve got. In Rachel’s few months in Seattle, she has already had the privilege of producing two shoots with unbelievably talented vendors.  The PNW industry is so collaborative, welcoming & inspiring that it has made the transition into a completely new market that much more real. We are so excited to be serving couples in two regions across the US. Seriously though, can someone pinch us?!

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We value our relationships above all else, that includes both vendors & clients! If you have any vendor-friends that you suggest we connect with, we would love those recommendations. And if it isn’t obvious enough, we would be grateful if you sent your engaged PNW friends our way! Or even, if anyone is looking to elope, we have some super gorgeous backdrop ideas brewing already, which is why we have our elopement package created for anyone wanting to tie the knot nearby.

Rachel: “I can already feel my Ohana growing! To say I am honored is an understatement. I am grateful that I will continue serving OE couples in Chicago periodically, while watching my Ohana on the West Coast flourish. Cheers to new beginnings!” 

POP SOME CHAMPAGNE, WE’RE ON THE WEST COAST BABY

Photo Credit:
Sarah Anne Photography
Sam & Sola Lee Photography

– Rachel + Danielle