Let’s be real, MAFS fam. If there was one bride this season who captured our hearts without even trying, it was Rachel Gilmore.

She wasn’t the loudest. She wasn’t the messiest. She didn’t start drama or leak group chats or call anyone out in a viral video. She just showed up, was honest, loved deeply, and got her heart broken in return.

And the way Steven treated her after the experiment? Let’s just say the word “awful” doesn’t quite cover it.

He told her she’d be a priority “next winter.” Not now. Not tomorrow. Not even next month. NEXT WINTER. As if love comes with a seasonal schedule. As if you can put someone’s heart on hold while you figure out your business, your finances, your “busy season.”

 

Rachel deserved better. And now, six months after the cameras stopped rolling, she’s proving that she never needed Steven in the first place.

She’s thriving. She’s glowing. She’s got matching tattoos, a trip to Thailand, a fresh haircut, and a social media career that’s taking off. And Steven? He’s just a guy she used to date who now gets to call her a “friend.”

Grab your popcorn – and maybe a notebook, because Rachel is about to teach a masterclass in post-breakup glow-ups.

The Numbers, The Friendships, The Self-Care, and The Forgiveness

The Queen of Followers – Rachel’s Social Media Rise

Let’s start with the numbers, because numbers don’t lie.

Rachel is now the fourth most-followed person from MAFS Australia 2026, sitting just behind Gia, Stella, and Alissa with a whopping 120,000 followers.

 

Think about that for a second. She didn’t court controversy. She didn’t play the villain. She didn’t leak texts or start fights. She just… was herself. And 120,000 people said, “Yes, that’s someone I want to see more of.”

That’s not luck. That’s authenticity. And in the world of reality TV, authenticity is the rarest currency.

What does 120k followers mean for Rachel? It means career opportunities. It means brand deals. It means she’s no longer working in recruitment (goodbye, 9-to-5) and has stepped into a new life as a content creator, influencer, and events darling.

She’s already been invited to an early screening of The Devil Wears Prada 2 – which, let’s be honest, is the most iconic invitation a woman could receive. If you’re going to be invited to anything, make it the sequel to the ultimate career-girl movie.

 

Good for her. Seriously. Good. For. Her.

Girl Gang Goals – Rachel, Stella & Alissa: The Unholy Trinity of Friendship

One of the most beautiful things to come out of this chaotic season was the friendship between Rachel, Stella, and Alissa.

While other brides were forming “mean girl” groups and leaking each other’s texts, these three were building something real. Something supportive. Something that has lasted long after the cameras left.

The matching tattoos: Rachel and Stella got matching tattoos as an iconic clap back at explosive bride Brook. A permanent reminder that some bonds are stronger than drama.

The Thailand trip: Rachel recently went on a trip to Thailand with Alissa, and the video she posted is everything you want from a bestie vacation. “Unhinged belly laughs, a few questionable life choices, and iconic duo behaviour that probably shouldn’t be left unsupervised.”

 

Read that again. “Questionable life choices.” “Shouldn’t be left unsupervised.” That’s not just a vacation. That’s a declaration of friendship. That’s two women who trust each other enough to be messy, silly, and completely themselves.

Rachel captioned the video perfectly: “Went from filming to flight mode with my gal. Here’s a slice of Thailand chaos… Mission complete.”

Mission complete indeed. And honestly? Watching Rachel laugh, travel, and live her best life is the best revenge she could ever get on Steven.

Self-Love Era – The Gym, The Haircut, The Glow-Up

Here’s the thing about breakups: they either destroy you or they transform you. Rachel chose transformation.

She’s been open about her journey back to self-love, and her honesty is genuinely inspiring.

“Getting back to the things that bring you joy can sometimes feel harder than you expect,” she shared.

 

She talked about the anxiety and nervousness she felt about getting back into the gym – so much so that she almost convinced herself not to go.

But then she reminded herself of something powerful:

“It’s okay to start again. It’s okay if you’ve fallen out of routine. It’s okay if your confidence isn’t where it used to be. The important thing is to just start.”

If that doesn’t resonate with every person who’s ever been through a breakup, I don’t know what will.

Rachel has also treated herself to a fresh haircut and brows – the classic post-breakup refresh that says “I’m not waiting for anyone anymore.” And she’s been hitting the gym consistently, not to look good for a man, but to feel good for herself.

 

This is what healing looks like. It’s not always pretty. It’s not always linear. But Rachel is doing the work, and it shows.

The “Next Winter” Comment – Let’s Talk About How Insane That Was

We can’t write about Rachel’s glow-up without addressing the reason she needed to glow up in the first place.

Steven, during the commitment ceremony, essentially told Rachel that she would be a priority… eventually. Specifically, during winter. Because his work is busy all year, and winter is his “free time.”

Let me translate that for you: “I care about you, but only when it’s convenient for me. I love you, but only when I don’t have anything else going on. You matter, but you’re not a priority right now. Maybe next winter.”

Rachel, to her credit, revealed this information calmly. She didn’t scream. She didn’t cry. She just stated the facts: “His work is busy all throughout the year and Winter is his free time, so that’s when he can give the relationship more.”

 

But the implication was devastating. She wasn’t asking for forever. She wasn’t asking for marriage or babies or a shared mortgage. She was asking to be a priority. And Steven couldn’t even give her that.

“Next winter” is not a plan. “Next winter” is not a commitment. “Next winter” is a polite way of saying “not now, and probably not ever.”

Rachel deserved someone who would make her a priority in spring, summer, autumn, AND winter. She deserved someone who wouldn’t make her wait. She deserved someone who understood that love doesn’t come with a seasonal schedule.

And since Steven couldn’t be that person? She became her own priority. And look at her now.

The Forgiveness Arc – Rachel Has a Heart of Gold

Here’s the part of the story that proves Rachel is genuinely a better person than most of us.

 

Despite everything – despite the “next winter” comment, despite the breakup, despite Steven admitting he couldn’t give her what she needed – Rachel has forgiven him.

Yes, you read that correctly. She forgave him.

Steven himself revealed that they are friends again. They’ve been speaking to each other and even meeting up while the show has been airing.

Think about the emotional maturity that requires. To be publicly dumped (in a sense), to have your needs dismissed, to be told you’re a “next winter” priority – and then to turn around and say, “Okay, I forgive you. We can be friends.”

That’s not weakness. That’s strength. That’s a woman who knows her worth so deeply that she doesn’t need to hold a grudge to feel powerful.

 

Rachel doesn’t need Steven’s validation. She doesn’t need his apology (though she got one). She doesn’t need him to change or grovel or beg for another chance. She’s simply moved on – and she’s gracious enough to let him move on too.

That’s queen behavior. Pure, unapologetic, queen behavior.

What Rachel Is Doing Now (And Why Steven Is Missing Out)

Six months after filming ended, here’s what Rachel’s life looks like:

Career: 120k followers, brand deals, events, and an invitation to The Devil Wears Prada 2. She’s left recruitment behind and is building a media career on her own terms.

Friendships: Matching tattoos with Stella. A chaotic Thailand trip with Alissa. A sisterhood that survived the MAFS pressure cooker.

Self-care: Back in the gym. Fresh haircut. Fresh brows. A commitment to joy that she’s documenting openly and honestly.

 

Dating: Not on the horizon. She’s prioritizing herself right now – and honestly, that’s the best dating strategy there is.

And Steven? Steven is out there giving interviews about how he “had his chance” and how the ship has “most likely sailed.” He’s apologizing, regretting, and wondering “what if.”

Meanwhile, Rachel is in Thailand, laughing uncontrollably with her best friend, getting matching tattoos, and living a life that doesn’t revolve around anyone else’s “busy season.”

Who won the breakup? I think we all know the answer.

Why Rachel Is the Role Model MAFS Fans Needed

Let’s be honest: MAFS Australia doesn’t always produce the best role models. We’ve seen brides who lie, grooms who cheat, and experts who somehow miss the most obvious red flags.

But Rachel? Rachel is different.

 

She showed us that you can be vulnerable without being weak. That you can love deeply without losing yourself. That you can get your heart broken and still choose forgiveness. That you can be told you’re a “next winter” priority and decide, “Actually, I’m a priority right now – to myself.”

She didn’t trash Steven in interviews. She didn’t leak their private conversations. She didn’t play the victim or demand sympathy. She just… moved forward. Quietly. Gracefully. Powerfully.

And in doing so, she became one of the most beloved brides of the season – not because she was dramatic, but because she was real.

The Final Verdict – Rachel Won, and It’s Not Even Close

Here’s the bottom line, MAFS fam:

Steven made a mistake. He knows it. He’s admitted it. He’s apologized for it. And he’s now watching from the sidelines as Rachel builds a life that doesn’t include him as a romantic partner.

 

She’s got the followers. She’s got the friends. She’s got the gym routine, the fresh haircut, the Thailand memories, and the matching tattoo. She’s got a career that’s taking off and a heart that’s big enough to forgive the man who hurt her.

She doesn’t need someone who will only make her a priority “next winter.” She doesn’t need someone who has to “dive headfirst” into work and leave her waiting. She doesn’t need someone who can only love her when it’s convenient.

She needs herself. And she’s finally giving herself the love she always deserved.

So to Rachel: keep thriving. Keep laughing. Keep getting matching tattoos and making “questionable life choices” with your besties. Keep going to the gym even when it’s hard. Keep forgiving, but never forgetting. Keep being the queen that you are.

 

And to Steven? Next winter is coming. But Rachel won’t be waiting.

The Best Revenge Is a Life Well Lived

Rachel Gilmore didn’t write a tell-all. She didn’t go on a podcast rant. She didn’t expose anyone’s secrets. She just… lived.

And in living, she showed the world that the best revenge isn’t anger or bitterness or public call-outs. The best revenge is a life so full, so joyful, and so completely your own that the person who hurt you becomes irrelevant.

Steven had his chance. He admits it. And now, that ship has sailed.

Rachel is in Thailand, in the gym, on Instagram, at movie screenings, and in the hearts of 120,000 followers who see themselves in her.

That’s not a loss. That’s a win.

 

And honestly? That’s the ending Rachel always deserved.