Hi, I’m Deyi.
I also know how powerful it is when those stories are told well.
You’re not here for a cookie-cutter ceremony. You’re here because your story doesn’t fit neatly into one box. Maybe one of you grew up between worlds and doesn’t fully belong to just one (oh hey, fellow third culture kids!). Maybe between you, you’ve got a list of different traditions you want to honour, but not recreate. Or perhaps your story of finding belonging as a couple hasn’t been simple.
And somehow, you’re meant to turn all of that into a wedding ceremony. No sweat, right?
I get it. I was born in Nigeria (Deyi is short for Adeyinka, I’m named after my dad’s mum), and chapters of my story have taken place across the US, UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. And I’ll always be a California girl at heart. I’m a daughter, a partner, the fun auntie, and everyone’s big sister in a very large family. I’ve now settled in beautiful Bristol, where I’m constantly re-reminded of the joys of chosen family and blended lives.
I created Gather and Tell because I know what it’s like to live between worlds, and carry multiple stories at once.
Gather & Tell Celebrations is my love letter to people who have had a lifetime of navigating identities, expectations, cultures, and different versions of themselves.
I want your wedding ceremony to feel like a deeply true moment of brining together the things that feel like the best of you, not a negotiation. And it definitely doesn’t have to feel like you’re disappearing inside it. That’s why we won’t be squeezing your gorgeous story into a dusty old template. Or including traditions that don’t reflect the life you’re building together as a couple.
Whether you’re throwing a celebration for hundreds, or eloping for a more private and romantic experience, you’ll be supported through a thoughtful process to help you make sense of what’s meaningful to you and create a ceremony that reflects that. Without losing yourselves in anyone else’s expectations. Your ceremony will be built with care and intention, not compromise.
Let’s gather your people, and tell your story!
My Approach
This is more than me just me turning up with a script, or sending over some worksheets. I wouldn’t sign up for that, and wouldn’t expect you to either!
It’s a process we’ll work through together to make sure you feel confident in your sense of what actually matters to you, and make sure it shines through in your wedding ceremony.
If you’re looking for something pre-prepared or “off the shelf”, I might not be the right celebrant for you.
You can find out more about how I work here.