Gather in Hope 2023

Two women, both with light skin and brown hair in buns and wearing white button-up shirts and khaki slacks facing each other and holding hands. Lily, the Officiant, stands behind in a navy blue dress, holding a book.

Kayla & Denise | June 14, 2019 Photo used with permission

Gather in Hope

Bespoke Ceremonies for Significant Occasions

A Black woman with medium skin wearing a chapel length wedding dress and her wife, a Black woman with dark skin wearing a white tuxedo and purple bow tie, standing on a small wooden bridge. Lily stands to the left of them in a navy blue dress.

Aretha & Monica | March 20, 2021

Photo used with permission

About Gather in Hope

Solemnizing special events through ceremony builds personal meaning and connection with those we care for. I offer bespoke ceremonies for all occasions, carefully crafting language to meet the unique needs of each client or family. I bring to this service expertise in wellbeing and relationships and a talent for evocative writing, enabling me to communicate the complexities of emotion and human experience. Services include unions, memorials, dedications, celebrations for organizations, and all other occasions of special significance.

My method for developing ceremonies begins with building a genuine connection with each client. Getting to know you and understanding the importance this ceremony holds in your life is such a pleasure! Most ceremonies are familiar. Weddings, memorials, baby namings, and so on. But others may be unique to your life experience. No matter what occasion you are planning to recognize, I look forward to working with you to ensure a hopeful event that brings you closer to those you love.

Unions

Weddings, commitments, vow renewals, anniversaries, blendings of families, and other ways to join in love

Our Services

Six black silhouettes of dandelion parachutes of decreasing size arranged haphazardly as if blowing off to the upper right, symbolizing memorials

Memorials

Funerals, committals, memorials, remembrances, celebrations of life, and other rituals to remember those who have passed

21 black silhouettes of hands held palm open as if holding an offering. Hands are arranged in a spiral, each descending in size toward the center, symbolizing dedications

Dedications

Namings, adoptions, coming of age, eldering, transitions, recovery, separations, and other occasions honoring growth

A black silhouette of two heads with a light bulb in the middle. The light bulb is half solid black and half appears as a sketch of a brain, symbolizing human minds working together as part of organizations

Organizations

Graduations, workplace recognition, groundbreakings, openings, and observances of the humanity of work and learning

Photo by Megan Karanfil

Your Officiant

Lily Wells, MA, MSW, IMH-E®

American Marriage Ministries #658414-395052

Professionally trained in mental health, I have developed a keen sense of the importance of ritual in our lives. Helping people create ceremonies that express the meaning of life events brings me enormous joy. I know both personally and professionally the strength, healing, and pride we can develop by recognizing life’s milestones. I am so pleased that you would consider me as you plan to recognize your important occasion.

Find us on Everywhere is Queer!

Work with me today!

Lily, wearing a navy blue dress, stands with the groom at a wedding. The groom is a light-skinned Latino man with a short beard and is wearing a light gray suit.

Carson & Tom | September 17, 2021

Photo used with permission