‘Married at First Sight’ Exclusive’: Greg Okotie & Deonna Share How They’ve Grown in First Year of Marriage

Married at First Sight pair Greg Okotie and Deonna McNeill recently celebrated their one-year anniversary as a couple. In addition to that, they run their own apparel company. They’ve done a lot in the first year of their marriage. Meanwhile, the pair recently spoke with Soap Dirt about their journey so far and how they’ve grown. What did the the MAFS duo reveal to Soap Dirt?

Married at First Sight: Greg Okotie & Deonna McNeill Talk About First Year of Marriage

Soap Dirt (SD): You recently celebrated your one-year Married at First Sight anniversary. What does that milestone mean to you?

Deonna McNeill (DM): “Celebrating our first anniversary means a lot to me. It’s amazing to think that only a year ago I met and married the man of my dreams [on Married at First Sight] It’s such a blessing to look back at where we started and see how we’ve grown together and built a life together”.

Greg Okotie (GO):”Celebrating our one-year anniversary means a lot to me as well. We’ve grown a lot in the past year, individually and as a couple, and it’s incredible to reminisce on our journey”.

SD: What’s the biggest way you’ve grown as a couple since your season of Married at First Sight?

DM: “I think the biggest way that we’ve grown [since Married at First Sight] as a couple is our communication. We do a great job listening and understanding each other’s point of view”.

GO: “Deonna [McNeill] is stealing my answers. [Laughs] But, I would have to agree, our communication has grown in the past year. Not saying that we started in a horrible place with our communication, but as we continue to learn one another and be placed in various situations since we met, we’ve learned to effectively communicate and use those situations as learning tools going forward”.

Married at First Sight: Greg Okotie - Deonna McNeill

MAFS: Deonna & Greg Tell How the Show Changed Them

SD: What’s the most significant way Married at First Sight changed you?

Greg Okotie: “Typically, I’m a person that sits back and observes. But, Married at First Sight has made me come out of my shell a little bit more. I’m more extroverted and more comfortable with larger crowds and being recognized”.

DM: “The most significant way MAFS changed me has been how I’ve become so open with my feelings for my husband. It had been so long since I had been in a relationship that I had to really learn to really open up and share my feelings”.

SD: What’s the best advice you got from a Married at First Sight mentor?

GO: “Attack the problem and not the person. Also, have naked moments with your spouse in order to share how you feel. These moments are intentional and allow one partner to be vulnerable while the other listens and can be in-tune with what the partner is expressing”.

Deonna McNeill: “The best advice I got from a Married at First Sight expert was that you don’t fall in love, you grow in love. It’s not a feeling because those can change. It’s a choice to love each other every day”.

What Took Married at First Sight Pair By Surprise

SD: Was there anything that took you by surprise when you watched your spouse’s confessionals on Married at First Sight?

DM: “I don’t think there was anything that surprised me when watching Greg [Okotie’s] confessionals. Greg is like an open book. He didn’t hold back how he felt, which is something that I admire”.

Greg Okotie: “I learned ALL of Deonna [McNeill’s] feelings about me through these confessionals, particularly the mushy ones. [Laughs] She didn’t tell me any of these things when we were going through the experiment so I was so shocked to hear them! When I asked her about it, she said that I ‘didn’t ask the right questions’. WHAT?!?”

Married at First Sight: Greg Okotie - Deonna McNeill

Married at First Sight Couple Clear Up Misconceptions – Dish on New Company

SD: What’s the biggest misconception you think Married at First Sight followers have about you?

Deonna McNeill: “I think the biggest misconception [Married at First Sight] fans have about me is that I seemed cold in the early part of our relationship. People thought that I didn’t want to be with Greg [Okotie] but that was just me getting to know him. Sometimes I think people forget that we literally met for the first time at the altar. And, although we’re married, we are still strangers getting to know one another”.

Greg Okotie: “I honestly do not know and cannot think of anything at this time. I think what you see is what you get with me”.

SD: You recently launched an apparel company. How did all that start?

Deonna McNeill: “We started our clothing company in November of 2019. I fell in love with Greg [Okotie’s] middle name, Akpesiri, as we were getting to know each other throughout our [Married at First Sight] season. Akpesiri, which means ‘good life’ in Nigerian, inspired us to create a line that encourages people to live boldly”.

“We have various collections based on our passions in order to allow our customers to express themselves freely, such as a faith-based collection, a heritage one, and a lifestyle line that encompasses a large variety of styles”.

Married at First Sight: Deonna McNeill - Greg Okotie

What’s Next for Deonna & Greg?

Greg Okotie and spouse Deonna McNeill appear on the current Married at First Sight limited series, Couples’ Cam. And, in addition to filming for the MAFS spinoff show, they may have a baby in their near future. As viewers see on the Lifetime spinoff, Deonna has Greg carry around a baby doll.

Deonna McNeill hinted that she’s more than ready for the real thing. And, Greg Okotie seems to at least entertain the idea. Meanwhile, with the first year of marriage under their belt (along with a successful business), adding a baby into the mix certainly seems like the next step for these two.

Catch all-new episodes of Couples’ Cam, Wednesdays on the Lifetime channel.

Return to Soap Dirt regularly for even more Married at First Sight exclusives.