Laney Margolis, Humanist Celebrant

Serves Greensboro, NC

35244

Hired 20 times

1 employee

7 years in business

$300

5.0

This pro accepts payments via Cash and PayPal.

Next Service

Hours

Sun 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

Mon 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Tues 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Wed 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Thurs 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Fri 5:00 pm - 11:59 pm

Sat 8:00 am - 11:59 pm

Credentials

Background Check

Arlane Margolis
Completed on 7/14/2021

Introduction

Humanist Celebrants are approved by the American Humanist Society to legally perform secular (non-religious) ceremonies in all 50 states. I perform weddings, unions, elopements, vow renewals, and engagement ceremonies. Please note that I provide officiant services only for people who wish to have a non-religious cermony - ceremonies that do not include prayers or mentions of God. If your event info lists a religious affiliation (such as Catholic, Christian, Muslim, etc) for the Service Type in your Thumbtack request, I will have to decline the referral unless your message to me specifically says you want a non-religious ceremony. I am available to travel within about an hour (60 miles) of Durham. Whether you’re looking for something quick in your own living room, garden, or park or something traditional in a wedding venue, I will help you create a beautiful, warm and unique ceremony that reflects you and your partner. I am a psychologist, professional writer and experienced public speaker who is easy to work with and well-organized; I am also deeply committed to inclusion and diversity and open to all types of unions. My prices start at $325 for a wedding ceremony. Rehearsal attendance is $175. As a licensed Clinical Psychologist, I am also available to do expert pre-marital counseling to help ensure that your marriage starts off on the best footing. I greatly enjoy my work as an officiant because I get to know and work with wonderful, interesting couples. It feels very touching and meaningful to share one of the most important days of their lives with them. As a psychologist, my usual work involves helping people who are in difficult circumstances; my work as an officiant is so joyful - it creates a great balance in my professional life. Finally, working as a secular officiant who embraces inclusion and diversity allows me to integrate some of my most deeply held personal values into my work life. Please note: Thumbtack charges service providers like me a fee when a customer who is a good match contacts me, regardless of whether the customer follows up. Please choose me only if you are very interested in my services so I will not have to pay unnecessary fees. That helps me to keep my prices in a reasonable range. Thanks so much 😊

Q&A

What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

I provide officiant services and premarital counseling (as a licensed Clinical Psychologist). My prices for premarital counseling are $110 per session for the first two sessions, or $300 for a package of 3 sessions. Premarital counseling sessions are provided by video chat at this time. My prices for officiating weddings (and vow renewals) range from $250 for a traditional wedding ceremony with no customization (you can write your own vows or other parts of the ceremony or add a cultural/unity ceremony, but I will not write a personalized wedding) to $620 for a wedding that is highly customized and that includes a rehearsal. I charge $.60 per mile beyond the first 50 miles (25 miles each way) and I am happy to travel if the wedding is on the weekend. If the travel will be more than 2 hours one way, I will charge the cost of a moderate hotel room for 1 - 2 nights, depending on whether you need me to be present on two days (for a rehearsal) or one. If you do not wish to write personalized vows, I can provide some pre-written ones at no additional charge. I can write personalized vows for you, but there is an additional fee of $120 if I write them. Prices for funerals, baby-naming and other ceremonies are provided upon request.

What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

Typically, I email with customers back and forth once they make initial contact and if they would like to work with me, we will set up a video chat to discuss the wedding or other services (such as premarital counseling or a memorial service) so I can give accurate pricing and understand their expectations. If there is little time between inquiry and the wedding or other ceremony date, we may decide through email to work together and then have a phone call later. If the service is premarital counseling, we will set up an appointment. Once a decision is made to work together for a wedding or other ceremony, I will email a contract and send an invoice for a retainer fee (half the cost of my services) and once I receive these things, the date is reserved. Typically, I will meet with the couple to get an idea of the wedding, their relationship, and what they want to include in the wedding. There will be other contact via email. About one month prior to the wedding, I will put together a wedding script draft and send it to the couple and we will communicate about changes. The wedding script will be finalized at least one week before the wedding. Payment for the remainder of the wedding fee will be invoiced one week prior to the wedding. I will perform the wedding and file the wedding license. The couple will provide a couple of pictures from the wedding when they are available shortly thereafter. This timeline changes if the wedding was booked with shorter notice and there are only weeks between contract and wedding. In any case, things happen as they should and the wedding will be wonderful.

What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

I have a BA in writing and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and have been a writer, clinician, professor and public speaker for all of my career. I have been through a training program with the American Humanist Society specifically related to performing secular services. I am uniquely qualified to provide both secular officiant services and premarital counseling.

How did you get started doing this type of work?

I know that there are many people who do not have religious affiliations and I felt it was important for them to have options to have beautiful, personalized wedding ceremonies (not just a judge or courthouse wedding). I have a life-long commitment to diversity and am an LGBTQ+ ally, so I also wanted to make services available to that community. In 2018, I finally came to the time in my life where I could concentrate on starting this business and it has grown quickly. Once I began my officiant practice and couples discovered I was a psychologist, they began asking about premarital counseling. Premarital counseling has been a standard service offered by religious officiants but is less frequently available with secular officiants, who have not been trained in counseling. As a PhD Clinical Psychologist and a person committed to providing secular services, I realized I was well-qualified to provide this service in a non-religious way and began offering it, in addition to my officiant services.

What types of customers have you worked with?

I have worked with a number of great couples who have vastly different ideas about how they want their weddings to be. Some couples want very small ceremonies in their backyards or a favorite park and others want very formal, traditional weddings in large wedding venues. I am equally comfortable throughout the entire range of possible wedding types. I have worked with a diverse array of couples regarding ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, lifestyle choices and orientations. I also enjoy working with couples who wish to prepare for their marriage by attending premarital counseling. This is often a great idea, as it helps couples to sort out difficult questions prior to the marriage, allowing them to start their marriages off on the best possible footing.

What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?

You have many choices for officiants in this area, as well as premarital counselors. Your wedding day, and the work you do to prepare for your marriage are some of the most important moments in your life. Consider the qualifications of the person you are hiring for premarital counseling, and look for a licensed professional. Additionally, the state of North Carolina has laws related to who may officiate a wedding; not all officiants who advertise these services are legally permitted to perform them. Humanist Celebrants are legally considered to be clergy, despite being secular, and are legally permitted to perform marriages in North Carolina, as well as most other states in the US and countries throughout the world.