It is the heart that gives,
the fingers just let go.
~ Ibo proverb
Fees and Services As Your Wedding Minister or Officiant
Robin tying the knot for Chris and Tim in the Hand-Fasting Ceremony
Rev. Robin Renteria's fees are competitive with other wedding ministers and wedding officiants in the Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill area. She will discuss her fees and work out payment plans with you at your free consultation.
Because each ceremony wedding minister Rev. Robin Renteria officiates is unique, from simple classic elopement ceremonies in her home with just the witnesses present, to ceremonies in large venues for which she has written a custom ceremony, traveled, and guided the rehearsal, there are questions she needs to ask before she knows the appropriate fee for your ceremony. A conversation is the best way for her to know your needs, and for you to know who she is and what she can offer you in her tiered pricing.
Information about her fees and services for Other Rites of passage and for Premarital Counseling can be found on the pages dedicated to those services.
Most wedding ceremonies are from 15 to 30 minutes in length, but that's no indication of the planning or time needed to make it just right for your vision to celebrate your love. A longer wedding, is fine, too.
Rev. Robin Renteria has officiated at lovely wedding ceremonies 10 minutes long and lovely ceremonies an hour long. The length and content of your ceremony is guided by you.
In addition to planning, meeting, review, writing, and travel time, Rev. Robin Renteria arrives about 45 minutes before your ceremony to coordinate with other professionals and to meet your needs, and she sets aside an hour for your ceremony so that if you start a little late, as most weddings do, there is no rush or worry. Even a small backyard wedding can easily require eight to ten hours of Rev. Robin Renteria's time.
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Your wedding ceremony is the heart and soul of your wedding day.
While you’ve carefully planned every aspect of your day, the only truly essential element of your wedding is the ceremony.
Rev. Robin Renteria is booking from now through 2014.
Contact her for a free consultation at 919-818-6362 or click here for her easy contact form.
She'll reply within 24 hours of receiving it.
As a UU minister, a non-denominational wedding minister, a wedding officiant, or a wedding celebrant Rev. Robin Renteria primarily serves the NC Triangle: Orange, Durham, Wake, Chatham, and Alamance counties and the towns of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Raleigh, Hillsborough, Cary, Mebane, Holly Springs, Fuquay Varina, Apex, Bahama, Burlington, and Efland.
How Ministerial Fees for Weddings Are Determined:
Some people still hold the image of slipping the minister or officiant a hundred dollars after the ceremony
as how the minister or officiant is paid for their services in marrying a couple. This isn’t very realistic
anymore. It hasn’t been for years. Here in general, is how fees are determined:
When clergy officiate weddings for members of their congregation it’s considered one of the services
they offer as part of their ministry. The member of the congregation, in their annual financial tithing, pay
the salary of the minister. Even then, it’s customary to offer an additional honorarium, anywhere from $100
to $400. The officiant can keep it or use it in their ministry.
A minister or rabbi may do weddings ‘on the side’ for people who are not members of their congregation and be paid separately from their salary paid by the congregation. A fair fee is often suggested by the church or synagogue.
Wedding ministers or wedding officiants who are not serving a congregation may make celebrating life passages their full time ministry. Those who do believe the rituals of our lives are an essential part of who we are as people, families and communities. Rev. Robin Renteria, specializes in creating rituals and derives her income from the services she provides basing her fees upon her costs, time spent, and the skills she brings. Unique costs for wedding ministers and wedding officiants serving the wider community include a home office, advertising, networking, sound systems, travel, etc.
Rev. Robin Renteria spends, on average, five to ten hours on a wedding. This includes email, phone, meeting and writing time, planning, paperwork, travel, coordination, rehearsal, pre-ceremony time, ceremony time, filing of documents, and followup. This is time devoted to you to bring your vision to life.
Rev. Robin Renteria brings seventeen years experience as a minister who’s officiated and written hundreds of weddings, memorial services, and child dedications, and who has a Masters in Divinity Degree in Pastoral Counseling, and a Ph.D. in expressing our deepest values in languages of meaning and purpose. Each minister brings their own unique set of experience and skills.
With experience and skill, ministers who specialize in ritual create sacred space for your ceremony and respond gracefully to whatever situations arise, for example an attendant fainting, the flowers not arriving, rain suddenly pouring, sound systems failing, a father refusing to walk a bride down the aisle, musicians playing at the wrong cues, children crying during the ceremony, unity candles not lighting, uncontrollable tears or giggles, and much more.
Your wedding only happens once. You want the moment to have all the meaning, inspiration, and joy it deserves as well as to be a calm center and firm foundation upon which to start your marriage.
A Good Wedding Minister Is Someone Who:
•
Respects you, your beliefs, and your life choices
Respects you, your beliefs, and your life choices•Is professional and competent
Is professional and competent•Is open to new ideas
Is open to new ideas•Handles last minute surprises with grace and ease
Handles last minute surprises with grace and ease•Is warm and genuine
Is warm and genuine•Enjoys working with you
Enjoys working with you•Has experience over many different situations
Has experience over many different situations•Has resources to guide you
Has resources to guide you•Knows that the ceremony is about you, not about them
Knows that the ceremony is about you, not about them•Is a calming presence in the planning and at the wedding
Is a calming presence in the planning and at the wedding•Listens deeply to your unique concerns
Listens deeply to your unique concerns•Responds promptly with needed communication
Responds promptly with needed communication•Is computer savvy
Is computer savvy•Works well with other wedding professionals
Works well with other wedding professionals •Guides your rehearsal with clarity and ease, and
Guides your rehearsal with clarity and ease, and•Says only words that you have agreed are appropriate for your ceremony.
Says only words that you have agreed are appropriate for your ceremony.A professional minister will require a contract, which ensures you can count on them for their services. They won't bow out at the last minute over creative or theological differences and leave you stranded. They'll have contingency plans to handle crises that arise. They'll be a calming presence. They'll be full of ideas and excited about working with you.
And they will charge a fair fee for their services which respects their commitment to your wedding and the skills and experience they bring. This is no time to shop for a bargain. Your ceremony is the heart and soul of your wedding.
It's the words of your wedding and your wedding vows that will live long after your wedding day to see you through life’s joy and sorrow, sickness and health, for all the days of your lives.
It is your minister who will help bring your ceremony alive for you, filled with your love and your hopes for your future.
Some Good Questions To Ask The Minister You're Considering Are:
•What is your experience?
What is your experience?•Do you have reviews of your services by others that I can see?
Do you have reviews of your services by others that I can see?•Do you have theological restrictions to the type of ceremony you officiate?
Do you have theological restrictions to the type of ceremony you officiate?•How long will a typical ceremony you officiate last?
How long will a typical ceremony you officiate last?•What happens if you can’t be there?
What happens if you can’t be there?•Do you co-officiate with other ministers, rabbis, or priests?
Do you co-officiate with other ministers, rabbis, or priests?•Can other people participate in the ceremony?
Can other people participate in the ceremony?•Do you do inter-faith ceremonies?
Do you do inter-faith ceremonies?•Have you performed a wedding at our venue before?
Have you performed a wedding at our venue before?•What do you wear for the ceremony?
What do you wear for the ceremony? •Do you file the necessary paperwork? What does that entail?
Do you file the necessary paperwork? What does that entail?•Do you have a sound system? For readers? For the couple?
Do you have a sound system? For readers? For the couple?•Do you guide rehearsals? When should you have a rehearsal? Is there a separate fee for this?
Do you guide rehearsals? When should you have a rehearsal? Is there a separate fee for this?•Do you personalize your ceremonies?
Do you personalize your ceremonies?•Do you stay for the reception or rehearsal dinner?
Do you stay for the reception or rehearsal dinner?•Do you provide a unity candle, roses, wine, or other props?
Do you provide a unity candle, roses, wine, or other props?Also, make sure to ask about any special concerns you may have.
Reverend Robin Renteria, Ph.D.
Wedding Minister
A year after their wedding, one couple wrote to Rev. Robin Renteria saying:
Dear Robin, It's hard to believe that a year has already passed since our wedding. In the past year we have shared so many wonderful moments together and have learned to love on a deeper level that neither of us knew we were capable of. We wanted to take the opportunity to thank you again for starting us off on the right foot - not only by officiating our beautiful ceremony, but also by leading us through those first conversations about what's important in love and marriage. We feel truly blessed to have met you and we can't thank you enough for the gift you gave us by leading us into marriage last year. We hope you are well and that you and yours have been blessed throughout the year. Much love, Jessica and Thomas.
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Robin Renteria, (919) 818-6362, Robin@RobinRenteria.com, uuweddingminister.com
Robin@RobinRenteria.com (919) 818-6362
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and surrounding areas
For only $12.95
order my 200 page ebook with great ideas to create a unique, personal, memorable ceremony, PLUS my
Guide to Writing Your Own Wedding Vows with examples of all types of vows. Click on the book above to learn more.
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Rev. Robin Renteria