About Anke.


After a colourful life of more than 30 years across Asia, I settled in NZ (on the Coromandel) in 2007. I started a new career as a marriage celebrant in 2008 with a membership of CelebrantsAotearoa (CANZ) and a Celebrant Studies Certificate (AUT). After close to 400 weddings on the Coromandel, I moved to Dunedin in 2022 to be closer to family and because I love this funky little town at the bottom of the world! I craft ceremonies for all levels of requirements from simple to elaborate and stylish, and my tiered prices reflect that. I enjoy serving overseas eloping as much as local and same sex couples, but I no longer offer registry weddings.
Who am I? Having left my home country Germany as a member of the Foreign Service, I found my true vocational calling after the birth of my 2 children, and became a certified childbirth educator and labour support professional. I worked and grew with and through the ideologies of the natural childbirth movement. After being a change agent for birth practices in Singapore, Japan and China, I also facilitated antenatal groups for Parents Centres NZ until 2014.
My heart and soul centre around family, women, children and life itself… its tribulations, trivia, challenges, blessings… I see my life and work experiences among different cultures and people, my challenges as a birth practice activist, teacher and student, and skills attained as a mother, grandmother, divorcee and business innovator, coming together in my work as celebrant. Not religious, but spiritual, I consider myself a student of life and humankind – on a course with no graduation… with lots of wonderful co-students.
I bring heart, warmth, vibrance, humour and spirit to the creation of, and charisma and inner presence to the delivery of life’s Significant Moments…
Ceremonies.
Wedding Ceremonies
Irrespective of your personality, beliefs or style…. gentle or loud, traditional or unconventional, spiritual or religious, free spirit or conservative, romantic or Zen… contact Anke for the creation and honouring of your significant moment in life!


Beginning of Life Celebrations
Life’s beginning, the arrival and welcoming of a new human being into the circle of family, friends and his/her community of support and influence throughout life deserves a lot more than a ceremony of “name-giving”.
End of Life Celebrations
A true celebration of life is ABOUT the person lost, but FOR those they leave behind. There is a lot to celebrate when a person is about to or has ended his or her life. Each celebration deserves a capture of the person, their individual circumstances and the meaning of their loss to those left behind. Whose input could better shape a celebration like this than the one of the person who is leaving? With their own input about their legacy and about what THEY would like to have expressed for and to their loved ones …. Food for a thought in time!?!
Anke also facilitates the Death Cafe Dunedin Group under the guidelines of the worldwide Death Cafe movement.
