Wedding Officiant in MunichClaudia Finger-Erben

What can we expect from you as a wedding officiant, and why should we choose you?

Because you’ll feel just how much I love this work. I love it when people who are practically strangers at first come to my garden, and before long the three of us are sitting together, laughing and crying. I want to get to know you completely and dive deep with you—into your childhood, family histories, school days, and personal growth; into how you met; and into your hopes for the future. You’ll tell me what makes you who you are and what you love about each other. I weave all of this into a speech that truly reflects who you are. My goal is to stir emotions—there should be laughter, and there should be tears: tears of joy and tears of emotion. I’ve been doing this since 2017 and love every aspect of it. My speeches are tailored exactly to you. I don’t use boilerplate text, quotes, or passages from books. Every couple’s story shapes a unique speech. It’s wonderful when, after the ceremony, guests come up to me and say, “I was skeptical, but that was truly something special!” Or, “I’m the bride’s brother, but I didn’t know this or that!” For me, it’s an honor to take on this role at every wedding—with a lot of heart and passion. I’m always ready to lend a hand: carrying umbrellas and chairs, keeping an eye on rings and children, sewing wedding dresses, and handling unexpected incidents. Plus: I’m a radio host with a trained, pleasant speaking voice.

How did you become a wedding officiant?

I’ve been working in radio and television since I was 20. I love using language to inspire people and tell stories. I studied German language and literature and communication studies in Bamberg and Hamburg. Many years ago, a friend asked me to take charge of the “secular part” of the church service. At first I was unsure, but in the end I wrote a text that was so secular it made people in the church laugh—and I still read it aloud to that friend every year. Later, I attended the wedding of an old school friend. During the celebration, I started to feel guilty: Hardly anyone had prepared anything personal—and neither had I. So I grabbed the song sheet from the church, wrote something on it, stepped up to the mic, and got started. It wasn’t until 2017 that I officially began offering my speeches as a wedding service online. I love my work in radio—but weddings are the best part. Seeing my audience and getting immediate feedback is wonderful. I love telling my couples’ stories. And yes: I love it when my audience laughs and wipes away tears of emotion. That’s my goal, my motivation—to bring tears of joy and emotion.

What's your schedule like?

It’s best to get in touch 10–12 months before your wedding, as soon as you’ve finalized your venue. First, we’ll get to know each other during a video call that lasts about 20 minutes. I’ll explain my approach and answer any questions you have. If you decide to work with me, you’ll receive the contract, and about 2–3 months before the ceremony, I’ll invite you to the “big meeting.” You don’t need to prepare anything—no questionnaires, no lists. Just come over to my place. As we walk through the garden, we might still be strangers, but after a short while, everything feels familiar. There’s laughter and tears—after all, I’m not just emotional, I’m built “in” water. Some say these conversations have almost a therapeutic effect because they’re so deep and honest. I listen and take notes—it’s never taken me less than four hours. Still, everyone goes home in high spirits. Maybe it’s also because of my husband, who makes the best coffee, provides snacks or lunch, and loves to invite people into his colorful caricaturist’s studio.

What was your most embarrassing wedding experience?

This might not come across very well when I tell it—but I find it so funny myself: I’ll be completely honest with you—you can spot the bride at a wedding very quickly and easily. It’s a different story with the men. They’re all dressed up in their finest, elegant attire. It’s been months since the pre-wedding consultation, and in the meantime I’ve met so many other couples that suddenly a dapper man with a little flower on his jacket is standing in front of me, saying excitedly that he still needs to move the chairs somewhere else. So I reassured him, “But that’s not your job today!” Well, it wasn’t the groom at all! But—in my defense—it was, after all, the groom’s cousin, and the two of them looked quite alike.

And what was your best wedding experience?

I know it sounds corny, but I truly love all weddings—whether at a dream location on Lake Garda, on an alpine pasture in the pouring rain, in a beer garden, at a silver wedding anniversary, on a very small scale, or on a grand scale. I put my heart, mind, and passion into every single wedding. My couples really grow close to my heart. I’m especially happy when, after the ceremony, guests tell me how beautiful the speech was—especially older generations, who are usually used to church weddings. A bride’s grandfather said recently, “I had no idea what to expect—a non-religious wedding ceremony! But I really enjoyed it; it was truly beautiful and moving.” That really touched me. It was also wonderful when a bride recited her wedding vows in Croatian—even though she didn’t speak Croatian. Her husband was from Croatia, so she had her words translated and read them aloud. I didn’t understand a word, but I was glad that a singer performed afterward—that way, my many tears of emotion had time to dry. Aside from weddings, I love getting to know people and their stories. That’s how I’ve even brought couples together: I introduced two couples with surprisingly similar life paths to one another. Shortly afterward, I received a photo of the four of them—they’d met and hit it off perfectly. There are endless highlights in this job!