Premarital Preparation - Are You Ready for Marriage?
Let me guess. The wedding preparation is about to do you in. Nope, I'm no genuis....just heard it more times than I can remember. There's a zillion details to planning your wedding. You had no idea!
It makes you want to chuck it all and just go get married. Sometimes couples tell me that in all the wedding planning hassels, they had forgotton themselves what it was all about.
It's the MARRIAGE! The wedding is just a shin-dig (that's how we talk here in Tennessee) to celebrate the MARRIAGE.
Now I think the wedding is very important. It's a happy time (we hope) and most people want to share that with others.
But gosh, it can be hard to keep things in balance.
Getting ready for the wedding and getting ready for the marriage are two different things, right!
And there's loads of information about preparing for the wedding, but what about the marriage?
The good news is that there's more and more stuff for marriage preparation too.
Well, ok I'm especially excited about something I've put together to help couples get a great start on their marriages. It's unique and fun. Even guys like it!
I call it the At-Home Marriage Preparation Course.
It's a do-it-yourself online premarital preparation course.
Couples from all over the world are now using this marriage course.
My name is Ralph Griggs, and I'm a nondenominational minister & Marriage Educator living in Nashville, Tennessee. I've helped alot of couples with their wedding ceremonies, but I really wanted to do more to help them with their marriages.
It puts me on cloud nine to hear from so many couples from all over who say they really enjoy the Course and find it helpful.
In this lens, I'd like to tell you more about premarital counseling and some of what is in my Course.
You can view the At-Home Marriage Preparation Course at the link below:
Premarital / Marriage Preparation Course Online
Or watch the short video below that tells you some of what is in the Course.
Fun(ny) Slide-Show
about the At-Home Marriage Preparation Course
#1
Fun Marriage Preparation Guide 1 point
Premarital Counseling - Why Bother?
- Prevent unhappy surprizes in your marriage. We love surprizes...good ones that is. You don't want to get into your marriage and say to your significant other, "I had no idea you thought that!"
- Build confidence in your relationship strengths & explore new areas. A bunch of couples have told me that doing premarital prep made them feel even more confident about their decision to marry. And even those who said they had already talked about everything, found something new, or at least went back to some topics they needed to talk about again.
- Get a heads-up on tricky relationship issues, and have some compromises worked out already.
- Begin marriage with the knowledge that your mate cares enough about the relationship to put some effort into making it grow.
- Have fun. Really, I'm not jerking your chain here. When done right, premarital preparation is fun. I hear it all the time.
What do you think?
Why do you think some skip premarital preparation?
Marriage (Preparation) is Hard Work, Right?
That's what everyone says. Shoot, I've said it myself.For a long time, I said to couples, "You've got to work at your marriage!" Their faces said it all: "I work all week on my job, and now you tell me I have to come home and work on my marriage?"
Yes, a relationship requires attention. That's why you're looking at doing some marriage preparation.
It's true too that conflicts arise and have to be resolved.
Persistence & overcoming challenges is part of making a marriage sizzle. (Please note: any couple who does not believe this should spend a lot of extra time talking about their expectations of marriage).
However, I've become convinced of some other things as well.
(1) marriage is supposed to be fun.
(2) if couples don't lose sight of that, and continue to have fun, many of the problems that might have come about simply won't.
This is one place where the saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is very true.
(3) a lot of people aren't going to continue to grow a relationship if it is all work and no play.
That's why I wanted to put together a marriage preparation course that's bent toward having fun. Actually, it is designed on current learning theory
People learn when learning is self-directed and self-motivated.
People learn when they are actively involved in the learning process.
People learn when they are having fun.
My At-Home Marriage Preparation Course is designed around these three ways that people learn best.
In the next section I'll tell you more about what's in the Course, or you go to it now.
At-Home Marriage Preparation Course
You can tell people what they need to know very fast. But, they will forget what you tell them even faster. People are more likely to understand what they figure out for themselves than what you figure out for them. (from intro to 101 Ways to Make Training Active, by Mel Silberman)
Marriage Preparation Should Not Be Boring
Even guys like the At-Home Marriage Preparation Course! In fact, I can't tell you how many guys have come up to me and thanked me for putting it together.Ok, here are some of the things in the Course:
A link to a free, brief personality test based on the famous Myers-Briggs Personality test. Couples seem to enjoy this as much as anything in the Course. Personality tests can be expensive, but this one is free.
A movie you can get about a couple that gets into alot of marriage trouble. This movie is several years old but you'll recognize the stars. known. Watch it, and then talk about how this couple could have prevented things from getting so bad. There's also a link to a website with a free study guide if you want to use it. Great way to learn!
There's a "I feel loved when" exercise. Couples make alot of discoveries with this one.
There's a simple exercise for finding out what your relationship strengths and growth areas are, and whether or not you both agree as to what they are.
Well, that's only some of what's in the Course. To be honest, when I first put this thing together I wans't sure how helpful it would be.
But couples are enjoying it and finding it very helpful. It's gratifying to hear so many positive comments about the Course.
I finally figured out why I was getting so many nice emails about my marriage course. It's not that I'm so smart and put together the best thing since the invention of sliced bread.
What is happening because of the design of the marriage course, is that couples are building intimacy. And that's what a relationship is all about, isn't it?
As a result of using this material, couples are as close to each other as they have ever been, and have a better understanding (and love) of each other.
At-Home Marriage Preparation Course
This marriage course answers many of the excuses some have for not doing any marital preparation. It's FREE. It's fun. You can do it on your own, when you have the time. And you don't have to share personal details with strangers.You can see the marriage course and get started now.
Couple Comments About the At-Home Marriage Preparation Course
We had a blast
Mr. Griggs, Michael and I had a blast taking your more...0 points
Movie should be required viewing
If we had to change one thing we would have the mo more...0 points
Caught up in the wedding plans
We had been caught up in the wedding plans and had more...0 points
Tim and I sometimes have a hard time getting
things out on the table. We don't necessarily igno more...0 points
What's Your Favorite "Marriage" Movie
Add yours and rate these
Marriage movies are not only a quick way to get in the romantic mood, but also a fun way to learn about relationships!
You can get movies free at Netflix for 14 days.
See the promotional link in the next section.
The Notebook
An epic love story centered around an old man (Jam more...3 points
The Thing About My Folks
After 47 years Mom (Olympia Dukakis) has flown the more...0 points
The Family Man
Ups and downs between a husband (Nicolas Cage) and more...0 points
Away From Her
I never thought I'd be away from her. The incredib more...0 points
Here's Netflix's Current Top 5 Romantic Movies
- 001- The Notebook
Based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, this drama chronicles an enduring love that withstands both war an...- 002- The Lake House
Speed co-stars Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves reteam for romance in director Alejandro Agresti's re...- 003- Hitch
Smooth and sexy Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) is the master of seduction in this charming roman...- 004- Just Like Heaven
Shortly after David Abbott (Mark Ruffalo) moves into his new San Francisco digs, he has an unwelcome...- 005- Catch and Release
Susannah Grant (who wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for Erin Brockovich) takes her first stab a...- Try Netflix free for 14 days
Wedding / Marriage Fun and Help
- Funny Wedding Videos
- Laugh yourself silly
- Wedding Ceremony Vows
- How to write your own ceremony vows
- 1000 Questions for Couples
- What you absolutely need to know about the one you are with!
- 300 Creative Dates - by Oprah Expert
- Unique and fun dating ideas - most under $20
- 50 Secrets of Blissful Relationships
- Never have fights
- 500 Lovemaking Tips and Secrets
- Drive your man or woman wild!
Favorite Wedding and Marriage Quotations
Add yours and rate others
Marriage means
Marriage means a man and a woman looking deep into more...1 point
Joy to listen
Sometimes it is a great joy just to listen to some more...0 points
Definition of a beautiful woman
The definition of a beautiful woman is one who lov more...0 points
Real test of friendship
The real test of friendship is: can you literally more...0 points
The reason women like silent men
Women like silent men. They think they are listeni more...0 points
Marriage Preparation Basics
Tips for Better Communication and Conflict Resolution
here are a few tips to help you.
- Communication takes time. Commit to take the time now & throughout your marriage to communicate. It is the lifeblood of your relationship.
- Truly listen to each other, without judgment. Test your understanding by repeating back in your own words what you hear your partner say.
- Honestly express your thoughts & feelings to your partner. On the other side, be ready to accept what your partner says.
- Remember that every relationship has conflicts. To start with men are from Mars and women are from Venus!
- Deal with it. Often resolving differences is a process over a period of time. But unresolved issues do not go away. Resentments can build over the years.
- Control your anger. Anger & other defensive tactics shut off communication. You may need to take a walk &
delay discussing something. But do come back to it. - Clearly define the problem. Specify how each of you may contribute to the problem, or difficulty in resolving the issue.
- Brainstorm possible solutions. Decide, and if necessary, negotiate a mutually agreeable solution. Then put it to the test.
- Stay committed. In most cases, people can resolve their differences. When you do, it will give you confidence that problems don't have to defeat you. Your relationship will be stronger & you will feel more
secure in it. - Seek outside help if needed. If you hit a snag, sometimes having a third party to give feedback and direction can be helpful. Contact a minister or other trained helper for guidance.
- Finally, it's worth pointing out that more than 50% of couple-problems are unsolvable....such as with personality qualities. The answer here is acceptance of one another.
Need to Lose Weight Fast for Your Wedding!
That must be the reason that appetite suppressants have become so popular in recent years. Quick, easy solution. The problem with these though is that they have created some health concerns.
Then Hoodia (hasn't everybody heard of Hoodia) came along as an answer to some of the problems associated with the earlier appetite suppressants.
Now, it's a little expensive (I figure the money you save on food balances it out), so some companies started diluting their products to get the cost down so they could sell more.
In turn, that's the reason I suspect that a product called HoodiThin Liquid is all the rage now. There are stories in Oprah's magazine, on 60 Minutes, the Today Show and a bunch of other news programs.
The product is being promoted as safe and fast. That's what people want, right? We need fast, but please don't make me ill in the process.
It's advertised as 100% pure and it's guaranteed to work, or you get your money back. Again, to a lot of people that sounds like a win-win deal.
Click the image below to learn more about Hoodithin.
Wedding & Marriage Topics
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBooks on Marriage at on Amazon
Before You Say "I Do"®
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 07/09/2008)
Together for Life: A Preparation for Marriage Outside Mass
Amazon Price: $3.50 (as of 07/09/2008)
The Marriage Journey: Preparations and Provisions for Life Together
Amazon Price: $12.92 (as of 07/09/2008)
