What Happens

In-Person Experiences
Marriage Encounter in-person experiences are typically held at a hotel or retreat center. This allows couples the freedom to escape from the demands and interferences of their daily lives in order to relax and focus only on each other and their relationship. Couples arrive at a designated hotel around 7:00 pm on Friday evening and leave on Sunday afternoon at approximately 4:00 pm. The experience begins Friday evening – promptly at 8:00 pm – after each couple has checked in and is unpacked. No meal is provided on Friday. We encourage couples to dress casually and comfortably, and bring their preferred snacks and beverages to keep in their room or bring with them to each session for their personal comfort.

Non-Residential Experiences
Marriage Encounter non-residential experiences are typically held at a church. Couples are provided the freedom to commute from their home – if they live in close proximity to the church – or to pay the additional cost of staying 2 nights at a hotel of their choice in close proximity to the church that hosts the experiences. Couples arrive at the church around 7:00 pm on Friday evening and leave on Sunday afternoon at approximately 3:00 pm. The experience begins Friday evening – promptly at 8:00 pm – after each couple has checked into their hotel. No meal is provided on Friday. We encourage couples to dress casually and comfortably, and bring their preferred snacks and beverages to each session for their personal comfort.

Virtual Experiences
Marriage Encounter virtual experiences are held online over weekends or during weeknights with sessions presented using zoom.com video conferencing software. Couples are encouraged to relax and free themselves from all distractions and responsibilities in order to participate fully in each presentation.

Format
The Marriage Encounter experience is presented in lecture format to the group of married couples attending. Our presenting team includes 2-4 married couples who have experienced the power of using the invaluable communication tools taught throughout the experience. They share very personal examples of growth in many areas of typical married life.

Following each group session, couples are given the opportunity to privately work together practicing their new communication tools.

Time is allocated for meals and an afternoon break to maintain the weekend/virtual program’s time schedule.

The complete experience consists of 11 sessions, with each new communication technique building on a previous technique, and incorporating a unique set of tools to improve a couple’s communication skills. Following each session, couples have private time alone together to practice these techniques.

Some of the topics explored include feelings, personality styles, external factors that affect our marital relationship, listening, God’s desire for marriage, and how to continue using the communication tools at home.

Presenting Teams for Your Marriage Encounter Experience

Each Marriage Encounter experience is led by two to four married husband/wife presenting team couples – including one clergy member and spouse – with each husband/wife sharing from his/her own life experience and applying the topic being discussed to that personal experience. With presenting team couples all over North America, the presenting team couples scheduled for specific events vary.

Marriage Encounter presenting team couples are a dynamic, fun-filled group of people who are committed to encouraging and equipping you and your spouse with the tools to build a better, more joyful relationship. With presentations that are biblically centered and professionally sound, these seasoned and trained couples hope you will enjoy and gain great insight from hearing their unique and personal experiences and perspectives about how making God’s desire for their relationship a foundational element of their marriage – and regularly using the new communication tools they teach – have improved their relationships and their families.

We believe they are marriage experts because of their passion for the wellness of marriage and families and their total commitment to God’s desire for their relationships and the unique communication tools taught.

New presenting team couples are typically referred by one of our veteran presenting team couples. Once a presenting team couple commits to becoming part of the Marriage Encounter ministry, they usually continue working for it for 20 years or more.

“Our three kids are delighted that Mommy & Daddy smile and laugh more since our Marriage Encounter experience!”

“We were apprehensive about what we were getting into, but Marriage Encounter truly renewed our relationship.”

“The tools we learned to use during our Marriage Encounter experience have improved our relationship a hundredfold.”

“We approached Marriage Encounter as an experiment – wondering if it could really help our communication. All we can say now is WOW!”

“Marriage Encounter was the most powerful, loving, life-changing weekend I have ever had in my life.”

Our Currently Scheduled
2024 Experiences

Fairfield Inn - Streetsboro OH

Streetsboro, OH
Apr 26 @ 8:00 pm – Apr 28 @ 4:00 pm EDT