How much does marriage preparation cost?
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The First Dance offers Marriage Preparation Online or at Home. Get wedding discounts for qualifying purchases!



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Money: A Top Marriage Stressor ($25)

 

This award winning game will get you and your partner talking about your ATTITUDES on money...spending, saving, security.

 

No matter what your money views, there is no "right or wrong." A few big "a-ha" moments may greatly help your wedding and married life. read more

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Take Back Your Wedding

 

A unique book covering all the interpersonal drama of wedding planning. No matter where you are in your planning, reduce conflict and avoid the "emotional landmines" that arise in wedding planning. read more

Add to Cart Paperback Version $12.99

Add to Cart E-Book download version $12.99  

 

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How Much Does Premarital Counseling or Marriage Preparation Cost?

 

The cost of anything related to relationships varies greatly on what type of information you want and in what format.

 

Book material such as the Greatest is Love book we offer, or a conversation starter book written by a marriage therapist) are two examples of people who work with many couples and have been able to boil down the core issues into book format. This potentially lets you save a lot of money (and potentially resistance to talking about your marriage to a stranger.)

 

Generally the more personalized you get, the more expensive it will be due to the level of training and experience someone has in mental health and relationships. Our Couple-Checkup inventory is personalized but VERY AFFORDABLE because it's online and automated. However, the "what do we do with the information" may still require a marriage counselor.

 

Generally classes will be the least expensive, especially if they're in a church setting or done by lay marriage mentors. Next would be classes, workshops or retreats by licensed mental health professionals. And the most expensive would be individual marriage counselors.

 

Being Realistic About Your Relationship Health

 

A question to ask yourself is whether you're being realistic about your relationship, and whether it might be worth some conversations to enhance what will be a long road of normal ups and downs. If you're still in "bliss" as a couple, the question is whether you're going to survive coming down to reality or whether you'll assume the marriage has failed because it finally hits "normal" levels of a normal relationship.

 

Hint: you're in "bliss land" if you can't think of anything wrong with your fiance, have never had an argument, or get defensive at the very IDEA that you may have conflict at some point in your relationship. It's terribly exciting to be at that stage in a relationship and every couple has a different "calendar" for when they move to the next stage. It's just important to realize you're in that happy stage that is unique to the early times.

 

If you're in troubled waters now, it's best to see an individual counselor who may forget the "general marriage prep" topics and dive directly into your issues, whatever they may be.

 

If you or your fiance come from divorced parents, the research shows very clearly your risks of divorce are significantly higher. You may be best going straight to a marriage counselor to help keep inevitable issues from doing great damage. When life gets tough and your own model is to exit a relationship, what will you do instead? This is where marriage counselors can assist you in developing the necessary skills and sense of confidence in what a healthy, lifelong marriage looks like.

 


 

When Money or Time is a Factor, Get Marriage Preparation Easily Online or at Home!
Click here for details on the wedding discounts! ** means the products below are eligible.
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Take Back Your Wedding**


Take Back Your Wedding combines wisdom from the world of marriage and family therapy with the complicated world of wedding planning. Weddings bring out the best and worst in all of us because they combine romance, money, family and friend loyalties, jealousies, new in-law relations, and endless practical decisions, all played out publically. No one get through this without times of frustration, confusion, and sometimes anger. After reading this book you will better handle stress, avoid common pitfalls, enhance your relationships, and better launch a successful marriage. Read powerful testimonials for wedding experts and download a free chapter here!

Add to Cart Paperback Version $12.99

Add to Cart E-Book download version $12.99  

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Buy on Take Back Your Wedding on Amazon here

The Ultimate Premarital Test $29.95

 

By measuring 20 different aspects of your relationship, the Couple Checkup is designed to get you thinking and talking together about your relationship, and taking steps to grow as individuals and a couple.

What's great about the Premarital Test: Research-based, this inventory has been used for over 25 years by over 2.5 MILLION couples. Personalized results are given in a report within MINUTES of taking the test. Take it when you're ready, whether that's 6am or midnite! No coordinating schedules. You can say you've put energy into your relationship, not just the wedding. Surprised by some of the results? Take the report to a premarital counselor to talk further!

Greatest Is Love - $12 **

 

A pastor, counseling couples over a long career has found a unique way to create an experience, rather than "just talking." Designed with everyone in mind - those who are highly talkative, to those who require more time to think things through. The Greatest Is Love guides couples of all ages on a conversation journey that includes ten of the topics, including:
Before We Say I Do, Our Parents, Our Love Life, Leisure and Work, Faith, Children, Money, Doing My Part, Issues , Our Wedding Day.
The process offers couples a non-threatening, relaxing way to talk. Add to Cart

Money Attitudes Card Game - $25 **

 

This award-winning card game is used by the Army among many other groups! Without needing a financial planner or knowing math, this simple to use game will get you and your partner (or parents!) on a new level of understanding.

 

No matter what your money views, there is no "right or wrong." A few big "a-ha" moments may greatly help your wedding and married life. Add to Cart

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Therapy In A Box - $20 **

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Can't afford a therapist, feel like you have a pretty good relationship, but want to go through what many therapists offer in private sessions?

 

This e-book for couples is interactive with exercises, worksheets and the space for couples journaling makes it a great keepsake for you and your fiance – to remind you of what you worked on in preparation for your marriage.

Online Group Therapy - $250 **

 

Perhaps your life is crazy, or you can't convince your fiance to see an individual therapist. Whether you are religious, secular, as long as you have a computer and telephone, this class can improve your relationship, EVEN IF YOUR FIANCE DOESN'T PARTICIPATE!

In a four part series with a 1.5 hour class, you can join others in a high energy, interactive web-based, phone-based group class.