{"id":63625,"date":"2021-03-03T05:21:57","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T05:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=63625"},"modified":"2023-06-01T05:21:51","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T05:21:51","slug":"when-should-i-take-a-pre-marriage-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/when-should-i-take-a-pre-marriage-course\/","title":{"rendered":"When Should I Take a Pre-marriage Course?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-63674\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/when-should-i-take-a-pre-marriage-course.jpg\" alt=\"Wedding Couple Wearing Sun Glasses and Walking on Beach\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A pre-marriage course is a great way to reinforce your bond with your partner and grow as a couple <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/before-tying-the-knot\/\">before tying the knot<\/a>. For better understanding and results, the sooner the course is started the better it is. The courses themselves are barely a few hours long but the completion time can vary depending on your schedule so it makes sense to not begin it a few days or weeks before getting hitched.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engaged couples or those contemplating marriage can think about it considering these benefits of an online pre-marriage course:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps you understand your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/readiness\/marriage-readiness-checklist-key-questions-to-ask-before\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">readiness for marriage<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps you work on your differences as a couple<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enables you to develop better communication skills<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Empowers you to plan the future<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lets you <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/counseling\/managing-expectations-in-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">manage your expectations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from your partner in a better way<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps you understand the fundamentals of marriage<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prepares you for the way forward<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Helps you build better <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/tips-on-determining-relationship-marriage-compatibility\/\">compatibility with your partner<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a pre-marriage course will help you go into your marriage being able to navigate the challenges that come from years of marriage. These self-paced programs also allow partners to go through each lesson at their leisure.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/what-is-a-pre-marriage-course\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Is a Pre-marriage Course?<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<p><strong>Watch this video to learn more:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/g2vO4vdV6-0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&rsquo;re wondering, &lsquo;<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should I do pre-marriage courses before tying the knot?<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&lsquo; then these are some reasons to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-1-When-you-don%E2%80%99t-know-how-to-address-difficult-topics\"><\/span><b>Reason #1 When you don&rsquo;t know how to address difficult topics<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a report published by investment advisor Acorns,&nbsp;<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/sqy7rm.media.zestyio.com\/Acorns2017_MoneyMattersReport.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">68% of couples<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> surveyed said they would rather admit how much they weigh than tell their spouse how much money they had in savings.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This study highlights that no matter how much you love someone, there are just some topics you aren&rsquo;t going to feel comfortable talking about.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Some tricky topics include:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How you&rsquo;ll handle money matters once you are married<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mental health struggles<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sexual intimacy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Expectations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/personal-boundaries\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boundaries<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deciding when to bring up the discussions around such topics and what all needs to be discussed, and <\/span><b>how it needs to be done<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> requires good communication skills.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all couples are well-versed in the art of communication.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/communication\/the-importance-of-communication-in-your-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">communication is the very backbone of a successful marriage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is where online premarital courses come into play.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By taking an online course, you and your spouse will learn different communication techniques that will be invaluable throughout your marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-2-When-you-want-to-get-on-the-same-page-about-your-future\"><\/span><b>Reason #2 When you want to get on the same page about your future<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-63675\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/when-you-want-to-get-on-the-same-page-about-your-future.jpg\" alt=\"Asian Couple With Pre Wedding Sceen Out Door Tree Background\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A marriage is a partnership, and a partnership goes better when you have the same goals in mind. Things to be discussed include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where you will live<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Money matters such as sharing a bank account, tackling debt, or buying a home<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attending a religious institution<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Long-term career plans and work-life balance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Starting a family<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you plan to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/resolve-conflict-in-marriage\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">handle conflicts<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What type of parents you want to be<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How friends and family will factor in the marriage<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are all important topics to discuss before you make your marriage official. By opening the lines of communication via a pre-marriage course, you will be on the same page about these future events and bring peace into your relationship.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><em><strong>Related Reading:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/what-is-offered-in-a-pre-marriage-course\/\">What Is Offered in an Online Pre-marriage Course?<\/a><\/em><\/pre>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-3-When-there%E2%80%99s-something-you-want-to-get-off-your-chest\"><\/span><b>Reason #3 When there&rsquo;s something you want to get off your chest<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another sign that you need to take marriage classes before wedding fever hits is if you have something you want to talk to your spouse about. It could be about a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/emotional-scars-of-past-relationship\/\">previous relationship<\/a>, something about your family values, or some secret you&rsquo;ve been keeping.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a pre-marriage course opens up the lines of communication to help you and your partner develop empathy like never before. This will make it easier to tell your partner whatever you need to get off your chest.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next reason pretty much puts a timeline in the answer to the question &ndash; &ldquo;When should I do a pre-marriage course&rdquo; since it clearly requires you to start at least a few weeks before the wedding is to take place.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-4-When-your-religious-institution-requires-it\"><\/span><b>Reason <\/b><b>#<\/b><b>4 When your religious institution requires it<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you and your spouse are a part of a religious institution, it may be suggested that you either do some form of pre-marriage course on your own or attend Pre-Cana, which is premarital counseling required by the Catholic church.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You do not have to do Pre-Cana, but it is often preferred for couples wishing to use the place of worship as the venue for their ceremony.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><b><i>Related Reading:<\/i><\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/best-pre-marriage-course\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Best Pre-marriage Course of 2020 That You Can Take Online<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/pre>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-5-When-you-argue-about-the-same-things-over-and-over\"><\/span><b>Reason #5 When you argue about the same things over and over<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you and your partner have constant disagreements?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&rsquo;s normal for couples to argue every so often, but if it has become a regular part of your relationship, even as you are thinking about marriage and you&rsquo;re still wondering, &ldquo;When should I do a pre-marriage course?&rdquo;&nbsp; &ndash; Now is the time!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A pre-marriage course helps couples to identify triggers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/steps-to-resolve-conflict-with-your-partner\/\">resolve conflict<\/a>, and express themselves in a way that is respectful during disagreements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Enroll in a pre-marriage course today to build a relationship that you&rsquo;ve dreamed of!<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-6-When-the-wedding-is-bringing-stress-into-your-engagement\"><\/span><b>Reason #6 When the wedding is bringing stress into your engagement<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your wedding is supposed to be something you look forward to, not something to dread.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, planning a wedding can be stressful for some &ndash; especially the bride. There are social settings, venue booking, styles to choose, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/finance\/planning-for-the-future-the-marriage-financial-checklist-for-every-couple-needs\/\">finances to consider<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No wonder then that a recent survey showed that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2018\/08\/08\/proof-that-wedding-planning-is-hell\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6 out of 10 couples<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seriously considered eloping to escape the stress around their wedding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If wedding planning has taken the joy out of your relationship, now is the perfect time to take a pre-marriage course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The course will help you and your partner re-center your attention on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/ways-to-have-a-quality-time-with-your-partner\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spending <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">quality time together<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It will teach you that what is most important is not the wedding, but the marriage afterward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now let&rsquo;s take a look at another important reason that answers the question &ndash; &ldquo;When should I take a Pre-Marriage Course?&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reason-7-When-you-want-to-learn-more-about-each-other\"><\/span><b>Reason #7 When you want to learn more about each other<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-63676\" src=\"https:\/\/image.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/when-you-want-to-learn-more-about-each-other.jpg\" alt=\"Pre-wedding Photos of Wedding Couples\" width=\"804\" height=\"350\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&rsquo;re getting married, doesn&rsquo;t that mean you already know each other really well?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes and no.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Robert Waldinger, published a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2018\/02\/scientists-find-a-few-surprises-in-their-study-of-love\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> wherein married couples were asked to watch a video of themselves arguing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After the video was over, each person was asked what they believed their partner was thinking during the argument. The longer the couple had been in a relationship, the less likely they were to get the answer right.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because they stopped taking the time to get to know their spouse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don&rsquo;t stop getting to know someone just because you&rsquo;ve tied the knot. People continue to grow and change, and couples need to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/tips-to-reignite-the-romantic-spark-in-your-relationship\/\">keep the spark alive<\/a> by staying curious about each other.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By assuming you already know who your partner is, you&rsquo;re robbing yourselves a chance to continue to get to know each other.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a premarital course helps you and your spouse explore each other and develop a deeper bond.<\/span><\/p>\n<pre><em><b>Related Reading:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/pre-marriage\/pre-marriage-course-cost\/\">How Much Does a Pre-Marriage Course Cost?<\/a><\/em><\/pre>\n<h3><b>The time is now<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&rsquo;re asking, &ldquo;When should I do a pre-marriage course?&rdquo; Odds are, it&rsquo;s time!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even happy couples, non-distressed couples, or ones who don&rsquo;t believe their relationship requires any major overhaul can experience an immediate improvement in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/relationship-quality-control\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">relationship quality<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by taking the course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By taking a course, you will learn how to communicate, resolve issues, and develop empathy for your marriage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that your relationship will grow in many different ways after marriage. It can only benefit from taking an online premarital course since the effects of what you learn are not short-lived.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A pre-marriage course is a great way to reinforce your bond with your partner and grow as a couple before tying the knot. For better understanding and results, the sooner the course is started the better it is. The courses themselves are barely a few hours long but the completion time can vary depending on your schedule so it makes sense to not begin it a few days or weeks before getting hitched. Engaged couples or those contemplating marriage can think about it considering these benefits of an online pre-marriage course: Helps you understand your readiness for marriage Helps you <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":675,"featured_media":63674,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[21],"tags":[2618],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63625"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/675"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63625"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66489,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63625\/revisions\/66489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63674"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}