How to Plan a Marriage Retreat

Even young couples turn to marriage retreats to strenthen their bond.

Social anthropologists regularly tackle this question: Are humans wired for monogamy? High divorce rates fuel the debate, and the number of people choosing single lives is climbing. That stated, great marriages continue to be an enviable goal, despite the strain put on such relationships in the modern world. That's why counseling, marriage retreats and couple-intensive therapies have become popular ways of tuning up marriages. Like most activities, the devil is in the details, so apply due diligence when you plan your retreat and look forward to the gratitude of the couples you help.

Things You'll Need

• Brochure or flyer
• Secluded location
• Participants
• Guidebook
• Opinion survey
• Activity leaders
• Waiver (optional)

Instructions

1. Choose retreat dates. Eliminate holiday weekends, spring break, religious observances and other periods of time that are traditionally reserved for family get-togethers. Research existing businesses to ascertain what they charge for retreats, what services are offered, retreat lengths, locations and participant numbers. Use these facts and figures to write your goals and objectives.

2. Compose a simple flyer or brochure to advertise your marriage retreat. Distribute the literature at churches and other social gatherings. Make sure there's a phone number, email address or both on the flyer so interested couples can call for more information. Always list the per-couple retreat fee so your phone doesn't ring off the hook with requests for that information.

3. Find an idyllic location. Let nature inspire the retreat. Search for rural settings with the right amenities. Ideal accommodations include clusters of rooms in close proximity to workshop, social and classroom activity centers. Use your favorite Internet search engine to find religious retreat centers in your area. These sites are already set up for group activities; most offer the benefit of being devoid of individual phones, televisions and other distractions.

4. Set up a schedule of activities that combine physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional relationship-building work. Create exercises from the plethora of professional guides and books on the market. Add guest speakers, films and lectures if you want to offer a more diverse experience, but beware of over scheduling. Alone time for couples is critical to the retreat so mates can discuss and practice the techniques and skills they're learning.

5. Create a workbook or guide from the materials, notes, handouts and other information presented during the retreat so couples leave with a guide that reinforces, refreshes and supports their goals. Include a bibliography with recommended post-retreat reading. Include a list of retreat boundaries. Rules such as "leave gripes at home," "no trashing people behind their backs" and "always be kind" help participants understand retreat etiquette.

6. Ask all participants to complete a questionnaire as the retreat winds down. Make this document anonymous so participants feel they can be completely disclosing. Write yourself a wrap-up report while the retreat experience is fresh. Include personal reviews of accommodations and amenities so you repeat what went well and avoid what didn't the next time around.

Tips & Warnings

• Unless circumstances call for a single-sex facilitator, always make certain there are both male and female activity leaders and therapists on hand for your marriage retreat.

• It's not a bad idea to have participants sign a waiver to discourage post-retreat claims of emotional distress or other complaints that can be levied against you or your business should a couple have a bad experience.

References

• Marriage Quest
• Marriage Retreat