Three to Get Married

You’re not just planning a wedding… you’re preparing for a lifetime.

Are you ready?

Prepare to Love for a Lifetime!

Preparing for Marriage–the Pre-Cana Requirement

The Three to Get Married Marriage Preparation Program draws upon the best in contemporary psychology, practical wisdom from the experience of married couples, and the beauty of the Catholic Church’s teachings on marriage and family life in order to give you the best foundation on which to build a successful marriage. Our marriage preparation course is an intensive preparation experience true to the teachings of the Catholic Church. It aims to provide each couple with a reflective and in-depth preparation for a joyful, faith-filled marriage—based on love that not only endures but actually grows stronger year after year.

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Three to Get Married Integrated with Witness to Love!
Couples who are preparing for marriage through the Witness to Love marriage ministry are welcome to invite their Mentor Couple to join them for the retreat day on Sunday.

What is Marriage Preparation All About?

Couples getting married in the Catholic Church are required to begin sacramental preparation at least six months prior to the wedding. During that time couples must meet with a “preparing priest” or deacon, complete all the necessary paperwork for the wedding, plan for the ceremony and participate in a Marriage Preparation Program.

The Three to Get Married Marriage Preparation Program draws upon the best in contemporary psychology, practical wisdom from the experience of married couples, and the beauty of the Catholic Church’s teachings on marriage and family life in order to give you the best foundation on which to build a successful marriage. Our program satisfies the Pre-Cana requirement for couples getting married in the Archdiocese of Washington, the Arlington Diocese, and by pastoral permission for those marrying outside the local area. It aims to provide each couple with a reflective and in-depth preparation for a joyful, faith-filled marriage—based on love that not only endures but actually grows stronger year after year.

What should I expect?

You’ll enjoy a memorable weekend with your future spouse growing more deeply in love and knowledge of each other, but also in your love and knowledge of God. We hope you will see that these loves are intimately related—it takes three to get married!

Format of the Weekend
The weekend is a mixture of talks, questionnaires, and time for personal reflection that allows couples to deepen their understanding of Catholic marriage—with all of its possibilities and challenges. The program begins by focusing on the practical aspects of marriage and then moves toward the spiritual aspects, concluding on Sunday with a day-long couple’s retreat, with opportunities for confession and Sunday Mass. This weekend is about YOU and is designed to help you initiate those critical conversations needed to lay a solid foundation for your future.

Typical Program Schedule
Schedule may be subject to change. The following is for general information.

Thursday night: 6:45-9:45 pm
Friday night: 7:00-9:30 pm
Saturday: 8:30 am – 5:00pm
Sunday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Attendance at all talks and activities is mandatory in order to receive a certificate of completion.

Sunday Mass
Sunday’s schedule includes Mass.

Meals
Breakfast and lunch will be provided on Saturday and Sunday.

Integration with Witness to Love

The Three to Get Married Marriage Preparation program is now integrated with Witness to Love!

Witness to Love is a parish-based international marriage formation ministry that is being adopted by many local parishes. It features engaged couples choosing a mentor couple from their parish to accompany them through their engagement period and assist them in building a relationship and marriage skills, while their preparing priest or deacon helps them delve into the theology of marriage.

The Three to Get Married weekend fits perfectly into the Witness to Love model and fulfills the “retreat” portion of the recommended curriculum. Plus, the Mentor couples are welcome to join the engaged couple during the weekend, fostering deeper conversations between both couples.

We look forward to welcoming Witness to Love participants to our upcoming weekends! And, Mentor Couples are invited to attend on Sunday of the program.

What's Included?

The FOCCUS Inventory

FOCCUS is a self-diagnostic inventory designed to help couples learn more about themselves and their unique relationship. It is a tool to help couples identify and work through issues before marriage. It is not a test nor meant as a predictor of success or failure, but a discussion instrument intended to maximize the marriage preparation process by tailoring it to the individual couple and by providing comprehensive content to assist the couple preparing for marriage and those working with them.

Approximately one week prior to the weekend, each couple will receive instructions via email to access their on-line FOCCUS Inventory session. The results of the FOCCUS Inventory will be sent to the priest who is preparing them. Additionally, each couple will have the opportunity to schedule a consultation with a clinician at the Alpha Omega Counseling Clinic to review the results of the FOCCUS; this meeting is a great complement to the counseling already being provided by the preparing priest and usually takes place in the week following the marriage prep session.

Couples who have already taken the FOCCUS also may take the opportunity for a feedback consultation with an Alpha Omega Clinician.

Certificate of Completion

Upon completion of the weekend, each couple receives documentation to give to the priest who is preparing them.

Typical Schedule