Engaged Encounter

I came across this site http://www.engagedencounter.org/ a while back when I was looking for a seminar for E&I that will prepare us for marriage. I know that it's what Pre-Cana is for but we wanted something non-wedding(y) but something more catered to relationships.

I was a little skeptical about going to the Engaged Encounter as I wasn't sure if it was more of a religious seminar and will not suit what we were looking for. We decided to pick the one in Connecticut, paid our fees and spent the entire weekend there .

We didn't know what to expect when we got there but it was a nice experience driving up there on a Friday night in October. We met a few engaged couples and made some friends during our stay. It was a good way to just escape from all the planning. Men and Women were not allowed to stay in the same room. E&I would visit each other from time to time to say our usual good mornings/good nights.

The Engaged Encounter started on a Friday night at 9pm and it was the most tiring night we've ever had. We were tired from our 3 hour drive so listening to some speakers at 9pm just wasn't cutting it for us. The next day was a lot better. We had a lot of fun. We ate, exchanged stories, listened to more love stories, prayed, cried, laughed, more stories and more stories. The weekend was more about getting to know our partners. They also gave us a chance to write to our partners and tell them what we are expecting out of our long-time relationship. It was nice to read what E had to say and what he was feeling.

The last day was the best. We went to the chapel and had a short mass. They played some touching music while they called each couple to the front. I honestly felt like we were getting married at that point. Both E&I were holding a candle, with our petition while the priest blessed and prayed with us.

If I were to give one advice to every couple ( engaged or not ), I'd say, try to attend one of these seminars. This encounter was definitely a great experience for us. It made our relationship stronger. We understand each other better and we couldn't wait to spend the rest of our lives with each other.