Weddingbee Blog

Many brides like to prepare for their marriages by attending premarital counseling. Luckily for you Texas gals, there’s another option to consider: a Premarital Workshop provided by the TwoGether in Texas program. It’s 8 hours, usually done over two weeknights or on a Saturday, with lunch and cake. You learn about anger management, conflict resolution, financial styles and other big relationship hot button issues. The point of the workshop isn’t about counseling you through your individual problems, it’s about equipping you as a couple to have the best skill set available when you do face tough times in your marriage (or engagement).

I am a graphic designer, and my company works with the nonprofit provider in the Dallas area, ANTHEM Strong Families. Taking one of these classes gets you a $60 discount on your marriage license, which is huge for budget brides! And the best part? All the classes are free! So, it’s not just free education, but lunch, as well. You can’t beat that! As part of their marketing team, it was required for me to attend one of the workshops so I could get a good understanding of what went on. And being a good little girlfriend, I made Mr. SD tag along so I wouldn’t feel lame being there alone. And as luck would have it, we got to use our certificate! We took the class while we were dating, and Mr. SD proposed six months later. The certificate is good for a year, so when May rolled around we strolled on down to the courthouse to tie the knot legally before the wedding. Trust me, it wasn’t for any romantic reason. Mainly, he needed to move in with me, and  we decided it would be best to keep our parents happy and be a good example for his little sisters by doing things the old fashioned way. Plus, we now won’t have to get anybody ordained to perform our ceremony. Double bonus!

Overall, my review of the class was good. We didn’t have the best instructors ever; they were a bit cheesy. But you get good materials, and they provoke a lot of good discussion points. Plus, the food and cake was tasty. It’s well worth the sacrifice of one Saturday. You can check out the website to find a provider in your area, and see what class times are offered. I can’t say enough how important these workshops are. They’re non-religious, but many churches have become providers so they can add a religious aspect to the education vibe. So go check it out!