You Are Engaged. Now What?
You are engaged, excited about your future together, but also wondering: are we really ready for marriage?
This question sits quietly in the back of your mind as you plan seating charts and choose flowers. You love your partner deeply, but you have also seen marriages struggle. Maybe in your own family, maybe among friends. You want something more.
That is where Prepare & Enrich comes in.
The average wedding in Ontario costs over $30,000. Your dress, your venue, your photographer. You are investing heavily in one beautiful day. But what about the 18,000 days that follow? What about the next fifty years of communication, conflict, finances, family dynamics, and navigating life’s storms together?
You deserve a roadmap.
What Is Prepare & Enrich?
Prepare & Enrich is a research-backed premarital program that has guided over 4 million couples worldwide. But here is what makes it different from generic marriage advice:
It starts with you. Not with what every couple “should” discuss, but with a detailed 165-question assessment that reveals your specific relationship dynamics. Your communication patterns, conflict styles, financial expectations, personality differences, family-of-origin influences, and intimacy needs.
This is not a compatibility test you pass or fail. It is a mirror showing you exactly where you shine and where you will benefit from building skills before marriage begins.
Once you complete the online assessment (30-45 minutes each, done separately), you receive a personalized 15-page report that becomes your relationship roadmap. Then we meet, either in person at our Burlington office for local couples from Burlington and Oakville, or virtually anywhere in Ontario, to walk through your results together.
Why Couples Choose This Over Traditional Counselling
| What You Get | Traditional Counselling | Prepare & Enrich |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Varies by therapist | Evidence-based, 40+ years of research |
| Personalization | Topic-based discussions | Tailored to YOUR specific assessment results |
| Assessment | Not always included | Comprehensive 165-question inventory |
| Faith Integration | Not always available | Optional integration for Christian couples |
| Format | Usually in-person only | In-person (Burlington/Oakville) + Virtual (Ontario-wide) |
The difference? You do not leave wondering how you are doing. You leave with clarity, practical tools, and a shared vision for your marriage.
What Happens in the Prepare & Enrich Journey?
Step 1: Your Online Assessment
You and your partner complete the confidential assessment individually. This ensures honest answers without influence, creating the most accurate snapshot of your relationship.
The questions cover everything research shows matters for long-term marriage success:
- Communication styles and conflict patterns
- Financial values and expectations
- Intimacy and affection needs
- Family-of-origin influences
- Personality differences (using the SCOPE model)
- Role expectations and decision-making approaches
- Spiritual beliefs (if applicable to you)
Step 2: Your Personalized Report
Your 15-page report reveals:
- Your Top 5 Strengths - What you are already doing beautifully together
- Growth Areas - Where different expectations or communication styles need attention
- Personality Dynamics - How your individual traits interact (introvert/extrovert, organized/spontaneous, etc.)
- Family Patterns - How your upbringing shapes your marriage expectations
This becomes your roadmap for the sessions ahead.
Step 3: Guided Sessions (4-8 sessions, typically 6)
We meet to explore your report in depth. These are not lectures. They are conversations where you:
- Celebrate what is working well (you have more strengths than you realize)
- Navigate differences with curiosity rather than defensiveness
- Learn practical communication and conflict resolution skills
- Build shared expectations about money, parenting, intimacy, and family
- Develop emotional resilience for the inevitable challenges marriage brings
Faith integration is always optional, never imposed. Christian couples can weave prayer and biblical principles seamlessly into their sessions. Couples without faith backgrounds receive the same research-based tools without spiritual content.
Burlington and Oakville: In-Person or Virtual?
| Option | Ideal For | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| In-Person (Burlington office) | Burlington and Oakville couples who prefer face-to-face connection | Private therapeutic space, immersive experience, full focus on each other |
| Virtual (Ontario-wide) | Busy professionals, long-distance couples, anyone outside Halton region | Same personalized process from home, flexible scheduling, equal effectiveness |
Both formats deliver the same comprehensive preparation. Choose based on what fits your lifestyle and preferences.
What Makes This Investment Worth It?
Consider this: You will spend months planning your wedding day. The flowers, the music, the menu. Most couples invest 200+ hours in wedding planning.
How much time will you invest in preparing for your actual marriage?
Couples who complete structured premarital programs like Prepare & Enrich report:
- Higher marital satisfaction long-term
- Stronger communication skills from day one
- Greater confidence entering marriage
- Better conflict resolution when challenges arise
The program helps couples discover that love alone, while essential, benefits from practical skills and intentional awareness. Many find that the assessment reveals aspects of their relationship they had not considered, from communication patterns to financial expectations, bringing clarity and confidence as they prepare for marriage. This structured approach transforms good intentions into practical relationship competencies.
Who Is This For?
Prepare & Enrich works for couples who:
- Want to be proactive, not reactive about marriage preparation
- Value both emotional connection and practical relationship tools
- Prefer evidence-based guidance over generic advice
- Desire faith integration (optional, never required)
- Are planning first marriages, second marriages, or blending families
- Live locally in Burlington/Oakville or anywhere across Ontario
Whether you are 25 or 55, newly engaged or planning to marry soon, this program adapts to your unique season and needs.
Your Next Steps
Step 1: Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation
Let us discuss your relationship goals, answer your questions, and see if Prepare & Enrich is the right fit for you.
Step 2: Complete Your Assessment
You will receive unique access codes and complete the online inventory individually (30-45 minutes each).
Step 3: Begin Your Journey
Whether in-person or virtual, we will walk through your results together and build the skills research shows create lasting marriages.
The Investment That Actually Matters
Your wedding day will be beautiful. Your marriage will be real.
One lasts 6 hours. The other lasts a lifetime.
Prepare & Enrich does not promise a perfect marriage. It equips you with self-awareness, communication skills, and the tools to navigate whatever comes. You will enter marriage with eyes wide open and a shared roadmap for the journey ahead.
Ready to Start?
In-Person: Burlington office serving Burlington and Oakville
Virtual: Available across all of Ontario
Continue Your Prepare & Enrich Journey:
Next in this series, discover exactly what the assessment reveals about your relationship and how to interpret your results for maximum insight.
The Prepare & Enrich Assessment: Your Relationship Report Card
Learn what the 165-question inventory measures, how your 15-page report is structured, and why couples call this the most eye-opening part of their premarital preparation.
