How are you reaching couples who would never sign up for a marriage retreat?

Retreats can be meaningful. Workshops can be meaningful. Conferences, date nights, classes, and parish programs can all serve couples well.

No single format will reach every husband and wife.

Some couples do not see themselves as “marriage enrichment people.” Others cannot commit to a full weekend. Some are interested in growth but not in an experience that feels intensive. Some may engage with a short piece of formation long before they would register for a formal event.

That is not necessarily resistance to marriage formation. It may be resistance to the doorway being offered.

A broader approach creates multiple ways to begin.

A couple might watch something together, answer a question, join friends for a casual gathering, attend a single focused event, participate individually in a husband or wife experience, or encounter formation through a trusted personal invitation.

Over time, one form of engagement can lead naturally to another.

This is part of the Marriage Formation Flywheel. Education and IRL (In Real Life) connection can reinforce each other rather than forcing every couple through one standard program.

The ministry question becomes less about convincing everyone to attend the same thing and more about creating meaningful ways for different couples to enter ongoing formation.