What Couples Say
95% of couples who attend one of our pre-marraige courses would recommend the course to a friend or relative. In 2010 48% of couples who attended our courses were recommended by a relative or friend.
Here are some things attendees had to say about the course;
[What were the best features of this course?]
Excellent presenters (not what I expected) – I expected old people, preachy – came across very professional.
Male 30 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Brilliant speakers – entertaining, made the day very enjoyable.
Female 27 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Couple interaction with each other. Thought it would be lecture oriented.
Female 37 - January '11
100%
Male 31 - January '11
I would definitely recommend the course to others as it presents a very friendly and kind environment. I really enjoyed the conflicts section. I will try to incorporate this. What a great experience!
Male 33 - January '11
The sacrament of marriage was very helpful & overall I felt very comfortable.
Male 24 - January '11
Both of the course leaders were very professional and kept me interested at all times.
Male 34 - January '11
Well structured and organised. Very relaxed class room setting. Course facilitators approachable and easily understood.
Female 32 - January '11
Very profession, rapid direct approach. Interesting, humorously entertaining.
Male 39 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Time to talk 1:1 about our future together and to have a collective understanding about what our marriage will be like. Content was offered in an open/non-biased and objective way.
Female 28 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Lovely relaxed approach to very sensitive topics. Enjoyed knee-to-knee time. Hearing from a married couple increased the sense of reality/sincerity. Priest – funny, excellent speaker.
Female - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Practical advice & examples; presenters willing to share their experiences; topics covered in timely manner, not too long.
Female 35 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Relaxed nature & friendliness of presenters. Conflict & communications covered well (techniques for those).
Male 39 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Location, material, overall lightness* of course.
*lightness as easy and friendly
Female - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Allowing us as a couple to discuss issues raised amongst ourselves, particularly some of the more difficult/challenging issues e.g. conflict resolution.
Female 29 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Well structured and use of other media (videos) were a great break-up of time.
Female - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Plenty of time to discuss issues with your partner. Good videos also. Thank you. An excellent & informative course!
Male 31 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
The honesty of what makes a successful marriage. Religion mentioned but not in an overbearing way.
Female 35 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Pam & Jed very easy going, structured & fun, nothing is Taboo. Much more enjoyable than I thought.
Male 36 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Instructors worked very well together and kept it interesting.
Male 34 - January '11
Very glad we attended & feel that what we learned today included some very practical & applicable advice.
Female 32 - January '11
Really uplifting & positive yet realistic. Love the knee to knee sessions as it was so beneficial to practice the procedures/communications techniques immediately, instead of just hearing about them. Thanks so much. Was great to be reminded of the future long term & what’s important, not just the hurry of wedding day!
Female 32 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
I enjoyed the communications & conflict features as they helped us communicate our feelings better.
Male 31 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Openness and ease of Jed & Pam. Topics were practical and a good means to instigate discussion. Lack of group work and focus on couples was very welcome.
Female 28 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Videos. The "knee to knee" exercises. We seriously & openly discused things in a way we hadn't before.
Female 32 - January '11
[What were the best features of this course?]
Money/Budgets
Male 37 - January '11
The presenters made what is a hard subject to a room full of people who did not choose to be here, light and interesting.
Female 32 - June '10
[What were the best features of this course?]
Honesty, openness and energy of Pam and Jed. Many thanks for a wonderful chance to spend some time properly focused on us and our future.
Male 32 - June '10
[What were the best features of this course?]
Honesty of facilitators; balance of activity vs. content; Lack of audience participation; simple and clea messages useful information; humour. I really enjoyed the course. It was much more valuable and useful than I had expected. Thank you!
Female - June '10
[What were the best features of this course?]
The ease in which everything was carried out. We were made feel very comfortable. Information was clear and concise and delivered in a lovely manner.
Female 29 - June '10
[What were the best features of this course?]
The informal atmosphere created by tutors, it was then easy to take everything in.
Female 28 - June '10
Info was presented in a serious yet fun way.
Male - June '10
Great presenters – time passed quickly! Great that it was ‘couple’ focused and not a ‘group’ experience. Fr. Eugene was very entertaining, useful and interesting – food for thought.
Female 33 - June '10
Priest excellent, entertaining. Jed and Pam excellent, great rapport between them – inspiration to any married couple!!
Female - June '10
[What were the best features of this course?]
Excellent delivery, evidence –based scientific approach, well organised.
Female 33 - June '10
Well delivered course with topics backed up by facts/stats and research. I thought both presenters were very articulate in conveying the topics and the whole event was light hearted in dealing with serious subject which was great. Thanks.
Male 37 - June '10
"Brilliant Course, will recommend to others. It has a lot to offer couples in general not just ones getting married. I would like to have done it sooner. I'd give course 10 out of 10" - May 2010 participant
The videos were useful, particularly the analysis of how couples communicate their feelings
Male 30 - May '10
[What were the best features of this course?]
Friendly instructors. I liked discussing things with my Fiancé and not being in a group. (I heard other course made you discuss in groups). I wasn’t looking forward to the course but I actually thought it was worth it at the end of the course.
Male 29 – May ‘10
[What were the best features of this course?]
The workbook sharing answers with partner and the discussions etc. Very impressed that a married couple gave the presentation and spoke about personal stories.
Female 36 - May '10
Really enjoyed the course, informative, I learned a lot of skills that I can bring into my relationship. There was an element of fun in it.
Female 31 - Feb '10
People who are married 10 years should come back and do it.
Male 38 - Feb '10
Excellent course, well worthhile. Dreaded the day but was very surprised. Top Class.
Male 32 - Jan. '10
We have heard horror stories about some pre-marriage courses from other institutions. Your course was rewarding and informative. Particularly as you were not invasive or did not preach to the couples. I will definately recommend the course to others. Thank you both.
Male 30 - Jan. '10
Thank you for the day. I initially was quite cynical before the day but now understand the importance of such a course. Thank you Jed & Pamela. You made us feel very welcome.
Male 31 - Jan. '10
Course was extremely well presented. Atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. It seemed 9.30 - 5 was going to be a long day but did'nt find the hours going. Thank you.
Male 31 - Jan. '10
Excellent presenters & research based. A lot of interesting info there.
Female 32 - Jan '10
Loved the presentation - very relaxed, related to own lives. Little breaks made the day go faster.
Female 30 - Jan. '10
Very good course. Nice up to date modern information.
Female 26 - Dec '09
No group work GREAT idea! Good way of getting things out in the open and discussed.
Male 32 - Sept. '09
Good anecdotes - illustrated the issues [that] can arise, the "wife + husband team" - I found this was convincing & reassuring. The speaker/listener technique was useful. Really enjoyed the course + found it very helpful. Thanks!!
Male 34 - Sept. '09
The easy going presentation style and laid back atmosphere was "non-daunting" or intrusive. Also the presenters were very realistic and "clued in" to modern relationships.
Male 30 - Sept. '09
'What were the best features of this course?' The sweets!!
Male 34 - Sept. '09
Excellent day... Really enjoyable. Great no group work, that we could really tell the truth with each other instead of worrying 'bout other people.
Female 31 - Spt. '09
Videos were interesting & entertaining. Aslo useful facts on hormones etc. i.e. how men & women physically react differently to conflict.
Female 30 - Sept. '09
Very well executed in all areas, but conflict resolution specifically helpful. Thank you!
Female - Sept. '09
Background music nice touch. Lovely setting. Priest excellent, tone of course v. open & non judgmental.
Female 37 - Sept. '09
I would highly recommend this programme for anyone intending to get married.
Male 26 - Aug. '09
I found the course very helpful, relaxed and not in your face so to speak, I enjoyed the day and got a lot out of it. Kep up the good work.
Male 34
"What were the best features of this course? - Too many to mention
Female 29
Humour, great presenters - attend loads of diff. conferences through work etc. - thought you guys were brill! Well done.
Female 30
Good atmosphere. Jed and Pamela very likeable - you could relate to them. Good to have questionaires to break things up and keep your attention.
Female
Beautiful location - lovely leaders - lovely couple.
Female 34
Better and more helpful than I thought it would be after 10 years as a couple.
Female 30
Very practical techniques as promised on internet, nice convenient location.
Male 37
Pam & Carolanne were excellent speakers and presenters. They were very engaging and terribly easy to listen to. Their presentations were interesting and enjoyable.
Male 30
Excellent in depth knowledge about all aspects of course by Pamela and Carolanne. The guest priest was excellent also.
Male 29
'best features of this course were...' Applying things we learnt to ourselves. I realy enjoyed the course - it was very useful - thanks alot!
Female 32
'best features of this course were...' Conflict, Communications, Priest's talk. 2 wonderful speakers.
female 27
Relaxed non intrusive and very explanatory and assuring. Presented by a lovely couple in Pamela & Jed . Would have no hesitation in recommending the same course. Excellent & worthwhile course. Male 39
Although I am in a relationship for over 11 years I found the course very helpful.
Male 29
Excellent Course. Well delivered & extremely practical.
Female 32
Research-base i.e not just supposed or based on for example spiritual/moral norms.
Male 29
I enjoyed the day. It was very nice to have a day of thinking and enrichment with my fiancé, and I really hope that it will stick with me throughout our marriage. Thank you. Female 28
Content & location excellent. Presenters also very good.
Male 29
Well broken up without any one person speaking for too long. Very good course, Priest very good.
Male 34
Very relaxed and well presented day. Having the course facilitated by a married couple provided many windows of opportunity to give real-life situations to the theory involved. Female 33
The course really wasn’t as scary or cringey as I expected. Thank you very much for making this day a useful exercise. Female 28
Much more informative than I expected, instructors were excellent. Female 29
Thanks for a very informative day. I feel we will benefit so much from things discussed and I am actually not anxious so much now about the big step, as all my concerns were discussed today and help given to resolve things. Female 28
I found the course very helpful. Only wish we had done it a bit sooner. (we are getting married in 1 week 6 days) Male 25
Cool funny priest, women lovely. Cheers
Male 32
Great Day!
Male 30
Very enjoyable… Pamela & Isobel very informative and knowledgeable. Female 29
I am so glad this is a prerequisite for getting married in Ireland. It’s an invaluable day. Female 32
Very interesting, felt relaxed and comfortable. Male 26
I enjoyed the session and found it useful to focus on the importance of building relationships. It makes us think about issues we may normally not naturally discuss day to day. Female 31
Really enjoyed Pam & Jed’s approach and the way they related to their own marriage. Female 30
Having been dreading the course I found myself surprised to have actually enjoyed it and will pass on my experience in a positive light. Male 33
I will be recommending this course to friends thinking of marrying. A very useful course for opening one’s eyes to what lies ahead. Male 39
Very informative, Pamela & Isobel were very friendly and personable, made it so enjoyable, video clips were also very good. Female 30
Questionnaires mixed with presentations were good real life examples. Well run and timings were good. Female 31
I liked the personal stories it helped me relate to individual scenarios. Female 37
Instructors very friendly and down to earth. Very relaxed atmosphere (candles, music etc.) Fr. Tony was a pleasure to listen to. Female 26
Fr. Eugene's advice for the wedding ceremony and preparation for the sacrament of marraiage was informative but fun and made us feel very relaxed about the whole thing.
Male 31
Pre-marriage course