I just attended this weekend 8/23-8/24! So I registered online for $395 for me and my fiancé, 6 months prior. This program fills up spots fast! So stay updated if you or someone who knows who need the certificate of completion for marriage preparation. The program was open to all religious backgrounds. Our group was most Catholic. The couple who coordinates this program are Luis and Carol, AWESOME AND INSPIRING couple who leads the whole weekend. The first day is a lot of discussion and writing so be prepared for a long day! The fee included room and board. So lunch, dinner and Sunday breakfast were provided. The facility has two bed per rooms so we had room mate of same gender. It was nice to meet other couple who are engaged and working on their relationship. It felt exciting and good to know that wedding planning has their common challenges by talking with other couples. Luis and carol, Ashley and Jeff, thank you for presenting and taking the time to help all 25 couples this weekend. From educating us to the funny skits and the "power point presentations" I highly recommend this program instead doing the online classes. Totally worth it and helps build a foundation of the beginning to a long lasting marriage. A wedding is a day... but a Marriage is a lifetime! read more

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My fiancé and I did a weekend here -- I am Catholic and he is non-religious. We attended this retreat to fulfill our church's requirements for marriage. We were initially concerned that it would be very religious and preach-y but were very pleasantly surprised that it is an experience completely focused on us as a couple. We were not required to share anything with the group nor present anything aloud, everything was kept private between the two of us. The volunteers were also incredible speakers, we had a great time listening to their stories. The sleeping accommodations are not terrible -- they split up unmarried couples by gender, and you share a room with one other person. The twin bed they provided was fine but we are relatively small sized people. Food was also fine, but we brought some cup instant noodles just in case and we did end up eating them after the day ended on Saturday The days started quite early (7:30am), and the Saturday went til about 9pm, Sunday until 11am. We would recommend the SF branch of Engaged Encounter. read more

My fiancé and I loved our weekend retreat! It gave us the opportunity to connect and facilitated conversations for better communication. It was a requirement for our Catholic marriage prep but I would recommend this to anyone getting married period. Dave, Lorraine, Libby, and Chuck were fantastic! They shared their personal experiences in their relationships and were very honest and human. It didn't feel fake or too perfect that it was unattainable. Real people with real stories to guide couples towards their commitment to each other. 10/10 would recommend! read more

My fiancee and I attended the SF Catholic Engaged Encounter in-person over a weekend. The weekend offered us an opportunity to hit the pause on our busy lives, and to prepare for our upcoming life toether. We were nurtured in a structured and safe environment that challenged us to practices deeper techniques to communicate with each other. Our facilitators prompted us with poignant questions about our future, and we had the chance to discuss and navigate these issues in advance of them coming up. After this weekend, I feel more attuned to my fiancee, and I'm more excited than ever for the life we are going to build together. I recommend this event for any couple who is contemplating a committed life together, not just Catholics. read more

San Francisco Catholic Engaged Encounter - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

My fiancé and I really enjoyed the retreat led by Dave and Lorraine. They are a very funny couple and set the tone for a relaxing and rewarding weekend. Dave, Lorraine, and the other married couples open up and tell very personal stories of their marriage and how they as a couple took the teachings of this course to overcome their issues. There are about 20 couples at the retreat, but the focus of the retreat is on you and your fiancé. All of the activities are between you two. As a member of the retreat you don't have to share stories or get into groups with the other couples. Also, I would recommend this to everyone for marriage prep. This is not pre cana. There is very little religious discussion in this course and absolutely no judgement or shame. read more

My husband and I attended SFCEE in August with 9 other couples. We had a few friends who were married in church recommended it and we thought the experience would only further enhance our relationship. We wanted to take the workshop before we got married but Covid and timing never worked out. Luckily the course was still pertinent and valuable. We were slightly skeptical that it would be too religious and centered around faith however were pleasantly surprised that it was mainly focused about communication and our relationship with faith sprinkled on top. Highly recommended for anyone in a committed relationship wanting to further deepen your bond with your fiancé or spouse. They provide a safe space for couples of all ages, races, couples of multiple religious backgrounds and more. read more

Wholesome program, helpful for getting into the right mindset with your fiancée before the wedding, wonderful people and facilities

I actually was hesitating about having to complete this part of the requirement for getting married in a Catholic church, but it ended up being a great experience. Pleasantly surprised is what I'm gonna say. Granted, I signed up for this course pre-Covid, but we were in a time crunch with having to complete these steps, so this course for a weekend seemed like a good idea. I actually found it to be very beneficial. First off, we checked in. They had us room with other members of the same sex. We also were encouraged to bring our favorite snacks. They did include meals in cafeteria style dining, but food is food. During the class portions they would take up an entire day, but we did have our workbooks, broke off into other areas and did some thinking exercises where we would share some answers voluntarily. At the end of each night we did enjoy time to meet up with our significant others in order to chat. I do not recall tvs or electronics (aside from my phone), so it was a nice retreat on some gorgeous grounds. The final exercise included a quiz where we would either stand on one side or the other in agreement or disageeement. Approx. 20 questions. All i remember is that it reminded me of elementary school and it was some "good clean fun". The best part of this experience was talking through the hard stuff and doing one on one personal reflection to see if we were on the same page or had a lot to discuss. I find that this would probably be valuable to anyone contemplating marriage. Would i recommend to others? Yes. Would I do this again if able to go back in time? Absolutely. I feel like my now husband and I got a lot of questions answered and grew as a couple over the weekend. read more

This is a truly incredible experience. We had no idea what our church was asking us to do but by the end of our weekend with Dave and Lorraine, Luis and Carol and all the other couples preparing for marriage we feel even more excited and ready to make our vows. SFCEE facilitators create a serious yet silly, intimate but also communal, spiritual experience for you and your fiancé to enter to help you better prepare for marriage. There are some challenging things to explore with your future spouse but the weekend is also full of romantic moments and gestures and fun. I would recommend this to all Catholic couples who are engaged or couples of mixed faiths. I'll never forget this time and we will always have what we wrote this weekend and our special candle ready for us when we need to revisit the difficult topics or renew the vows we made to each other at "love camp." read more

I'm not Catholic and I highly recommend this encounter for everyone (Catholic or not). We went into this program with an open heart and took away so many valuable lessons. Lorraine and Dave run a fantastic program and really help you prepare for a life long partnership with your significant other. This is something I'll be doing with my partner every year moving forward. read more

My fiance and I went in March and it was amazing! The group was really kind and the presenters were engaging. I am Catholic and my fiance is atheist, and he was even more excited than me to go! It's very approachable for people of any faith and is more focused on communication than religion. You don't have to share with the group so don't be worried about having to have a bunch of group conversations. It's a weekend that facilitates meaningful reflection and conversation between you as a couple. It's definitely an intensive weekend so be sure to bring snacks!! We had a great time and it will definitely be a highlight of our time preparing to get married. read more

My fiancée and I attended the SF Catholic Engaged Encounter early in October, along with seven other couples. Several of our friends had gone to similar retreats and recommended we also attend to explore our relationship in depth. While we were hesitant at first, thinking it would be overly religious and also because my fiancée is not Catholic. The weekend ended up being exactly what we needed, it offered us an opportunity to prepare for our upcoming life together and we learned so many valuable lessons. Dave and Lorraine were wonderful hosts, they were funny, engaging and a great example of a healthy married couple. read more

My fiance and I just got back from the January 2024 Catholic Engaged Encounter Retreat and it was a life changing experience for the both of us. We are getting married in the Catholic church so we had to this as a requirement but, even if you are NOT Catholic I would HIGHLY recommend this retreat. The presentations and topics were not entirely about Catholicism, in fact they were more so about practical things such as personality types, communication, finances parenting styles, how to forgive and even how to disagree with one another respectfully. My fiance and I got to speak about things we haven't spoken about in awhile or have even forgotten to talk about before getting married. These conversations were crucial and strengthened our bond and love for one another even more. This retreat was a much needed pause from the busy wedding planning to focus on the most important part of the wedding day... US! The presenters were so life-giving, vulnerable, and relatable. Without their vulnerability I don't think my fiance and I would have been as open and raw with one another. We learned so much wisdom from the presenters that we have even started implementing before marriage. All in all, I cannot say enough good things about the San Francisco Catholic Engaged Encounter! read more

The most amazing weekend me and my fiancée could have asked for. It definitely deepened our love for each other and exceeded all expectations. Please go and give them your support. You guys won't regret it! read more

We attended the October retreat a few weeks ago. Initially we went into it thinking it wouldn't add any value, but it actually was a very positive experience. As others have stated, it is not overly religious and it is more of a communication workshop. There is a workbook that the married couples use as a curriculum, and then do "re-enactments" of situations from their own lives to use as real examples to reinforce each topic. Various topics relate to communication, arguments, finance, future building, etc. Some of the skits are funny, some are relatable, and some are experiences that are very vulnerable. I applaud the couples for sharing these tough moments to help us understand a topic and how we can use various methods to help in our own relationships. Basic format of the weekend is chapter topic, skit, then a prompt to write to your partner, then you go back read each partner's writing and discuss. There aren't any forced interactions with the other couples. The writing part for me was liberating. I was able to tell my partner things that I've been bottling up or bring up old conversations that weren't quite resolved. We each learned each other's perspective without it blowing up into a big fight or having it put on hold due to life interfering. The entire weekend provided clarity for both of us and we left feeling closer than before. I will say that the first day is a very long day and you are sitting for a long time. For work I have a sit-stand desk so I'm not used to sitting for that long. My back began to hurt midday and towards the end I started to stand at the back during the skits and do my writing at the very few high tables. My only feed back would be that I wish there were more high tables so that people have the option to sit or stand throughout the day so it's a bit more ergonomically friendly. From reading past reviews we thought we may have to room with someone but each couple gets their own hotel room which was a relief. Overall, both of the couples leading the weekend did an awesome job, and we felt we got a lot out of the experience. read more

This was the perfect engagement retreat! I would truly recommend this to ALL couples. My fiancé (Jewish) and I (Catholic) attended the October 2023 retreat hosted at the South San Francisco Embassy suites. The married couples leading the weekend cover every detail of what an engaged couple should focus and work on before marrying as well as how to better communicate and support each other when married. The program is done very well and it is ENTIRELY about just you and your fiancé. There were no gimmicky items with other couples, etc. The weekend is entirely about building a strong foundation for your marriage. The meeting rooms were also nice with treats offered, and good food throughout the weekend. Worth every penny! Highly recommend! read more

They help us to understand each other and teach how to communicate us with is our difference in religious .

We appreciate the teachings of this course. We highly recommend this to any couple. I learned so much about myself and my fiancé. Take it with an open heart. read more

This weekend retreat is definitely a heart opening experience for my fiancé and I! When you think you know each other, there's much more depth to explore in the relationship. Such kind and loving presenters that truly cared in making us understand the value of marriage in all aspects. We were able to learn each other's expectations, how to communicate, and reconcile our differences. We highly recommend this wonderful weekend retreat. We really owed this time to each other and the whole team of sfcee gave us that opportunity! read more

No words can describe how moving this weekend was. It is long and intense, not going to lie there. We went into this program, without the restrictions of having to get married in a Catholic church. We are getting married at a Jr. College. This was more for me because I was raised by a single mother and grandma. Never knew what it was like to be raised around married people? I needed some foundation steps on how to wrap my head around marriage. Questions and real life stories moved me, and confirmed that we'll be okay in the end. I'm so ready now to get married. Planning a wedding is fun, but to plan a lifetime is something I'm now ready to take on. You're provided 3 tasty meals. I'm a vegetarian and was able to survive. There were healthy options. Rooming with another female was fine. You are so tired at the end of the night, you'll just crash. I was so lucky to get a couple pets with the silver bunny on site. Fluffy! Now the true stars of these weekends are the volunteer couples who dedicate their weekend to us. They rock! Our teachers were: Dave & Lorine and Maria & Tommy. Please if you are considering a way to explore your life together, this is a wonderful experience. You don't have to be Catholic to attend, all are welcome. read more

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My fiancé and I had a wonderful time with Engagement Encounters San Fransisco. I was nervous at first since I am nowhere near as religious as my better half. It turned out to be a breath of unexpectedly fresh air. They were open to all religions and beliefs. They were their simply to give good no-nonsense advice to couples before marriage. I found them honest and forthright and their exercises both thought provoking and in good humor. I would highly recommend couples of all persuasions, beliefs and life styles give engagement encounters of SF a shot. After all a wedding is a day, a marriage is a lifetime. read more

Great weekend! Lorraine and Dave make the weekend very fun and it exceeded our expectations. It's more of a Communication Course and not a Catholic Retreat, definitely do not have to be Catholic to attend and you only share answers and discussions with your finance. We had a great time! read more

My fiancé and I just finished our Engaged Encounter weekend led by Dave & Lorraine. It completely exceeded our expectations and we both agree we would recommend this experience to any couple, even if the couple isn't Catholic. We went into the weekend feeling very confident & solid in our relationship, but came out even stronger. The weekend is very intimate. Although you are doing the encounter with 30ish other couples, all the discussions/reflections are done solely with your partner. Dave, Lorraine & all the other couples leading the weekend really open themselves up to provide honest examples of marriage stories/struggles/etc. There are plenty of laughs had too. Highly recommend! Right now due to Covid, it is taking place at the Embassy Suites in Burlingame, but it is normally held at the Vallombrosa Center. read more

Thank you for a perfect getaway couple weekend trip. The retreat is great for any couple who wants to build their relationship more or become better connected with each other. It's a way to express your feelings with your partner. The presenters were great and I thank them for their time and their stories. read more

Highly recommended! We were first hesitant to actually get ourselves involved in this seminar. We probably wouldn't have done it if it wasn't a requirement for church wedding. But it turned out to be a perfect encounter that will surely make couples face and rethink certain aspects in their relationships. All the best to you guys. Many thanks and special shout-out to Luis&Carol, Alex&Karina, Jeff&Ashley May you all be blessed. -Reagan & Ameliza (Batch 6/22-6/23/2019) read more

My fiance and I were set for battle, thinking this was going to be one uncomfortable weekend discussing crazy stuff like natural family planning and other hardcore doctrine. I was also worried about having to share a room, and the cost of the event. SOOOO Wrong! Food: Actually its really really good! We had french toast or really healthy options for breakfast, awesome salads, garden fresh soup, ice cream sundaes, curried chicken and rice, and some great meat dishes. Rooms: Rooming with another person was not an issue at all, all of the other couples were totally normal people (some we may keep in touch with even) and your rarely in your room. Cost: Basically 98% of your cost for the weekend goes to the Valembrosia center for their operating costs (its not like their profiting) and to cover the cost of the host couples staying (as well as supplies for the weekend). Best investment my fiance and I could have made, how else can you invest in the future of your relationship, and walk away confident in your future? Experience: The God speak was not over the top and the crowd was pretty diverse religion wise with lots of atheists/agnostics, protestants, and Jewish attendees. I honestly couldn't think of one couple that wasn't unsure of the weekend and walked away feeling like they had really invested in themselves, learned quite a bit they didn't know about each other, and privately worked out points of contention. There is no awkward public sharing of your beliefs or points of view, or even relationship points of contention so your not airing your dirty laundry, its all private, very intimate and I could not recommend it more. My fiance and I even (on the spot) signed up to be a speaking couple once we've been married a year or more. AWESOME!!!!! Oh as a guy, because its easier to write down feelings than say them for many of us, major bonus points with your Fiance! read more

San Francisco Catholic Engaged Encounter - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

Being as I am a "lapsed Catholic," a term I sometimes use as a gentle way of describing "atheist," I went into Catholic Engaged Encounter with a healthy dose of skepticism. I expected a bunch of God-speak, a 28-year-old presenter with 5 kids who's been married since he was 17, and lifelong sexless priests pontificating about sex. In addition to that, I was not looking forward to having to stay the weekend at Vallombrosa Center, a Catholic retreat center; I expected the food there to be terrible, for one thing (turns out it was actually pretty good -- check out my review of Vallombrosa Center for more on that). All in all, I was anticipating a generally awkward and unpleasant weekend. I came out a believer. Not in the church, mind you -- I am just as atheist now as I was going in -- but in San Francisco Catholic Engaged Encounter. I suspect that they run the San Francisco branch a little differently than those in other, more conservative cities. A Catholic Engaged Encounter consists of presentations by two couples, a senior couple and a junior couple, punctuated by breakout sessions where the engaged couples would consider certain questions privately among themselves. Our two married couple "presenters" were real and genuine people who did not portray their marriages as perfect and referred to their religion sparingly. 3 of the 4 presenters were on their second marriages, so they had an idea of how marriages could fail, but they had been married (to each other) 15 and 25 years, respectively, so they also understood success in marriage. When presenting concepts like forgiveness, they gave real, honest examples from their own experience, not canned examples from some Catholic textbook. The breakout sessions, while occasionally verging on God-speak (particularly around the "natural family planning" method), were actually very good. They gave us a chance to discuss some issues that we'd really never discussed before, or never in that sort of depth. I really think that my fiance and I are a stronger couple because of it. I never would have believed that I'd be recommending Catholic Engaged Encounter. Most blogs I've read describe it (in other cities) as a pretty terrible experience. However, the folks that run the San Francisco branch really do it right. San Francisco Catholic Engaged Encounter is worth your while, and I'd strongly recommend that anyone, even non-Catholics, attend it. read more

Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive heading into this sink-or-swim event. Fortunately, we had at great time! This program helps engaged couples discuss marriage-related topics that otherwise may not get much airtime. Two couples (volunteers) lead the weekend and facilitate discussions. Almost all of the discussions are fiance-to-fiancee (NOT less-personal group discussions). That said, the facilitators did an incredible job of sharing their journeys through marriage. Nice facilities and food is fine. Both my fiancee and I agreed that this was a worthwhile event and worth doing again -- but the "marriage" one this time! T-minus 11 days until we tie the knot... read more

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My fiancé and I really enjoyed our Catholic Engaged Encounter weekend led by Dave and Lorraine. It was an incredible experience, and we would recommend it to all couples, religious or not, as they prepare for the next chapter of marriage. The topics and discussions were thought provoking, honest, and informative. Big thanks to Dave and Loraine!! read more

*Note: My fiancé and I came for the weekend because CEE is a requirement for the church we're getting married in. Overall, SF CEE was helpful and helped spark serious, important conversations between my fiancé and I. The hosting couples were great - volunteering their time to share their experiences and advice with us. Their stories were interesting and they incorporated humor throughout their talks and skits. We received a notebook with prompts and went throughout the day completing sections and sharing our responses with each other. One of our complaints is related to the early start time of 7am and the extremely long day. We went non-stop all Saturday and went late into the evening ~10pm with no real breaks. Our major issue was that we woke early Sunday only to find that a large part of the Sunday schedule was dedicated to asking the couples for more money. We already paid a good amount of money to attend the retreat in the first place - or so we thought. They went into detail about the financial aspect of the whole retreat and basically put us on the spot, handing out envelopes to each couple, asking them to donate by cash or credit card. We both found that to be on odd way to end the weekend. With that being said, we definitely got something out of the retreat as a couple and think it was a good experience for us. read more

What an amazing weekend. Highly recommend this retreat to any engaged couple (whether you're catholic or not). My fiance and I were able to have an open dialogue about things that we didn't even consider discussing before marriage. We left the weekend with a deeper understanding of our relationship and our future family. Huge thank you to Dave + Lorraine, Tommy + Maria and Luis + Carol for putting together a great retreat, and for sharing your life stories with us. Our hearts are full because of you. Info regarding location: The Vallombrosa Center has beautiful grounds! The whole program consists of group discussion then breakout sessions with your significant other, so it was nice to be able to go outside and have a your one-on-one conversations on a bench under the trees. They even had bunnies roaming around. The rooms are a bit dated, but they do they job. You share a room with another person (they separate by gender), but you're really only there to sleep. So that didn't bother me at all. Food was pretty good and they provide Starbucks coffee and tea to get you through the day. read more

Dave and Lorraine led the retreat and they were super fun and welcoming. The weekend was all about reinforcing skills (communication, problem solving, understanding love languages) that will help you navigate through your future marriage. You don't have to share or even interact with other couples if you don't want to. The activities focus on you and your partner. This was a great learning experience. Highly recommend! read more

Getting married next month and was required to do the Engaged Encounter as part of our marriage preparation through the Catholic Church. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, but I can say I would highly recommend it for ALL couples planning on getting married. This program is essentially a weekend away for the couple to focus on one another. It is presented by several married couples of various lengths of being married. They were all funny, kind, and genuinely poured out intimate details of their own lives in order to give perspective to the to-be husbands and wives. Then it was time to collect our own thoughts by writing for a short time individually about our own thoughts and expectations. Then back together with the fiancee to read and discuss these thoughts. This really guided the conversations that you may have had but also those that have not come up yet. Finance, intimacy, family, expectations, and many other topics, including a true introspective of yourself and whether you are ready for this step. Fr. Xavier also joined for part of the time and celebrated Mass with us in the chapel on Saturday evening, explaining all the different parts of the mass. He also offered confession after. Though there are some Catholic aspects to this retreat, it was not at all about preaching the Catholic way or trying to convert. This is genuinely a "must" experience for any couple preparing for marriage and to grow closer to one another. Thanks!!! read more

We received so much time to reflect / communicate to one another 1:1. It was very practical and brought us closer together. Also to note is while I'm Catholic, my fiancé is not. It would be worthwhile to anyone of any faith, or no faith. Highly recommend! read more

AMAZING weekend at SF Engaged Encounter. We went in not knowing how it was going to be. It was definitely one of the best weekends. Great experience, loved the speakers. Everything was great, I highly recommend engaged couples or any couples to take part of this amazing weekend! read more

My fiancé and I had no idea what to expect when we signed up for engaged encounters . The week prior to the couples retreat , we were given a lovely phone call to remind us on what to bring for the session. As a non-catholic individual, I had an incredibly engaging time deepening my relationship with my forever partner in the weekend spent participating in exercises and activities filled with open-mindedness to engrave fundamental skillsets in creating a successful marriage . I highly recommend engaged encounters to all couples (of all different faiths and beliefs) who wish to strengthen their bond with one another into creating a relationship filled with meaning, respect, and fulfillment. read more

My fiancé and I went April 2019 weekend and being an inter-faith relationship, me being the Catholic I was worried it would be too religious for him. But it was not at all, they totally respect that people go there who are not religious, it was a great experience for us both and we learned a lot! I would recommend doing this, it helps bring you closer and gives you all situations. read more

My fiancé and I both enjoyed the weekend! I was a little hesitant due to its cost but it was worth it. The 3 couples, Dave and Lorraine, Kate and Akaash, and Carol and Luis were hilarious. They definitely made it entertaining and very educational that will help you with your relationship. We're both catholic and this class was recommended but if your not catholic nor religious I will still recommend it. They do not try to convert nor pressure to to do anything your not comfortable doing. The weekend is between you and your fiancé and others are there to do the same! Be ready for laughs, smiles, surprises and most of all tears from the ladies. read more

What a truly amazing weekend. I can't say enough good things about this retreat. It's one of the best gifts you could give yourselves. Highly recommend! read more

Highly recommend any engaged couple to experience this weekend retreat. Even if only one of you are Catholic or neither of you are Catholic. There is a Catholic mass service before dinner on Saturday, but they won't try to convert you. Three couples present different topics (which are not religion-centered), so don't feel like you need to study the Bible to prepare for this. After the presentation, you get about 15 minutes to write alone, then 15 minutes to sit together with your other half to discuss what you've each written. You can spread out across the grounds to find a quiet place to share your thoughts with your fiance(e). The retreat is meant for you to connect on deeper levels & discuss important topics together. The presenting couples are all volunteers who have been through it all in their marriages. They share intimate stories and explain how the topics they are presenting have helped them grow in their marriage. Dave & Lorraine, Luis & Carol, and Tommy & Maria are amazing couples. Carol isn't even Catholic, but she wholly supports this program and provides a unique prospective to any non-Catholic attending the program. The cost of the retreat covers your sleeping arrangements. You'll be roomed with another person of your same gender. Very basic rooms, but you're not in there for very long. Meals are also provided, and they recommend you bring snacks to share. The food was pretty good and they have Starbucks Pike Place Roast and Tazo tea stocked all weekend long. My fiancé and I learned a lot about ourselves and each other. We're so glad we did it, incredibly thankful for all that this program offers. The motto says it all "A wedding is a day. A marriage is a lifetime". read more