I attended the weekend retreat last year for my upcoming wedding…read more It was actually a fun time (near the end, I was ready to go home as I haven't been in "school" for many many years and I guess I just can't focus like I used to lol). in a nut shell: - you sleep in your own separate and modest room, towels are provided - shared washrooms, clean - all meals and snacks/coffee are included; taste, variety and amounts are very very reasonable - frequent coffee breaks, this was lovely as you can step outside for a lil break and return refreshed - They discuss a topic and elaborate on it, then we take turns to leave the room for hoemwrok on that topic(for example, the men stay in the classroom, the ladies go to their bedrooms to work on the homework then just gave you, then the men return to your room and together the 2 of you talk about and share your answers. I really enjoyed this, as I wasn't worried if I had the correct answers or not, no one would judge me. Plus, my fiancee and I discussed several things that we had never talked about. I really did learn alot). - wear comfy clothes and shoes; you will be mostly sitting on the couch, no need to be looking your best, you are there to learn. Yes this will not be one of the most reviting and exciting weekends of your entire life, but you will learn alot and get to meet other couples who are in the same boat as you. I also liked attending the closing mass on Sunday afternoon, you are given the chance to practise taking your vows... I was very nervous to do this, but I knew i needed the practise as I'm shy. PS, reserve your spot and provide your deposit early, they only offer the weekend course 2x a year (spring and fall) Marlene

Went to qoa for marriage prep retreat. Couldn't find any info on it so I figure I would put a…read morereview in. Pic for accom is fairly accurate. Shared bathroom was very clean and surprisingly modern considering the state of the rooms. The room I was assigned to did have an old person smell that I couldn't get rid of. The weekend consisted of two couples telling us their stories and approach and then giving us thought provoking questions to answer them discuss with each other. There were two supposed gist speakers. One of which did not arrive. The first night we went on until 1130pm. The second night we did activities from 7am to 9 pm. There were a lot of breaks but at the end it felt like it was dragging. It did however give a lot of time to discuss and reflect. None of the questions were graded or answers discussed in the group. Everything was left between the couple. The Sunday ended with a mass and a vow prep which I thought was good to practice for the wedding day. If you are wondering what to bring just being clothes and toiletries. They even provide towels. You can bring some outdoor sports like a football or Frisbee. The Frisbee I brought was useful to pass the break times. The food were repetitive so snacks if you are picky. It is discouraged for you to leave so bring all you need.