Sarah Mitchell
Catholic wedding retreats are designed to help couples focus on their upcoming marriage and what it means to become a sacrament. The cost of these retreats varies, with some being offered for free and others costing $200 per couple. The Mobile Catholic Engaged Encounter, for example, is a weekend-long retreat that costs $200 per couple and is facilitated by a team of married couples and a priest or deacon. The format of the retreat encourages couples to explore their mutual strengths and weaknesses, goals, aspirations, and attitudes towards family life, children, sexuality, finances, and more. Other retreats, such as the one offered by Beyond Cana, focus on strengthening marriages through spiritual and practical talks, reflection, and prayer. While the cost of these retreats can vary, they offer a valuable opportunity for couples to deepen their relationship with each other and with God.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2.5 days |
| Cost | $200 per couple |
| Location | Catholic Familyland, Visitation Monastery in Mobile, AL, or Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach |
| Purpose | To strengthen and enrich marriages, with a focus on communication, respect, love, and intimacy |
| Who is it for? | Engaged couples or married couples of all faiths |
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What You'll Learn
Catholic Engaged Encounter: $200 per couple
Catholic Engaged Encounter is a weekend retreat for engaged couples wanting to prepare for a meaningful life together in a marriage recognized by the Catholic Church. The cost of the weekend-long retreat is $200 per couple. The retreat is Catholic-oriented but is open to people of all faiths, including those planning an interdenominational marriage. It is designed to help couples focus on their upcoming marriage and what it means to become a sacrament.
The retreat is hosted at the Visitation Monastery in Mobile, Alabama, a historic convent, school, and retreat center founded in 1833. Couples spend the majority of the retreat together and are asked to refrain from using electronic devices. The weekend involves discussions in communal areas, shared meals, and Mass. It is designed to encourage couples to explore their mutual strengths and weaknesses, goals, aspirations, and attitudes concerning family life, children, sexuality, finances, the Church, and society.
The format of the retreat gives couples the opportunity to talk honestly and intensively about their prospective lives together. After each presentation, the engaged couple is given questions and encouraged to write and dialogue privately. The presenting couples and a priest or deacon facilitate and guide the weekend.
Registration can be completed online or by mail. The community also offers financial assistance to couples who need it and welcomes charitable donations to help make the weekends accessible to all engaged couples.
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Beyond Cana: Free during the pandemic
Beyond Cana is a Catholic marriage retreat that offers couples the time and tools to enrich and strengthen their marriages, with God and His direction at the center. During the pandemic, Beyond Cana was offered as a free event to all married couples, regardless of their ages or the length of their marriage.
The usual retreat is a 2.5-day weekend experience that blends spiritual and practical talks, reflection, and prayer with tools designed to improve communication and strengthen the relationship. The pandemic-influenced version retained these elements but was offered online, without charge, and with registration required.
The retreat is designed for couples who want to focus on the communication, respect, love, and intimacy that are integral to a good marriage. It provides a quiet place for couples to be alone together, away from the distractions of everyday life, including electronic devices. This allows couples to talk, reflect, and pray together, deepening their intimacy through communication and shared time.
Beyond Cana is open to couples of all faiths, not just those being married in the Catholic faith. The retreat is typically held at Catholic Familyland, a place set apart for families and home to the Holy Family of Fatima Prayer Site. The "Family to Family" program makes retreats accessible to those facing financial constraints by offering discounts on registration and basic lodging costs.
The pandemic version of Beyond Cana allowed the retreat to continue to serve couples during a time when in-person gatherings were restricted. By offering the retreat online, couples could still benefit from the tools and insights provided, and work to strengthen their marriages even in challenging times.
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Diocesan Marriage Retreat: Free
The Diocesan Marriage Retreat is a wonderful opportunity for married couples to strengthen their bond and their relationship with God. This free retreat, held annually in peaceful natural settings, offers a range of activities and experiences to enrich your marriage and bring you closer to Jesus.
The retreat provides a mix of engaging talks, Mass, Adoration, Confession, and both small group and one-on-one time. These activities are designed to help couples recognise the centrality of Christ in their marriage and experience the glory of God's creation together. It is a chance to step away from the busyness of everyday life and focus on your relationship, with ample time built into the weekend for rest and recreation.
The Diocesan Marriage Retreat is typically held over a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, and is facilitated by renowned speakers and religious leaders. In 2025, the retreat was held at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach, with Dr. Mario Sacasa, a well-known marriage and family life counsellor, as the featured speaker. Bishop Wack was also in attendance to celebrate the sacraments.
This retreat is part of a broader initiative by the Catholic Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee to enrich Catholic marriage and family life. Other resources include the "Adventures in Marriage" program, which teaches practical skills for building a healthy and thriving marriage, and the Domestic Church Families movement, where married couples in Panama City come together to deepen their faith and relationships.
The Diocesan Marriage Retreat is a unique and transformative experience, offering married couples a chance to reconnect with each other and their faith. By participating in this retreat, couples can gain new insights, strengthen their commitment, and foster a deeper recognition of Christ's role in their marriage.
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Catholic Familyland: Discounts available
Catholic Familyland® is a place for families to come together and serve God. It is home to the Holy Family of Fatima Prayer Site and is run by the Apostolate for Family Consecration. The Holy Family Fest takes place here, offering a dynamic week-long Catholic family vacation. Families can experience a life-changing encounter with God, making their faith come alive.
The Catholic Marriage Retreat at Catholic Familyland® is an opportunity for couples to refocus their marriage and family on Christ. Through prayer, communication, and time spent together, couples can deepen their intimacy and gain a renewed understanding of God's plan for their marriage. The retreat is held at the Holy Family of Fatima Prayer Site, a place set apart for families to experience God's grace.
The "Family to Family" program at Catholic Familyland® offers financial assistance to those facing economic constraints. Thanks to the generosity of attending families, the program provides discounts on registration and basic lodging costs. This makes the Catholic Marriage Retreat accessible to all who wish to participate.
Catholic Familyland® offers a range of programs and activities for families to grow in their faith and spend quality time together. Families can participate in volleyball tournaments, Eucharistic Adoration, and other activities that bring them closer to God and each other. There are also daily masses and programs for kids, teens, and adults, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to engage in their faith.
For those seeking a Catholic wedding retreat, Catholic Familyland® provides a unique and transformative experience. With the "Family to Family" program, financial assistance is available to make the retreat accessible to all. Through this retreat, couples can strengthen their marriage and family foundation, building a deeper and more meaningful life together with God at the centre.
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$10.3 $16.99
Mobile Engaged Encounter: Free
About the Retreat
This Catholic Marriage Retreat is a chance for you and your spouse to refocus your marriage on Christ and deepen your intimacy through prayer, communication, and quality time spent together. You will come away with a renewed understanding of God’s plan for your marriage and family. The retreat is based on the Christian program, Retrouvaille, which is Catholic in origin and open to couples of all faiths and none.
What to Expect
The retreat blends spiritual and practical talks, reflection, and prayer with useful tools to improve communication and your relationship with your spouse. It is an opportunity to be alone with your spouse without the distractions of modern life and to really talk and reconnect.
Who is it For?
The retreat is open to all married couples, regardless of marriage length or participants’ ages. It is for couples who want to focus on the communication, respect, love, and intimacy that are integral to a good marriage.
Location
The retreat takes place at Catholic Familyland®, a place set apart for families and home to the Holy Family of Fatima Prayer Site.
Cost
The retreat is free of charge, however, registration is required. Thanks to the generosity of attending families, the program offers discounts on registration and basic lodging costs for families facing financial constraints.
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Frequently asked questions
The cost of a Catholic wedding retreat varies depending on the location and the organization hosting the event. For example, Mobile Catholic Engaged Encounter charges $200 per couple for their weekend-long retreat. Other retreats, such as Beyond Cana, may have different pricing structures or offer discounted rates under certain circumstances. It's always best to check with the specific organization hosting the retreat to get an accurate quote.
Catholic wedding retreats typically include a combination of spiritual and practical activities aimed at strengthening your relationship with your partner and God. This may include prayer, reflection, couple's dialogue, presentations, and group discussions. The retreats often encourage couples to explore mutual strengths and weaknesses, set goals, and develop a deeper understanding of each other and their faith. Some retreats also offer free time for couples to enjoy the surrounding natural settings or recreational activities.
Catholic wedding retreats are typically designed for engaged couples preparing for marriage in the Catholic Church. However, many retreats also welcome couples of all faiths and married couples seeking to strengthen their existing marriages. Some organizations recommend attending a retreat as early as possible in your engagement to discover areas of growth and better prepare for married life.
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