Matrimonial promises are sacred and profound, and couples making them quite naturally wish to explore all aspects of the commitment they are making. Here we compare two approaches to marriage preparation Lifelong marriages don’t just happen by chance. There are people who can teach engaged couples skills and offer tools to help them give marriage the best possible start. The advertisements for marriage-­preparation courses say that these courses help couples discover the secrets to a happy ­marriage; they give couples a chance to see beyond the wedding day to what marriage will be like. It is more important today than ever before that engaged couples have a chance to share the convictions and commitments they will need in their marriage. Statistics say that marriage prepara