The Couples Survey and Support Couple in the Pre-Marriage Course
The Couples Survey is a vital part of the Pre-Marriage Course, designed to foster open, honest conversations about marriage with a mature married couple who act as a Support Couple. The Support Couple can be an experienced married couple who have completed The Marriage Course. They serve as positive role models, demonstrating what a healthy, loving marriage looks like.
In Marriage Builder, you add the Support Couple when you send the survey to the pre-married couple. To do this, log in to Marriage Builder, select your active Pre-Marriage Course (if you haven't already, now is a good time to do so). Once inside, click on “Couple Survey,” then select “+ Add Couple.” A window will open where you can enter the email addresses for both the pre-married couple and the Support Couple.
After the pre-married couple completes the survey individually, the report is automatically sent to the support couple’s email address. Please note, the report is available for 30 days after the final scheduled session of the course. After that, due to privacy laws, it is deleted and cannot be retrieved.
The Support Couple then invites the engaged or pre-married couple into their home for a meal, creating a warm, welcoming environment. This setting allows the couple to witness a loving, healthy marriage firsthand. Using the survey report as a guide, the support couple facilitates a heartfelt conversation, sharing their own experiences and insights. Their role is to model healthy communication, offer gentle advice, and encourage honest dialogue, helping the couple envision a strong, lasting marriage.
The main goal is to create space for honest dialogue, help couples understand each other's perspectives, and demonstrate that open communication and mutual support are the foundation of a lasting marriage. Do not give the report to the pre-married couple.
There are helpful training videos available—one about the Couples Survey and Support Couple training here, and a more detailed older version here. Both provide valuable insights into how the support couple guides and encourages the couple through open discussion.
In Marriage Builder, under “Supporting Tools,” you'll find resources for Support Couples, including sample Couples Surveys. Take some time to review these—they will give you a clear understanding of the process and your important role as a support couple.