I needed to walk the walk.

For anyone who’s worked with me, befriended me, or made the mistake of asking me what I do for a living, you know that I’m not only in the business of photography, but also of marriage. I’m a huge supporter of those taking that step, and have seen enough and heard enough to make me realize that marriage isn’t remotely close to being easy, and it’s not supposed to be. With the divorce rate being between 40 and 50% (according to a 2018 study), I instantly became motivated to avoid being a part of that statistic when Tom popped the question back in 2013. I then became fascinated in the relationship and marriage tools available to help make that goal a reality.

...But then we had [kids].

Isn’t that always how it is? You have goals and dreams, but then along came “insert obstacle here". It doesn’t matter what stage of life you’re in, there’s always something. And most of the time you don’t realize that so much time has passed until it hits you like a brick wall. Which is exactly what happened to me. I realized I dropped the ball when someone asked “what’s the last marriage conference you went to?”

Uhm…

It’d been awhile. I’m talking the required Pre Cana class our church made us go to was the last time Tom and I attended anything. For so long I was talking the talk, but forgot about walking the walk. Sure enough, the next day after having that harsh realization, I get an email regarding a marriage seminar in Tipp City.

God is funny, am I right? That timing…

So Tom and I signed up for the Fight Night marriage seminar with Drs. Les and Leslie Parrot at Ginghamsburg Church (Tipp City Campus). This is a great seminar to sign up for no matter what anniversary you’re celebrating (or maybe you don’t have one yet!), but is especially great for those who are on the fence about attending these types of things. Fight Night is great if you want to connect with other couples, but also allows you to sit in the back and blend into your surroundings. Going to classes, seminars, or counseling has this false negative stigma about it, which makes people feel they shouldn’t attend unless it’s a last resort. Even though the world is coming around to breaking this stigma, old habits die hard. SO, if you’re wanting to work on your relationship, but want to do so without much attention, this seminar allows for that.

PLUS IT HAD A CONEY DOG BAR.

So if your spouse is giving you some resistance (or maybe it’s you!) know that you’ll get fed and be able to sit, relax, and focus (BECAUSE THERE WAS BABYSITTING TOO). The admission was only $25 a couple, which, if you include the food and babysitting, makes attending Fight Night to be a more productive and cheaper option than your a typical date night. Heck. Yes.

Tom and I also walked out with some great tips and were able to address some frustrations of ours thanks to some quick tools Drs. Les and Leslie provided the evening of (who else uses a conflict card!?), as well as some different tools to look into later.

I really hope my personal experience has inspired or motivated you to give marriage seminars a chance. If so, be sure to check out your local church or community events board (or you can click here to see when the next Fight Night will be!). OR if there’s a class or group you are too scared to try yourself, leave it in the comments! I’d love to be the guinea pig, try it out, and let you know the scoop!