Amy & Christian Wedding Gift

Short Version

A most-expenses-paid wedding retreat, to start your married life off on the right foot.

Long Version

Life-long relationships take work, and my goal is to give you the best tools possible so that your work can be effective and fruitful. The Gottman Institute seems to be the gold standard in secular marriage support, so I would like to send you on a Gottman Marriage retreat. These seem to have very high reviews from couples of all ages and strengths.

Unfortunately, there are no retreats offered in Washington State, so part of my gift is paying for most of your airfare and hotel costs. My hope is that you can use this as a combination retreat / getaway. Specifically, I will be covering the $1,000-ish registration fee and up to $2,000 of travel costs. We can use Zelle, Venmo, or I can just provide blank checks – totally up to you.

This gift does not have an expiration date.

Action Items

Sadly, this gift requires you to pick a date and do the travel planning. Some gift, right?! But beyond the fact that I know your calendars are complicated, I have a sneaking suspicion that you, like me, prefer to retain control over your flight and hotel arrangements. So here is what you need to do:

1. Choose a Date/Location

The full list of Gottman Live Events can be found here. Some recommendations:

  • The nearest events are held just outside of Portland. Maybe pair this with a jaunt to the coast? (More Information and Registration)
    • Dec. 07/08, Feb. 15/16, April 05/06, June 21/22
  • Workshops in Denver, maybe paired with some time on the Colorado slopes? (More Information and Registration)
    • Nov. 02/03, Jan. 11/12, July 12/13, Nov. 01/02 (2025)
  • Workshops in the L.A. area, maybe paired with a trip to visit Christian’s parents or Scotty Hearron?
  • Workshops in Boca Raton, FL – because sometimes you just need a Florida beach, right? (More Information and Registration)
    • Nov. 09/10, Jan. 11/12, Feb. 22/23, March 29/30, May 19/20
  • Workshops in Boston, MA, included because I love Boston. (More Information and Registration)
    • Dec. 07/08, Jan. 25/26, Mar. 22/23, May 03/04, July 12/13

2. Purchase Planes/Hotels

Most of these workshops come with hotel included, but if you want to extend your stay in the area, I am happy to cover additional nights. And, of course, I will cover the plane tickets.

3. Tell Me the Amount

Basically, I’m covering about $3,000. Just give me the number, and we’ll figure out how to get it to you.

Alternatives

Pre-Marriage Counseling

Of course, this all started with my desire to connect you to pre-marriage preparation courses, but those were much harder to find (or, at least, secular versions were). That said, those still might be closer to what you will find valuable. Some of the same therapist groups that offer Gottman retreats also offer Gottman information oriented specifically to engaged couples.

You might consider this group in Langley, B.C. (just north of Bellingham). Unfortunately, they require contact for more details. I would pay for this. https://bestmarriages.ca/what-we-do/pre-marriage-starter-kit/

Gottman Online Resources

If you really do not want to plan a trip, Gottman also has online resources, which I will happily pay for.

Self-study, online version: https://www.gottman.com/product/the-art-and-science-of-love-online/

Online, Live Workshops (currently scheduled for Dec. 07/08): https://www.gottman.com/product/the-art-and-science-of-love-virtual-event/

Choose Your Own Adventure

If you come across a different program that you think would give you life-long marriage tools, I am happy to cover that instead. Just let me know.