Do Marriage Retreats with Other Couples Actually Help Your Relationship?

If you’re thinking about attending a marriage retreat, it’s natural to wonder what it will be like, especially if it involves other couples. You might be asking:

• Will being around other couples be awkward?

• Can a group setting actually improve our marriage?

• What if we don’t want to share personal things?
  
  

These are real and valid questions. Our marriage retreats have dealt with many couples who had those same concerns. We’ve overwhelmingly found that the shared experience of retreating with others brought unexpected growth, encouragement, and clarity.

Let’s look at why a group retreat setting can be a powerful catalyst for connection, healing, and long-term growth in your marriage.

Why Community Matters in a Christian Marriage

God never intended for marriage or faith to be walked out in isolation. Scripture is full of reminders that we were created to grow in relationship with God and with one another.

Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 – “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.”

Even though marriage is an intimate, personal relationship, it thrives when supported by community, especially a Christ-centered one. That’s the heart behind group marriage retreats: not comparison, but companionship in the journey of faith and marriage.

3 Reasons Group Marriage Retreats Can Strengthen Your Relationship

1. You’ll Hear “You’re Not Alone” More Than You Expected

Marriage struggles often feel isolating. It’s easy to believe that no one else is experiencing what you are, or that you're the only couple facing communication breakdowns, intimacy struggles, or emotional distance.

But in a retreat setting, just hearing from other couples can break that lie. You start to realize that others are asking similar questions, facing familiar challenges, and clinging to the same hope.

That realization alone can bring deep relief and new perspective. It’s not about airing all your problems, it's about realizing you’re not walking this road alone.

2. You Gain Insight Through the Experiences of Others

Every marriage has something to teach, and something to learn.

You might sit next to a couple who’s been married 25 years and hear how they navigated seasons of grief, parenting, or rebuilding trust. You might find common ground with someone walking through similar circumstances right now. Or you may be encouraged simply by seeing other couples making time to invest in their relationship intentionally.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

Whether you choose to speak up or just listen, the shared experience can give you wisdom, encouragement, and a renewed sense of vision for your own relationship.

3. You Encounter God’s Presence in a Unique Way

Retreats create space. Space away from busyness, distractions, and everyday responsibilities. And when that space is filled with worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship, it becomes fertile ground for God to move, not just individually, but as a couple.

There’s something deeply impactful about learning, growing, and worshiping alongside other couples who are also seeking God. That spiritual momentum is often hard to recreate on your own.

Matthew 18:20 – “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

You may not know what to expect going in, but many couples walk away from group retreats with a deeper connection to each other and to Christ.

What If You’re Still Unsure About the Group Setting?

You might be wondering:

• Will we have to share anything personal?

• Will we feel out of place if we don’t know anyone?

• What if we’re not in a great place as a couple, will that be obvious?
  
  

These are understandable concerns, and we encourage you to reach out directly to us with those questions.

You don’t need to pretend to be somewhere you’re not. You just need to be willing to take a step. Ask questions. Get clarity. And prayerfully consider whether the Lord might use a retreat, even one with other couples, to grow your marriage.

You’ll never be put on the spot to share anything personal. Instead, you’ll have plenty of time to talk privately with your spouse about anything that comes up. If there’s something you’d like to share beyond that, there are group times available – and even dedicated breakout sessions just for men and just for women, offering a more comfortable space for sharing sensitive topics.

What’s the Biblical Pattern Here?

Throughout Scripture, God uses community to strengthen individuals and relationships:

• The early church broke bread and prayed together (Acts 2:42-47).

• Jesus discipled in groups.

• Paul continually reminded churches to build one another up, carry one another’s burdens, and grow in love and unity.
  
  

Marriage is no exception. It doesn’t need spectators, but it does benefit from support.

Galatians 6:2 – “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

You may be surprised how much strength, encouragement, and perspective you find in a room full of couples who are simply trying to love each other well and follow Jesus.

Want to Know More About Our Retreats?

Designed 2 Thrive offers multiple Christ-centered marriage and premarital retreats per year. Retreats that are intentionally built to help couples reconnect with God and with each other. We also believe in the power of community, because we’ve seen it change lives and relationships.

If you’re considering attending a retreat and want to know more about what it’s like, we’d love to talk with you. There’s no pressure, just a simple conversation to help you decide if it’s the right next step for your marriage.

Final Encouragement

Marriage retreats with other couples may feel intimidating at first, but they can also be exactly what your relationship needs. Not just to fix what’s broken, but to refocus on what matters most: growing closer to God, and growing stronger as a couple.

“Let us not give up meeting together… but encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

You don’t have to figure marriage out alone. Let the Designed 2 Thrive community be part of the story God is writing for you.

Your next breakthrough might be just one step outside your comfort zone.