United Marriage Encounter is a worldwide non-profit organization dedicated to improving marriages by introducing practical, ongoing communication tools over the course of an entire Weekend starting on Friday night at 7PM and ending on Sunday night at 4PM. A UME Weekend combines practical methods, Christian values, and personal experiences, shared by trained leadership couples, to improve communication between husbands and wives. The Weekends are hosted by leadership couples, all volunteers, who teach and demonstrate methods that improve communication, by sharing experiences from their own lives. The Weekend is presented in a conference-type setting with approximately 30 couples. After initial introductions, no other group sharing is required. Each couple is given enough time to talk privately, free from the distractions of everyday life. You and your spouse will focus on each other throughout the Weekend. You’re given plenty of one-on-one time as a couple to share with each other, trying out the communication tools and ideas presented. It’s an opportunity to learn new ways to communicate and also to connect deeply or even re-connect with your spouse on an emotional and spiritual level.

A United Marriage Encounter weekend begins at 7PM Friday and ends at 4 PM Sunday. The Weekend is led by a team of UME couples who will give a series of presentations demonstrating tools and techniques to improve communication and develop a closer relationship between husband and wife. You'll be given opportunities with your spouse to apply the techniques discussed. throughout the weekend in your room.

This UME weekend is held at the RIT Conference Center in Henrietta New York. There are other UME Weekends held in other states and over seas. You can look up other locations at unitedmarriage.com.

A Marriage Encounter Weekend is designed to help good marriages become even better. Although many couples with troubled marriages have found value in the weekend, we recommend other weekends for that need.

No. The non-refundable $80 is a registration fee per couple used by the local community to purchase supplies and to off-set costs to prepare for the weekend. UME provides the funding needed (~$840/couple) to pay facility costs and meals through the generosity of couples who have attended a Weekend and have "Paid Forward" for you to attend. This is done through weekend donations and ongoing annual contributions so that any couple can experience a weekend regardless of their ability to pay. You will be given the opportunity to "Pay Forward" for another couple on your weekend as well.

No. The whole program is like a set of interlocking building blocks. If you leave some out the structure will be incomplete. And, because your Weekend cost has been funded by individuals/couples we ask that you honour their generosity by making plans to attend the entire Weekend. Their donation was an investment in you. If you can't attend all sessions, please reschedule to a time when you can stay the entire weekend.

The primary focus of the Weekend is to provide couples with practical methods for improving communication, growing closer to each other, and strengthening the bond between husband and wife. We believe a successful marriage is a Christ-centered marriage. The Christian content in a UME Weekend is integral but not intrusive.

United Marriage Encounter welcomes all faiths, including non-practicing Christians and non-believers. Since our primary mission is to improve marriage, one man one woman legally married, any such married couple can enjoy and greatly benefit from attending a UME Weekend. Although there are discussions relating to a Christ-centered marriage as part of a successful marriage, the Christian content is presented without preaching.

After the weekend you have the opportunity to get connected and be in community with other couples who have also attended a weekend. There are small groups available after the weekend where you can share with like minded couples who have a stake in your marriage.

If you have more questions about United Marriage Encounter or the Weekend program, you can reach us in the contact us section or by email at cppriest@unitedmarriage.com