Earthly Expression Understanding into action
A signature program from Earthly Expression

Before We
Say I Do.

Building a Marriage Together

A secular, practical marriage preparation experience for couples who want to give their future the same attention they give their wedding.

For adult couples considering marriage · first marriages and remarriages welcome.

Original illustration of a gold wedding ring and a silver diamond ring with leaves
The intentionPrepare for the partnership, not only the celebration.
Entirely secular.Education without a faith-based requirement.
Two voices. Two choices.Private reflections and voluntary discussion.
Practical by design.Learn, practice, revisit—not a pass/fail test.
Not a test. Not a checklist for being ready.

There is more to prepare than a wedding day.

Planning a celebration brings decisions about guests, flowers, and schedules. Building a marriage brings decisions about communication, money, intimacy, family, and the routines that shape ordinary life.

Before We Say I Do gives two adults a structured way to explore those topics, learn practical skills, and notice where further conversations may be useful. It welcomes people planning a first marriage or a remarriage.

No one is graded, certified, pressured to disclose private answers, or told whether to marry. Each partner keeps the right to choose, pass, pause, or stop.

Choose your experience

One program.
Three ways to explore it.

The same core topics, offered with different levels of time, guided discussion, and independent practice.

01 / In person

One-Day Marriage Preparation Experience

Three focused 60-minute educational blocks within a proposed full-day venue experience. Selected exercises and take-home activities keep the day purposeful without trying to cover all workbook topics in three hours.

Status: seeking venue partners · no date booked
Explore the day
02 / Live online

Three-Session Virtual Group

Three live Sunday 90-minute educational sessions (4.5 hours total), plus manageable between-session activities. A focused guided introduction, with the full workbook supporting deeper private exploration.

2027 Sundays: March 7–21 · July 11–25 · November 7–21 · 10–11:30 a.m. ET · $199/couple, workbook included.
View group dates & registration →
03 / Self-guided

Couples Workbook

A 58-page fillable, printable workbook. Each partner writes privately first, then chooses what to discuss. Work together at your own pace, without an instructor.

Price: $60 per couple
Explore the workbook
Live virtual group · registration requests open

Two partners, one simple registration.

2027 Sunday cohorts begin March 7, July 11, and November 7. The fee is $199 per couple, including a personal-use workbook for each partner. Read the dates, attendance policy, and steps before you register. Payment links and meeting access are sent privately after acceptance.

See registration steps →
What couples explore

Conversations that deserve more than a quick answer.

All three formats teach practical, everyday relationship skills. The in-person day selects focused practice; the online group offers more discussion and follow-through.

01

Expectations & communication

Notice unspoken assumptions, describe the difference between an observation and an interpretation, listen before responding, and make requests that leave room for a genuine answer.

“When we say support, what do we each mean?”
02

Conflict, repair & boundaries

Recognize escalation, make a pause-and-return plan, practice specific repair, and discuss intimacy, consent, respect, and the right to say no.

“What helps us disagree without losing respect?”
03

Daily life & the future

Clarify money habits, household responsibilities, parenting intentions, family relationships, and how to revisit agreements when life changes.

“How will we make everyday decisions together?”
Signature in-person concept

Three workshop hours. A thoughtfully designed day.

We are exploring collaborations with wedding venues that want to bring relationship education into a setting couples already associate with celebrating their future.

Earthly Expression would lead three focused 60-minute education blocks. A participating venue could separately coordinate a tour, catered lunch, introductions to preferred vendors, and wedding-detail conversations with its own professionals.

Nothing is booked. Dates, food, venue access, vendor involvement, fees, and inclusions must all be agreed with a venue before enrollment opens.

Illustrative proposed schedule

9:00 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.

9:00–9:15
Welcome and refreshments
Venue experience
9:15–10:15
Workshop 1: expectations and communication
Earthly Expression · education
10:15–10:30
Break
Venue experience
10:30–11:30
Workshop 2: conflict, repair, intimacy, consent, boundaries
Earthly Expression · education
11:30–12:15
Venue tour
Venue-led · proposed
12:15–1:15
Catered lunch
Venue/food partners · proposed
1:15–2:00
Preferred vendor conversations
Participating vendors · proposed
2:00–2:15
Break
Venue experience
2:15–3:15
Workshop 3: money, daily life, parenting intentions, shared future
Earthly Expression · education
3:15–4:00
Wedding details and planning conversations
Venue/planner-led · proposed
4:00–4:15
Closing
Shared close · proposed

Lunch and vendor conversations are separate. The schedule is an exploratory concept, not a confirmed event or a claim that all listed services are included.

Live online · three Sundays

Focused learning. A realistic commitment.

Three 90-minute live Sunday sessions introduce essential skills, with workbook learning between meetings. The shorter format does not cover every workbook topic in live instruction. $199 per couple includes required materials.

Rather than compressing every discussion into one day, couples have time to test a small skill, notice what happened, and return for structured feedback and a next step.

Self-guided · $60 per couple
Cover of the actual 58-page Before We Say I Do workbook

Practice at your own pace.

58 pages of explanations, original examples, writing exercises, and room for each partner to keep a personal copy.

Explore workbook details ↗
An important boundary

Participate only in what feels appropriate and safe.

Each adult can keep written responses private, decline a discussion, or use a fictional practice example. Joint exercises are not appropriate when there is coercion, intimidation, violence, or fear of retaliation. This program does not replace individualized professional support or safety planning.

Educational program only; not therapy or counseling. No assessment score, readiness certification, or promise about relationship outcomes is provided.

For venues & event professionals

Wedding planning has its experts. Marriage education has its place.

Our role is to teach relationship skills. A venue's role is to host its guests and showcase the experience. Wedding planners and vendors remain the experts in their own services.

We are exploring pilot partnerships with venues interested in a complementary, thoughtfully coordinated event.

Explore a venue partnership →
One partnership. Clear roles. A distinctive experience for couples.

No venue, date, caterer, or vendor participation is confirmed.

Dr. Nicki Pascetti, program creator
About the creator

Dr. Nicki Pascetti, PhD, LCSW

With a Doctorate in Counseling Psychology and 28 years of clinical experience, Dr. Pascetti brings a practical, discussion-focused perspective to relationship education through Earthly Expression, LLC.

Before We Say I Do is an original, fully secular educational experience. Her professional background informs the curriculum, but participation does not establish a therapist–client relationship.

Learn about Earthly Expression ↗
Frequently asked questions

Good to know before you begin.

Do we have to be engaged or planning a first marriage?

No. The program is designed for two adults considering marriage, including first marriages and remarriages. It focuses on preparing for the daily partnership, not on wedding-planning logistics.

Is this premarital counseling or therapy?

No. This is secular marriage preparation education. It provides learning activities and structured discussion, not diagnosis, treatment, or individualized therapy. There is no compatibility rating or certificate that says whether you should marry.

Do we have to share our answers with each other or a group?

No. Each partner reflects separately first, and may choose whether to share a specific answer. There is no required public sharing. You may pass on a prompt, use a fictional example, or stop an exercise.

Will the one-day event cover everything in the online group?

No. Both live formats offer three instructional blocks, but their settings and practice differ. The online program has three 90-minute sessions (4.5 hours) with between-week practice; the in-person workshop has three 60-minute blocks within a proposed venue day. Neither covers every workbook topic live.

Are the live group or venue dates available yet?

The three-session virtual cohorts are scheduled for March 7–21, July 11–25, and November 7–21, 2027, Sundays 10:00–11:30 a.m. Eastern. Tuition is $199 per couple; registration requests are open through the couples form. In-person venues, dates, and inclusions remain unconfirmed.

Does buying the workbook include the live group?

No. The retail workbook is a standalone self-guided product. The materials required for a paid live program are included with that program's enrollment; a separate retail workbook purchase is not required.

Before We Say I Do

Start with a conversation about your future.

Explore the format that fits you—or contact Earthly Expression about future availability and venue partnerships.