Did anyone have an 'engagement ceremony' at PreCana?

On the whole, our PreCana was a disappointment. FOCCUS was way more helpful. I think we just got stuck with an icky group.

Anyway...the best part of it was the engagement ceremony. First, we had to write a love letter that basically expressed our hopes and dreams about our relationship. It was put in a timecapsule for us to save and read later- whenever we like (after we're married, years down the road, etc). Then we had to write our own vows!!!

So we went to church, had some readings, and then we each had to go up at the baptismal and privately share our vows with our fiances/fiancees. It was so emotional!!! It really puts everything into perspective and reminds you- WOW this is HUGE what we are doing here. I loved what FH wrote...we don't write for each other the way we used to in our emailing days...we might get the mushy stuff on a card now and then. But it was so special to hear those words.

Then our hands/my engagement ring was blessed by the priest. It was really very nice!

Oh man if I got choked up and teary eyed yesterday I can't imagine how I'll be on my wedding day!

Nope--didn't have to do that.....but we did have to write a letter..FH wrote one line and then said 'This is dumb- I don't know what to say...'

I told him he HAS to finish it by the wedding...it'll probably be the only letter he ever writes me...He's not a man of many words.

We never had to do that either. We DID do the love letters and we both really enjoyed that! It was amazing to read what each other thought, felt......etc. We're not too sure what we're doing with our letters yet, but I'm sure something special.

We haven't done our group Pre-Cana session yet. We are doing that next Sunday (6 days before our wedding). Hopefully it will be an OK class

So far FH and I did FOCCUS and we were very disappointed.

We have PreCana next Sat and Sunday... so we will see.

I was very excited about the entire thing reading different peoples experiences on here.

But in FOCCUS we were in a ICE COLD ROOM with 17 other couples... and the lady then went around the room and spoke 1 on 1 with each couple but was trying to pry us with information as other couples were sitting around us and listening... I didn't like it at all.

Then my FH said something funny so I lauged and she was like...'COME ON LETS GET SERIOUS' ummmmmmmmmmm.... I am serious, that I want to leave right now... Like stop being so uptight, there are so many problems in the world today that just becuase FH and I lauged a little who is this lady to say that we weren't serious... Who is she to judge. We weren't disturbing her class... it was during our '1 on 1 session'.

Ok... anyway. My vent is over... and PreCana is next week. Thank goodness its at a different place.

I guess to answer your question NO we didn't do any engagment ceremony but thats becuase we haven't gone yet hehehehhe.

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Posted by GettinHutched

On the whole, our PreCana was a disappointment. FOCCUS was way more helpful. I think we just got stuck with an icky group.

Anyway...the best part of it was the engagement ceremony. First, we had to write a love letter that basically expressed our hopes and dreams about our relationship. It was put in a timecapsule for us to save and read later- whenever we like (after we're married, years down the road, etc). Then we had to write our own vows!!!

So we went to church, had some readings, and then we each had to go up at the baptismal and privately share our vows with our fiances/fiancees. It was so emotional!!! It really puts everything into perspective and reminds you- WOW this is HUGE what we are doing here. I loved what FH wrote...we don't write for each other the way we used to in our emailing days...we might get the mushy stuff on a card now and then. But it was so special to hear those words.

Then our hands/my engagement ring was blessed by the priest. It was really very nice!

Oh man if I got choked up and teary eyed yesterday I can't imagine how I'll be on my wedding day!

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was the engagement ceremony part of the focus? Sound very nice...did you do this through your home parish?

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Posted by Tuosto


was the engagement ceremony part of the focus? Sound very nice...did you do this through your home parish?

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Oooh sorry I only just saw your reply....the ceremony was part of the last day of Pre-Cana. We had PreCana at the parish in my neighborhood here in NJ...but we're getting married on LI. We actually took FOCCUS at my church on LI. That was only us and the deacon and his wife- I think they made a special arrangement for us since we were OOTers.

So glad we have one big thing checked off our list!!!