Country boy Quote by Ree Drummond
““Once the wedding gift was out of the way, Marlboro Man and I had to check one last item off our list before we entered the Wedding Zone: premarital counseling. It was a requirement of the Episcopal church, these one-hour sessions with the semiretired interim priest who led our church at the time. Logically, I understood the reasoning behind the practice of premarital discussions with a man of the cloth. Before a church sanctions a marriage union, it wants to ensure the couple grasps the significance and gravity of the (hopefully) eternal commitment they’re making. It wants to give the couple things to think about, ideas to ponder, matters to get straight. It wants to make sure it’s not sending two young lovers into what could be an avoidable domestic catastrophe. Logically, I grasped the concept. Practically, however, it was an uncomfortable hour of sitting across from a sweet minister who meant well and asked the right questions, but who had clearly run out of juice in the zest-for-marriage department. It was emotional drudgery for me; not only did I have to rethink obvious things I’d already thought about a thousand times, but I also had to watch Marlboro Man, a quiet, shy country boy, assimilate and answer questions put to him by a minister he’d only recently met on the subject of love, romance, and commitment, no less. Though he was polite and reverent, I felt for him. These were things cowboys rarely talked about with a third party.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Personal Wedding Blog, 2023
Premarital counseling is intended to ensure couples understand marriage’s seriousness, but can feel tedious and emotionally draining.
In simple terms: Counseling aims to prepare couples, yet may seem burdensome.
Recognize its purpose, but keep communication open.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- wedding planning
- relationship counseling
- pre‑marriage discussions
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can couples make counseling feel more authentic?
- What questions matter most to you?
The session may not address deeper personal issues, limiting its effectiveness.