This week, Kate discusses a topic that combines her interests in both weddings and purity culture by reading listener-submitted stories about church-mandated pre-marital counseling, something she had a particularly interesting experience doing. This counseling is often done not by clergy members but by random married couples at the church. Without curriculum regulation, married couples teach engaged couples how to be married based on their personal anecdotal best practices, and the results range from quite troubling to absolutely hilarious, depending on who you get. Not meant to be offensive, just to share experiences about something that is mandatory for many couples, and has potential, but often underdelivers with archaic recommendations for gender roles, birth control, finances, etc. Enjoy!Support our sponsors!Allform is offering 20% off all orders for our listeners at Allform.com/bethereinfiveButcherBox is offering new members a free BBQ Bundle in their first box– That’s 2 NY strip steaks, 6 burgers, and 5 lbs of drumsticks all for FREE in your first box. Just go to ButcherBox.com/BETHEREINFIVEGet 25% off when you go to LIQUIDIV.COM and use code BETHEREINFIVE at checkoutGet key nutrients–without the B.S. Ritual is offering my listeners 10% off during your first 3 months. Visitritual.com/BETHEREINFIVE to start your Ritual todayWORKS CITEDhttps://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2018/10/premarital-cohabitation-divorce/573817/https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/11/06/marriage-and-cohabitation-in-the-u-s/