By Julene Reese
Utah State University Extension co-sponsors the Utah Marriage Celebration held online Friday, Feb. 10, from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. An additional in-person date night and dessert will be held at the Ogden Eccles Conference Center on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Designed as a date night for those who want to prepare for or strengthen their marriage, the celebration features workshops presented by professionals from across the nation. Workshops include such topics as intimacy, communication and staying connected.
The online conference begins at 6 p.m. and includes two live workshop sessions. Bonus pre-recorded workshop sessions, including topics on strengthening marriage, playing as a couple and others, are available starting at 4 p.m.
The online keynote speaker is marriage researcher and educator Nate Bagely, whose mission is to rid the world of mediocre love. Bagely hosts a podcast and blog at GrowthMarriage.com and is passionate about helping people do things that make their relationships extraordinary.
The keynotes of the in-person date night and dessert are Dave Schramm and Liz Hale of the Stronger Marriage Connection Podcast. Known as “Dr. Dave” at Utah State University and across the country, Dave Schramm is an associate professor and family life Extension specialist at USU in the department of Human Development and Family Studies. He appears regularly on television and shares tips and videos on social media and YouTube to help individuals, parents and couples thrive in their life journeys.
Hale has been helping marriages in her private practice survive and thrive for over 30 years. As a former chair of the Utah Marriage Commission and spokesperson for UtahMarriage.org, she believes that grounds for marriage tremendously outweigh grounds for divorce and that learning and applying the tools from scientifically proven marital research is the key.
“We are excited about this event,” said Naomi Brower, USU Extension professor in Weber County. “We have a fantastic lineup of speakers from across the nation and we are confident that the couples that attend will come away with information and skills to enhance their relationship. Given the challenges of the past couple of years, this information is more important than ever.”
Virtual-only tickets are $10 a couple through Jan. 31. Virtual and optional in-person event tickets are $35/couple through Jan. 31. Tickets purchased after Jan. 31 are $15 and $45. Tickets and additional information can be found at www.relationships.usu.edu/mc23.
The Utah Commission on Marriage is a co-sponsor for the Utah Marriage Celebration.