How does Marriage Week work?
The 7th - 14th of February is National Marriage Week.  The concept is simple.  People like you and I, give time to focus on for example; holidays, vocational training, parenting and even boring old financial planning.  But when do we give time and effort to consider and reflect upon the relationship which often gives meaning to all the other components of life?. Not very often.  So Marriage Week aims to challenge every couple to reflect upon the magic of love.  Is it a mystery why some couples are great and others not so good?  Not really, It's all about attitude, skills and priorities.  Smart couples are intentional about their relationship, intentional about having great friendship, communication, forgiveness and fun.  Not so smart couples think that they have nothing to learn about marriage, and that because "we love each other" well, that's all you need. Great if that works for you, but for the rest of us, we want a great relationship and want to learn how to have more fun. and maybe even learn a few new tricks along the way.

What happens during Marriage Week?
Marriage week supports individual events by creating an umbrella of publicity and general interest. It is a media event in which churches, individuals, community groups and charities can all participate. Marriage Week does not have a central list of events.

"As someone who has been married for many years, I know that marriage provides not only personal happiness but also a stable and secure environment in which to raise children. Of course, stability and security are also achievable in relationships without marriage which is why as a government we support children in all kinds of families. But most couples still feel that marriage is appropriate for them. Families and society are ever-changing, but support for family life and for marriage are, and will always be, key priorities for us."
Tony Blair, January 2005.

"Through marriage a couple do something both ordinary and extraordinary:they commit themselves publicly to live and grow together in love, through the good times and the hard times. All marriages are liable to know both, and every couple copes and celebrates in their own way. Any working marriage is a real gift to society, a sign of hope: human beings may be frail and changeable, but they are still able to make their lives a symbol of something eternal and unconditional."
Archbishop of Canterbury

"I am delighted to welcome the eighth National Marriage Week, and to congratulate all those who are involved in it across the country.
The family is the basic building block of society. It is the most immediate and important group within which people share responsibility for one another's well-being. We need to nurture it. That's why I appointed Theresa May as Shadow Secretary of State for the Family in my Shadow Cabinet, and why we held last year a Family Summit to explore ways to help families across the country.
Of course families are changing, and not everyone chooses to marry. But I believe that marriage is the best environment to bring up children. And we should support it. I am sure that this year's Marriage Week - with its theme `love stories' - will inspire and encourage all those involved. I wish it every success".
Rt Hon Michael Howard QC MP, former leader of the Conservative Party

"I delighted to send my support to National Marriage Week 2005. A good marriage takes hard work and compromise to really make it work, but when it does there is really nothing that compares to it. In today's society the institution of marriage is sometimes seen as outdated and irrelevant but I can only say that in my own experience, to get married was the was the best decision I have ever made".
Rt. Hon. Charles Kennedy MP