The early years of marriage are often described as some of the most challenging. Couples are learning one another, adjusting to shared responsibilities, navigating differences and figuring out how to build a life together, all while trying to preserve the friendship and connection that brought them together in the first place.
But what if those years do not have to be defined by turbulence?
What if couples could learn from the experiences of others, understand their differences earlier and develop the tools to navigate marriage more intentionally?
This is the thinking behind Couples’ Experience with the Stephens, an upcoming gathering by The Family Round Table for engaged couples and couples who have been married for up to five years.
The event, scheduled for Saturday, 3rd October 2026 in Abuja, will bring couples together for a day of biblical and practical wisdom, interactive sessions, mentorship and honest conversations about building a marriage that can thrive.
Founded by Bologi and Jenom Stephen, The Family Round Table has created a platform around conversations that strengthen families and relationships. The Couples’ Experience brings that work into a more intimate setting, giving couples the opportunity to learn together, reflect on their own relationships and engage with the experiences of others.
The Stephens’ work with couples is also reflected in their book, Different By Design: A Guide to Thriving in a Marriage of Opposites. The book explores how couples can understand and navigate the differences between them, recognising that being different does not have to mean being disconnected.
Their work through Real Men Talk (RMT) and The Family Round Table has further given them opportunities to facilitate conversations around marriage, family and relationships. These experiences form part of what they are bringing into the Couples’ Experience.
For the Stephens, the goal is not to present marriage as a relationship without challenges. Rather, it is to help couples recognise that challenges can be navigated better when couples have the opportunity to learn, ask questions, understand one another and intentionally develop the relationship.
The Couples’ Experience is therefore designed for couples at the beginning of their journey, whether preparing to get married or already in the first five years of marriage. It creates room for couples to have conversations that can easily be postponed until there is a problem, and to learn from people who have walked through some of the same questions, differences and adjustments that come with building a life together.
With the theme “Building to Last,” the event will focus on intentionality, shared learning and the practical work of building a strong marriage.
The Couples’ Experience with the Stephens will hold on Saturday, 3rd October 2026 at 9:30 a.m. in Abuja. It is open to engaged couples and couples married for 0–5 years, and registration requires both partners to be present.
The message behind the gathering is simple: couples do not have to wait until something is wrong before they learn how to build better.
