Premarital counselling is a short run of sessions for two people who are engaged or about to marry. You sit with a trained counsellor and talk about the things that are easy to leave unsaid before a wedding: money, children, work, family, intimacy, and how you each deal with a disagreement.
It is not a test, and nobody passes or fails. The counsellor does not decide whether you should marry. The aim is for the two of you to enter the marriage knowing each other a little better.
Counsellors who help with marriage
See fees and open times. Book when you feel ready.
Janki Kothari
Well-being Counselor9 yrsOnline sessions on video call
Expertise
Languages
HindiEnglishGujaratiEarliest slot: Tomorrow, 10:00 pm
from ₹2,000 / session
Book a sessionWhy couples in India choose it
In India a marriage is rarely only between two people, and that is often why couples go.
If your marriage is arranged, you may have met only a few times. Premarital sessions give you a calm, structured place to ask the questions that feel awkward over tea with both families present.
If it is a love marriage, you may know each other well and still not have talked about how you will handle money, where you will live, or what happens when families disagree.
Common topics include expectations of each other and of the home, who earns and who manages money, career plans and relocation, living with or near in-laws, how decisions are made, children and when, and intimacy, including worries you may find hard to say aloud.
Going before the wedding is often easier than going after a hard year. There is less to defend, and both of you are still curious about each other.
What a few sessions look like
Counsellors work differently, so the shape varies. The length and format of each session are shown on the counsellor's profile. Here is roughly what to expect.
The first session is about both of you. The counsellor asks how you met, what you hope for and what worries you. You do not need to prepare.
Later sessions take up one theme at a time, such as money or family. The counsellor may ask each of you to answer separately before you talk it through together, so one person does not speak for both.
You may be given a small exercise between sessions, for example writing down what you each expect an ordinary weekday at home to look like.
Some counsellors also offer one individual session with each partner. That gives each of you room to say what is hard to say in front of the other.
There is no fixed number. Your counsellor can tell you how they usually work, and you decide together how many you want.
Doing it online, together
Wedding months are busy, and one of you may live in another city. Online sessions let you join from the same room or from two places.
On Leshya, if a counsellor offers a couple session, the person booking can add their partner. The partner gets the confirmation and reminders by email, and you both join the same Google Meet or Microsoft Teams link. The person who booked manages the booking.
Pick a private spot where no one will walk in, especially if you live with family. If you are together, use one screen so the counsellor sees you both.
How to find a premarital counsellor
Counsellors on Leshya can list "Premarital counseling" among the things they work on. Open the directory, look for that, and read a few profiles. Check that a couple session is one of their offerings, that they speak a language you are both comfortable in, and that the fee is shown on the profile before you book. A person reviews every counsellor profile before it goes live.
You can book as a guest, without creating an account. It is fine to have one session and decide the fit is not right.
How to bring it up with your partner or family
Say it as something you do for the two of you, not as a sign of doubt. "I would like us to know each other well before the wedding" lands better than "I am worried about us."
If families are involved, you can tell them it is a few conversations with a neutral person, much like planning any other part of the wedding. You do not owe anyone a report of what was said.
When something feels wrong
Sometimes the sessions show that one of you is unsure, or that something does not feel safe. That is useful to know, and a good counsellor will make room for it. If you are afraid of your partner or someone is being hurt, please reach out for help on your own first.
If you are in danger now, call 112, the national emergency number. Leshya is not emergency care. In a crisis, call Tele MANAS on 14416.
If you're thinking about harming yourself, please talk to someone right now. Tele MANAS is free, confidential and always open: call 14416. You matter.
The counselors here can help with ongoing support, but right now a call is faster.
Common questions
It is a short series of sessions where an engaged or soon-to-be-married couple talks with a trained counsellor about money, family, expectations, intimacy and how they handle disagreement. It helps you know each other better before the wedding.
