When my husband and I tied the knot [1], we received a mighty mountain of marriage advice [2] before the big day. Friends, family, and yes, even random strangers shared words of wisdom, while also revealing what they believed to be the key to a happy, successful marriage [3]. Of course, we were both grateful to hear all of these suggestions, and happily listened with open ears.

Yet, as time has passed since declaring "I do," the lovely words of encouragement have somehow transitioned into something else: pesky comments. Although I always aim to keep a positive attitude, being asked rather invasive questions [4] on a regular basis gets old fast. Not only does it twist the conversation into total awkwardness, but it can also be downright annoying. I understand people have their curiosities. I do, too. But I also believe there are some things that really are better left unsaid. You know, like the five remarks below.

1. "You're married? And you're how old? You're still a baby!"

Yes, I was only 23 when I got married and my husband was 24. We get it, we were — and still are — pretty young. But that doesn't mean we weren't ready. Whether a couple decides to tie the knot controversial statistic [5] to indicate whether or not a marriage will last. Each relationship is different and I'd like to believe people get married with the best intentions. So shouldn't we shower newlyweds with encouragement instead of negativity?

5. "When are you two planning to have kids?"

And finally, my favorite question. (Insert sarcasm here.) I don't know about you, but I can't help but find this remark a bit too personal when others ask. For starters, there's probably some good reasoning why a couple hasn't had kids yet. Whether they are experiencing fertility issues, trying to become more financially stable, or simply don't want to have children — now or ever — it's their own prerogative. And that answer alone should be perfectly justifiable.