Everyone expected my husband and me to merge our friend groups. We never did.

My husband and I have never merged our friend groups, despite being together for five years. Maria Polansky Our marriage has thrived because we maintain our separate social circles. Maria Polansky We were already in a long-distance relationship when we started dating, so our friend groups never intersected in the first place. Maria Polansky Starting out long-distance set the stage for keeping our friend groups separate.

Maria Polansky Even though we've spent time together, I've only met a few of his friends, and vice versa. Maria Polansky Our different backgrounds and interests have encouraged us to spend more time with our own friends. Maria Polansky We occasionally go on couple dates or group hangs, but we cherish our time apart. Maria Polansky Our separate friend groups have allowed us to pursue our individual passions.

Maria Polansky Last year, my husband took a weekend trip to celebrate his best friend's birthday without me, but I had my own plans. Maria Polansky Keeping our friend groups separate has made our marriage more exciting and dynamic. Maria Polansky We've never felt the need to merge our social circles, as we appreciate the quality time we spend with both our husbands and friends.