Very often, people have common misconceptions about marriage which result in expectations which may not be very realistic.

These misconceptions could have been brought on by societal norms, or by one's friends and family.

For example, some people think that the love they feel on their wedding day is the peak of their affection, after which, it all goes downhill. Others may think that once they fight or argue with their spouse, they are headed for divorce.

Like everything else in life, marriage takes hard work and patience. It may not be smooth-sailing, but obstacles need not necessarily mean the end of things. Differences and disagreements happen, and it requires both parties to work through their problems to make things better.

Yahoo! Shine and Cosmopolitan have gathered the most common myths, along with tips on how to handle it.

Click on the thumbnails for some marriage myths that have been debunked, and for tips on how to keep your marriage alive.