I've seen a lot of articles circling lately about not tearing women down because they choose not to have kids, or because of their body shape, because of their choices in men, because of any reason under the sun.

However I haven't seen anyone talking about not shaming women who get married young.

I knew a woman once, and I suppose her heart was in the right places when she said these things to me, but she told me more than once that I needed new friends because too many of my friends were getting engaged and that was a bad influence. She also frequently suggested that I need to party more and "explore all my options." She said I was too young to possibly know what I wanted, too pretty to waste my youth being tied to one person, too inexperienced to possibly make a marriage work. According to her, a marriage should always wait until you're at least 28.

What did she know?

Now, I'm 19 and I don't really have plans to get married any time soon, but I hear these same reasons from many people whenever I express any consideration for the idea of getting married before I turn 25. But so many people out there, in my experience usually other women, have no problem informing me that my life choices are simply wrong.

I understand that many people simply aren't ready to get married in their early twenties. I understand that many people don't meet the right person until much later in life. But why on earth does that cause people to tell me I'm too immature, too young, too inexperienced? I don't tell you that you're too old to be just getting married, to be having kids.

We are the only one's who can decide if we are ready for the type of commitment and responsibility that a marriage brings. And it's time to stop telling other women how you feel about their life choices and relationships.

So the next time your 19-year-old friend or daughter or sister comes home with a ring on her finger, say "congratulations" and move on.