Seth Adam Smith's blog post "Marriage Isn't for Me" went viral, drawing 24 million pageviews in a matter of days. He and wife Kim married in 2012, and his advice to couples struck a chord. "We were friends for ten years until...until we decided no longer wanted to be just friends," he wrote. "I strongly recommend that best friends fall in love." 
Friends Timothy Goodman, 32, and Jessica Walsh, 26, dated for 40 days as an experiment. Their blog, 40 Days of Dating, went viral and garnered the couple a book deal and more. 
Nora Ephron's 1989 romantic comedy, "When Harry Met Sally," famously explored the trope of male-female friendships. "What I'm saying is -- and this is not a come-on in any way, shape or form -- is that men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way," said Harry Burns, played by Billy Crystal. 
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger of the Harry Potter series -- played by Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in the films based on the books -- couldn't resist each other's charms, and the two eventually marry. 
Rachel Green, played by Jennifer Aniston, and Ross Geller, played by David Schwimmer, made the ultimate will they-won't they relationship for viewers. In 10 seasons of "Friends," fans saw the couple get together and break up multiple times; they ultimately end up together. 
Julia Roberts realizes she has feelings for her best friend, played by Dermot Mulroney, in the 1997 film, "My Best Friend's Wedding." 
Friends Dylan and Jamie, played by Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, decide to have a physical relationship in the 2011 film, "Friends with Benefits." 
Niles Crane, played by David Hyde Pierce, was infatuated with Daphne Moon, played by Jane Leeves, from the first of 11 seasons of "Frasier." Moon and Crane finally married in the first episode of the 10th season. - Seth Adam Smith's blog post "Marriage Isn't for Me" drew 24 million page views in four days
- His father's advice -- "you marry to make someone else happy" -- proved to have mass appeal
- Grandparents, divorcees tend to be ripe sources for relationship advice on the Internet
(CNN) -- It's a sentiment many of us have shared: "Marriage isn't for me."
But when writer Seth Adam Smith shared concerns over his impending marriage with his father, his advice proved to have mass appeal.
"You don't marry to make yourself happy, you marry to make someone else happy," Smith wrote in a blog post recounting his father's words.
"More than that, your marriage isn't for yourself, you're marrying for a family. Not just for the in-laws and all of that nonsense, but for your future children. Who do you want to help you raise them? Who do you want to influence them? Marriage isn't for you. It's not about you. Marriage is about the person you married."
By Thursday, four days after Marriage Isn't For You published, the post had received 24 million views, Smith said in a follow-up post on his blog. It led to a great deal of media coverage and TV appearances on the Today Show, Fox & Friends and more.
"Honestly, I thought that 5,000-10,000 clicks would have been a monumental accomplishment. So to see a number like 24 million is staggering, inspiring, overwhelming, and more than a little intimidating," Smith wrote in the post.
Whether it's a fear of commitment, the complexities of cohabitation or just a love of one's own, blissfully uninterrupted company, there are an awful lot of deterrents to a stroll down the aisle. But every now and then, people like Smith drop some words of wisdom that resonate widely, putting it all in perspective.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, grandparents and divorcees tend to be full of advice. Check out some of our favorite relationship advice on the Web.
Click here if you can't see the list below.
.
Got marriage advice you'd care to share? We'd love to hear it in the comments below.
