Caroline and Luke Bryan.Photo: Danielle Del Valle/Getty

Caroline and Luke Bryan

Luke Bryanknows what it takes to make a marriage work.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the country star, 44, opened up about his 14-year-long marriage to wife Caroline, the secrets on how they make it work, and why quarantine has made their relationship stronger than ever.

“Obviously quarantine has certainly put its share of new things to navigate,” says Bryan. “Caroline and I are used to spending quite a bit of time apart, and now I’m just here every day. But the main thing with us is properly inserting alcohol in parts of the relationship — it does a really, really good job for us. I’m playing!”

RELATED ARTICLE:Luke Bryan Celebrates 14th Wedding Anniversary with Wife Caroline: ‘What a Ride It Has Been’

Luke and Caroline Bryan.caroline bryan/ instagram

caroline bryan and luke bryan

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For Bryan, the concept of letting the little things go has been one of life’s greatest lessons.

“Sitting and letting something small turn into a big event is not how you make it,” theAmerican Idoljudge says. “[Once you] have a family, you’re doing this with your family – it’s a lot. But you’ve walked down the aisle and you’ve said in front of God, ‘This is who I’m going to be with forever.’ You have to work so hard at it.”

In December, the couple — who tied the knot in 2006 — celebrated 14 years of marriage. Both Bryan and Caroline each shared their own Instagram post in honor of their special day.

For his tribute, Bryanposted a throwback photofrom their wedding day in 2006.

“Happy 14th anniversary my love,” he captioned the post. “What a ride it has been. I love you so much. We be looking young in this one. I love you @linabryan3.”

Forher own post, Caroline, 40, shared a carousel of six sweet and hilarious photos with her love, including one in which she jokingly strangles him as he makes a kissy face. In another, the couple smiles big for the camera with a piece of food stuck in their teeth.

“Marriage….being with the one person you get to annoy for the rest of your life,” Caroline captioned her post. “Luke, you are one brave man! Happy 14th anniversary love bug! @lukebryan.”

RELATED VIDEO:Luke BryanTalks About His New Album and a Return to ‘American Idol’!

Since tying the knot in 2006, Bryan and Caroline have welcomed two sons together: Thomas “Bo” Boyer, 12, and Tatum “Tate” Christopher, 10. They alsotook in Bryan’s nephew Til, 19, and nieces Jordan, 25, and Kris, 22, after the deaths of their mother, Bryan’s sister Kelly, in 2007 and their father, Ben Cheshire, seven years later.

“We never thought twice about it,” Carolinetold ABC News' Robin Roberts in 2017of her and Bryan’s decision. “You know, it was never something that he and I had to sit down and talk about. ‘Should we take this on?’ We just did that.”

The new season ofAmerican Idolpremieres Sunday night at 8 p.m. on ABC.

source: people.com