Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley Share the Secret to Their 18-Year Marriage

Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley have been married for 18 years, and for them, laughter is key. “A lot of married couples would rather do anything but spend the evening together,” Paisley told PEOPLE., adding that their marriage is even better than when they tied the knot in 2003. “That’s not the case in our house.”

Williams-Paisley added that laughter is a big part of the yearly tradition the couple takes part in to celebrate their anniversary when they sit down together with a journal and record their favorite memories from the past year. “Our greatest hits,” she said. “We record the meaningful moments, the best laughs. That’s a big part of our relationship — focusing on the laughter and keeping a sense of play.”

That sense of humor was evident in Paisley’s answer when asked what he loves most about his wife. “You keep our house afloat — seeing you give birth to two kids and raise a third is amazing,” he joked. “And you try to do the right thing all the time.” Williams-Paisley named her husband’s “gigantic heart” as her favorite quality of his, telling him, “You care about all creatures, great and small.” She also recalled a recent evening of heavy rain in Nashville that prompted Paisley to run outside to check on a nest of goose eggs to see if they were okay.

“They weren’t,” he said, as his wife added, “But it’s so sweet how much you care.” The couple shares two sons, Huck, 14, and Jasper, 11, who have gone to stay with their grandparents on a few occasions over the past year so that their parents can enjoy a date night. “We watch what we want to watch on TV and pick up something to eat,” Paisley shared. “I look forward to that.”

Due to the pandemic, the pair has been able to spend much more time together than normal, since Paisley was off the road and Williams-Paisley was not filming any projects. “She’s used to three days a week at minimum that I’m gone, so we’ve learned a lot about ourselves this year,” Paisley said, telling his wife, “I figured out I really like being around you!”

Though Williams-Paisley joked that when the pandemic is over, she’s most looking forward to “Putting [Paisley][ on a tour bus,” the couple agreed that 2020 strengthened their relationship. “There’s no substitute for memories and time and having experienced all of this together,” Paisley said.