Despite anxiety, stress, and postponed or canceled weddings, more than half of engaged couples say their relationships are stronger than ever during the pandemic

"As couples face the decision to postpone their celebrations or opt for alternative wedding arrangements, we are here to support them through The Knot and WeddingWire 24/7 hotline, which launched on Friday, March 13," Kristen Maxwell Cooper told Insider. "The hotline is composed of wedding experts on our customer service and events teams, who are available to connect with couples every day of the week. Couples can call 833-998-2865 or reach out to help@weddingwire.com and help@theknot.com with any and all wedding-related questions during this difficult time."

It's important to note that despite the stress this time may put on engaged couples, looking at this time at home as an opportunity to strengthen their relationships and know their wedding will happen eventually may lift their spirits.

"At the end of the day, it's important for couples to keep in mind, that despite current restrictions and societal challenges, their wedding days will come and they will be just as special as ever before. While events have been put on pause for the near future, love has not been canceled and celebrations will continue," Maxwell Cooper said.

"Plus, once social distancing restrictions are lifted, you and your loved ones will be all the more ready to come together in celebration of love."

• Read more:
• The wedding industry is bracing for the coronavirus' impact as couples consider rescheduling their dates
• All of the celebrity weddings that have been postponed because of the coronavirus
• A couple held a wedding in 'Animal Crossing' after coronavirus forced them to cancel their real-world ceremony
• Here's how to know if you need to cancel your upcoming wedding — and what you should do instead

A previous report by Insider told the story of how one to-be bride donated the flowers from her postponed wedding ceremony to local nursing homes where the elderly residents were practicing social distancing.

"We knew that so many people were being impacted by COVID-19 but we knew the people it was affecting the most were elderly and healthcare workers," Kristall Goytia told Insider. "We wanted somebody to be able to enjoy our flowers since we wouldn't be able to, so we decided to donate them to the local nursing homes."

According to The Knot and Lasting's report, 34% of engaged couples said they had helped the elderly or those with higher health risks, 19% had contributed to charities related to COVID-19 efforts, and 9% donated food or household products to those in need.

Engaged couples are also stepping outside their normal routines and embracing fun new activities while stuck at home. Nearly half of all engaged couples surveyed had held a virtual happy hour with friends or family, and 32% had planned a "date night in."

Engaged couples are also learning new skills — 24% of couples said they had been making cocktails more often, 11% of couples said they had participated in some kind of virtual activity like a book club or art class. A small number of couples, around 8%, said they were actively taking time to seek out relationship advice and guidance.

Whether it's playing Animal Crossing together, bingeing every episode of "Tiger King," or cooking up some new recipes in the kitchen, there are a number of ways couples are spending time bonding during the pandemic.

Almost three-quarters of engaged couples reported spending more time binge-watching TV, while more than half of couples said they had been spending more time cooking and baking.

Of the engaged couples surveyed, 40% had spent more time exercising together. Physical intimacy has also been a priority for some engaged couples, as 29% reported spending more time being sexually intimate.

Many couples are focusing on improving their lives and relationships over the next two months. Living a healthier lifestyle is a huge area of focus for many couples — 60% said they wanted to focus on exercise, nutrition, and other healthy habits during this time.

Almost half of all engaged couples surveyed said they planned to manage finances and household responsibilities together.

Taking time apart is also important to engaged couples — 44% said that balancing "me time" and "together time" is one of their main focuses.

A majority of couples said that COVID-19 has forced them to find new ways to spend time together. The pandemic has also reminded 64% of engaged couples what they love about each other, even in these difficult times.

The pandemic has also resulted in many couples changing their behaviors for the better. More than half of engaged couples said that they've discussed challenging topics during this time, and 46% of couples reported they've developed healthier habits together.

Some of the most common emotions to-be-weds reported feeling during the coronavirus pandemic are anxious, stressed, and overwhelmed.

However, despite these negative emotions, more than 6 in 10 engaged couples said that stay-at-home restrictions have actually caused their relationships to become stronger.

Only 3% of engaged couples said that their relationships have weakened during this time, and the rest of the couples surveyed said their relationships haven't gotten stronger or weaker.

"Sheltering restrictions and financial uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic are increasing levels of stress among individuals nationwide, and to-be-weds are no exception," The Knot Editor in Chief Kristen Maxwell Cooper told Insider.

"However, with most couples spending more time together — 45% of engaged couples are spending 20+ hours more per week together than usual — they're leaning on their partner to get through this challenging time and to ensure they'll come out of it stronger than ever before."

According to the report, 86% of engaged couples are sheltering in place together. Most engaged couples are doing so in their own homes, with only 11% of couples choosing to do so at their parents or future in-laws' home.

Almost 40% of engaged couples are both are working from home, while a quarter of engaged couples have one partner working remotely and one working outside the home.