Honestly, if you grew up in the early 2000s, Avril Lavigne wasn't just a singer; she was an entire aesthetic. The ties, the heavy eyeliner, the "Sk8er Boi" energy—she was the Canadian queen of pop-punk. But as she transitioned from a "Mother F---ing Princess" to a bona fide music legend, her love life became just as much of a headline-grabber as her albums.
People always ask, who was Avril Lavigne married to, and the answer usually starts a debate about which "rock star era" was better. She’s been married twice. Both times to Canadian frontmen. It’s almost like she had a very specific type: talented, musical, and usually hailing from the Great White North.
But it’s not just about the weddings. It’s about the shift from the high-energy Sum 41 days to the "Gothic-glam" Nickelback phase, and the trail of engagements that followed.
The First Marriage: Deryck Whibley (2006–2010)
Avril and Deryck Whibley were basically the Royal Couple of Pop-Punk. Deryck, the frontman of Sum 41, and Avril had known each other since she was just 17. They started dating when she was 19, and by 21, she was walking down the aisle.
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The wedding wasn't what you’d expect from the "punk" labels the media gave them. It was a private, traditional ceremony in Montecito, California, in July 2006. She actually wore a white Vera Wang gown. No combat boots in sight for the actual ceremony, though I’m sure the after-party was a different story.
Why It Ended
They lasted about three years before things started to fray. In September 2009, they announced their split. Avril filed for divorce a month later.
There wasn't a huge, explosive scandal. In fact, Deryck’s 2024 memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, sheds a lot of light on this. He mentions that they simply grew apart. Career changes and physical distance while touring led to them being emotionally distant. He even mentions a "passing moment" where he gave her an ultimatum to fix things or move on.
She told him her decision. No fighting. No crying. It was just done.
The cool part? They stayed friends. Like, actually friends. They collaborated on her album Goodbye Lullaby after the split, and as recently as October 2025, they reunited on stage at the When We Were Young Festival to perform "In Too Deep." It’s rare to see an ex-couple handle a public divorce with that much grace.
The Second Marriage: Chad Kroeger (2013–2015)
If the first marriage was the pop-punk dream, the second was the one that caught everyone off guard. In 2012, Avril started working with Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger on her fifth studio album.
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The "courtship" was lightning fast. They met in February, started dating officially in July, and were engaged by August. Chad proposed with a 14-carat diamond ring in the very studio where they met.
Talk about a whirlwind.
The Gothic France Wedding
They tied the knot on July 1, 2013—Canada Day, which is pretty on-brand for two of Canada's biggest stars. The wedding took place at Chateau La Napoule, a medieval castle in the South of France.
This time, she went full "Goth." Black dress. Black roses. Fireworks at 2:00 AM. It was over-the-top and exactly what she wanted. She told Hello! magazine at the time that she was "obsessed with castles."
The Breakup
By September 2015, Avril took to Instagram to announce their separation. Again, it was super amicable. She said they had created "unforgettable moments" both in music and in life.
Despite the divorce being finalized, Chad stayed in her corner, especially while she battled Lyme disease. He even helped her work on her 2019 album Head Above Water. They clearly have a lot of mutual respect, proving that you don't always need a "villain" in a celebrity breakup story.
The "Almost" Marriages: Engagements and Headlines
When you look at who was Avril Lavigne married to, you also have to look at who she almost stayed with.
- Mod Sun: This was the one everyone thought would stick. They met in January 2021 for the song "Flames." Mod Sun (Derek Smith) proposed in Paris in March 2022 with a heart-shaped diamond. It seemed perfect. But by February 2023, reps confirmed it was over. Mod Sun later described the split as "brutal" and "life-changing," especially since it happened right as he was heading out on tour.
- Tyga: Right after the Mod Sun breakup, Avril was spotted with rapper Tyga. They had a brief, headline-heavy romance that involved a lot of Paris Fashion Week PDA and an $80,000 diamond necklace he bought her. They split in June 2023, tried again in July, but were "totally done" by October 2023.
- Brody Jenner: Long before the newer guys, Avril dated The Hills star Brody Jenner from 2010 to 2012. They even got matching tattoos of each other's names. While they never married, the relationship was a staple of the paparazzi era.
What Her History Tells Us
Avril has been pretty open lately about her approach to love. In a 2024 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, she admitted she "never really did the dating thing" because she was always in major, long-term relationships.
She’s also pointed out that she’s a "solid" partner who loves to cook and decorate. She isn't looking for drama; she’s looking for compatibility.
There’s a misconception that her life is "complicated" (pun intended), but really, she just falls hard for her collaborators. Music is her love language. Whether it’s Deryck, Chad, or Mod Sun, almost every major relationship started in a recording studio.
Actionable Takeaway for Fans
If you're following Avril's journey, the biggest takeaway is her resilience. She doesn't let a failed marriage turn her bitter. She maintains friendships with her exes and continues to prioritize her creative peace.
If you want to stay updated on her current status, she's currently focusing on her "Greatest Hits Tour" through 2026. Keep an eye on her tour dates in cities like Halifax and New York, as she often brings out special guests from her past—like that 2025 reunion with Deryck Whibley—to celebrate her legacy.