Kroeger started dating fellow Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne on July 1, 2012. The relationship blossomed after they began working together in March 2012 to write and record music for Lavigne's fifth album. Kroeger and Lavigne became engaged in August 2012. The couple married in the south of France on July 1, 2013, which is Canada Day. Lavigne and Kroeger honeymooned in Portofino, Italy. In September 2014, the entertainment media began reporting that Lavigne and Kroeger were headed for separation after only one year of marriage. On September 2, 2015, Lavigne announced their separation via her official Instagram account.