What Happened With Avril & Chad?

More sad news from Hollywood celebrity couple land: Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger are breaking up after two years of marriage. The pop star and Nickelback frontman have been plagued by divorce rumors ever since they celebrated their first anniversary, but all signs pointed to Lavigne and Kroeger trying to make a real go at a happy married life, so the fact that they couldn't despite both of their best efforts makes me believe they really and truly lost their connection.

When someone is unfaithful in a marriage both parties can take solace in the fact (even if it doesn't paint an accurate, comprehensive picture of a relationship, and even though it would be really, really hard) that one person was a total jerk, which led to a necessary breakup. That doesn't seem to be the case here. Both Lavigne and Kroeger seemed to want their marriage to work. They always spoke highly of each other, vowed never to be apart from one another for more than two weeks, and even purchased a $5.4 million California mansion this summer that will make you go, Huh? Remind me why they are breaking up again? Let's throw out a few possibilities.

They Are Better Friends Than Spouses

The most obvious reason why they split appears to be because Lavigne, 30, and Kroeger, 40, feel more like friends than spouses and lovers. In her Instagram announcement the singer made it perfectly clear she and Kroeger are committed to being "the best of friends." Friendship is crucial in a marriage, but so is romantic chemistry. If, for some reason, that went bye-bye during the past two years, it probably became easier and easier for this couple to spend time away from each other.

They Got Married Too Soon

Lavigne and Kroeger met in a recording studio while making an album and were engaged one month and six days later, which isn't usually enough time to get to know your partner's favorite bands, let alone their hopes and dreams for a future together. At the time, Lavigne told People, "We bonded like crazy. It was like we'd known each other forever." She also told the publication neither of them like the "D word" (divorce). Clearly, they both had the best of intentions and felt like they immediately connected, but they didn't wait to get engaged or get married — they threw a huge wedding in France one year later. After the honeymoon was over, they might have realized they had acted hastily and that both wanted different things out of life.

They Didn't Spend Enough Time Together

Lavigne appears to have an active social life and has been spotted out and about breaking her "marriage rules," as she once referred to them, by doing things like drinking alcohol without Kroeger. No really. Lavigne and Kroeger told People in 2013 that they never drank without each other, because they want to protect what they have and that they try not to spend more than two weeks apart from one another. When Lavigne was spotted partying with friends without her wedding ring and, most noticeably, when Kroeger missed her 30th birthday party in Las Vegas, it became apparent they were on different paths.

Whatever the true reason for their separation, it's never easy to call it quits with someone you trust and love more than life. Kroeger has stood by Lavigne's side during her battle with Lyme disease, and they seem to share a great deal of love and mutual respect. Kudos to them for realizing they aren't right for each other now, rather than waiting and costing both of them happiness.