Weird Things About Wolfgang Van Halen's Marriage To Andraia Allsop

Wolfgang Van Halen and his wife, Andraia Allsop, come from two entirely different worlds. He's the musician son of a rock legend and an actor, while she's a software engineer and an occasional photographer. Yet, they were drawn to each other right from the very beginning, proving that opposites really do attract. It all started, like most love stories today, on Instagram, where they first exchanged messages before swapping phone numbers. "I have the screenshot on my phone of the very first text I ever sent her, where it was just like, 'Hey, it's Wolf. This is my number.' I remember where I was," Wolfgang dished to People. He said he was in Denver, Colorado, for Van Halen's farewell concert tour in 2015. "We were about to play Red Rocks and it was the day off before we played that I got my first text message from her and it was like, 'Oh my gosh.'" It was clear he was immediately smitten.

Recounting their first date, Wolfgang described the evening as simply magical. "There were a crazy amount of shooting stars that night," the son of Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli gushed. "I've never seen so many shooting stars in my life at one time." He knew right then and there that Allsop was The One. "It's cheesy to say, but definitely love at first sight."

The couple went on to get engaged and tie the knot in October 2023 after being together for over eight years. Despite their seemingly perfect love story, Wolfgang and Allsop's relationship is also filled with a few surprising quirks ...

Wolfgang Van Halen and Andraia Allsop had been dating for nearly seven years when he finally took the plunge and asked for her hand in marriage. The rocker announced their engagement on Instagram in July 2022, posting a picture of Allsop showcasing her exquisite engagement ring (which truly makes the case for sweating the details!). "She said yes!!" Van Halen exclaimed. His mom, "Hot in Cleveland" star Valerie Bertinelli, congratulated the two on the delightful news, writing under the post, "How do I [heart emoji] this a million times? So happy!!!!!!!" alongside a series of heart emojis. A year later, the pair exchanged "I dos" in a private ceremony held at their Los Angeles home, surrounded by a close group of family and friends. 

Perhaps the couple's decision to wait eight years before tying the knot may seem strange and even unexpected, especially since marriage seemed like a natural next step for a couple so obviously committed. But for Van Halen and Allsop, marriage wasn't something that they actively sought. "It's kind of just a formality," the Mammoth WVH frontman told People in an interview. "We are so already married that it's like, well, yeah, might as well make it official." Allsop agreed, noting that they didn't expect things to change after the wedding. "Kind of the only thing that's going to change is my last name," she added. "That's about it."

Speaking of their wedding, Wolfgang Van Halen and Andraia Allsop opted for something smaller and more intimate, with only about 90 people reportedly in attendance during the event. "Our goal was just to bring all of our closest family and friends together," Allsop explained to People regarding their October 2023 nuptials. "The past few years, not only with the world, but also with personal tragedies, haven't been the easiest," she said. "But we wanted to create this wedding as a celebration not only just for us to get married, but a celebration for the people we love."

The wedding came after the tragic death of Wolfgang's father, Eddie Van Halen, who died in October 2020 at the age of 65 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor and stage IV lung cancer. Instead of hosting a grand celebration, Wolfgang and Allsop chose to have their wedding ceremony in the privacy of their living room, surrounded only by their nearest and dearest (including, of course, Wolfgang's mother, Valerie Bertinelli, who met one of her partners the same way her son did). A family friend of the Van Halens, whom Wolfgang said has known him since childhood, officiated the nuptials. "[We wanted to] keep it simple," stressed the groom. "Just being able to share our love for each other with the people that we love," he added. "It just makes you feel comfy. It's like drinking water for the soul."

At the reception, a DJ played some of Wolfgang's favorite progressive metal — even though the musician thought some of his guests might be "terrified" by the way it sounded. "But you know what? It's my wedding and I'll do whatever I want," he said.

Turns out, Wolfgang Van Halen and his wife Andraia Allsop are total homebodies. Rather than jetting off on a honeymoon to celebrate their nuptials like most newlyweds do, the couple chose to stay in and have a relaxing week at home, bonding over video games and spending some quality time with their favorite cats instead. The rocker discussed their post-wedding activities during an interview on I-Rock 93.5 when asked about his "happy place." "My happy place has been the past week, after getting married," Van Halen responded (via Blabbermouth.net). "My wife and I went to my mom's house and picked up two of my mom's six cats that she has — the two that we are sort of closest with — and we just held up in the bedroom with the cats and played video games for a week."

He noted that while he and Allsop weren't able to have their honeymoon due to conflicts in their schedules, they still looked forward to making it happen eventually. "Hopefully we'll be able to do that at some point. [But] we just had to settle for our 'homeymoon,' as we called it," the "Mammoth" singer added. In the meantime, Allsop has been joining Van Halen on Mammoth WVH's concert tours both in the U.S. and abroad, as seen in pictures shared on her photography account @photosbydraia on Instagram.

During his I-Rock 93.5 radio interview, Wolfgang Van Halen also discussed his future plans with Andraia Allsop and admitted that focusing on his music is more important to him than starting a family for now. "Yeah, we'll have to see," the "Take a Bow" singer responded when asked if he and Allsop are planning to have kids. "Honestly, I've got my hands full right now." However, Van Halen, who shared a close relationship with his famous dad, expressed his desire to become a father. "Certainly, I think that... I would like to," he continued. "But I've gotta figure out my career and stuff first."

Whether or not his wife agrees on his timeline remains to be seen, but it appears Allsop is supportive of Van Halen's decision to prioritize his career for the time being. Since their wedding, the Grammy-nominated artist has been busy touring with his band Mammoth WVH and is showing no signs of slowing down. During the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year gala, the couple also chatted with ET's Cassie DiLaura about their life as newlyweds. At the time, Allsop expressed how happy she was to be reunited with Van Halen after months of him being on the road. "It's been nice to actually have you home," she told her husband. "Yeah, yeah," the rocker responded, before turning to DiLaura and saying, "I mean ... but I think if you marry the right person, it shouldn't be any different, right?" Hmm ...

In March 2024, Wolfgang Van Halen attended the 96th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles with his wife, Andraia Allsop, and mother, Valerie Bertinelli. The rocker hit the stage to perform the Oscar-nominated song "I'm Just Ken" from the blockbuster film "Barbie" alongside actor Ryan Gosling and fellow guitarist Slash. Minutes before, Van Halen, along with his wife and mom, spoke to People on the red carpet about their Oscars experience. "It's a magical night. I'm very happy to be here, and very very happy to be a part of this for my buddy [producer Mark Ronson]," he enthused. Meanwhile, Allsop summed up her feelings in just four words. "I'm just so proud," she gushed while cozying up to Van Halen. 

During the interview, Allsop noted how the chaos of preparing for the Oscars also somehow reminded her of their wedding. "It actually felt like we were getting ready for our wedding today," she stated. Van Halen agreed, stressing that the lead-up to the Oscars was perhaps even more nerve-racking than their big day (understandable, given that it was his first time performing at the event.) "I think it was more stressful getting ready today," he argued. After the ceremony, the "Distance" artist took to Instagram to reflect on the experience, describing it as "SUBLIME!" and thanking the "Barbie" OST producers, Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, for the opportunity. "Honored to have played a small part in something so incredible," he wrote. Allsop reacted, saying, "I'm so proud of you, you were amazing!!"