Kurt and Courtney

How did they meet each other?

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love met in 1990, at a club called the Satyricon in Portland, Oregon. Nirvana were performing that night. As Kurt walked past Courtney that night, she called out to him, "You look like Dave Pirner" (the singer of Soul Asylum). She meant it as a half insult and half flirt.

Kurt decided to flirt back but in his own non-conventional way which was by grabbing her and wrestling her to the ground. This strange gesture nevertheless won her heart. Afer he helped her back up, he offered her a sticker of a cartoon monkey called Chim Chim, which she later put on her guitar case.

At the end of that year, upon finding out that he was newly single, Courtney sent Kurt a gift. It was a heart shaped box filled with trinkets such as a mini teacup, seashells, dried roses and a tiny porcelain doll. She dabbed the box with her perfume before mailing it off to him.

Their marriage

The couple had their wedding on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii at sunset on the 24th of February 1992. Due to their intense schedule, there was not much opportunity for planning an elaborate wedding ceremony. There were only eight guests present. Notably, none of Kurt's nor Courtney's family were in attendance.

On the day Courtney wore an antique silk dress formerly owned by the actor Frances Farmer. Kurt famously wore his pyjamas. Some people might interpret this lack of attention put into his appearance as an indication that the marriage did not mean much to him, but this could not be further from the truth. During the wedding, he cried.

Their family

Kurt and Courtney had one child: a baby girl named Frances Bean Cobain. She was born on the 18th of August 1992. The couple had always wanted to start a family and Courtney insists that if they'd had more time then would definitely have had more children.

In December 1994, she recounted an oddly macabre memory which tells a story of a young couple who are eagerly yearning to pursue parenthood together despite all the challenges facing them. Courtney recalled: "[w]hen we decided we were in love at the Beverly Garland Hotel, we found this dead bird. Took out three feathers. And he said, “This is for you, this is for me, and this is for our baby we’re gonna have.”

Artistic expressions of their love

Writings by Kurt:

"She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak/I've been locked inside your heart shaped box four whole weeks." (from the song Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana)

"[After recounting a number of recent fulfilling experiences] While all these things were very special, none were half as rewarding as having a baby with a person who is the supreme example of dignity, ethics and honesty" (excerpt of the liner notes of Incesticide

"Courtney, when I say I love you I am not ashamed, nor will anyone ever ever come close to intimidating, persuading me, etc into thinking otherwise. I wear you on my sleeve. I spread you out wide open with the wingspan of a peacock." (excerpt of a letter)

Writings by Courtney:

"To Kurt Cobain: I want to be somewhere above you with all the candy in my hands. You smell like waffles and milk. Kim said we were the hottest rock couple since Sean and Madonna. Acne superstar. Spill ice cream down my dress with your eyes wide open and be my best girlfriend. I love and miss your body and you." (excerpt of a letter)

"I am doll parts, bad skin, doll hearts, it stands for knife for the rest of my life, peel my little heart off and soak it in your left hand and call me tonight." (excerpt of a letter)

"Put me up above the boy/The one I love I should destroy" (from song Hit So Hard by Hole)

"Live through this with me I swear that I would die for you and if you live through this with me I swear that I would die for you." (from the song Asking For it by Hole)