Louder Than Love || Chris Cornell

Viva Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada
August 5, 1991

"Ok... This is so good... but I can't eat anymore..." I say as I lean back a little in the booth and set my fork down on my plate. Chris smiles at me as he takes another bite of his dish and sets the fork down on the plate.

"I know... they do give you a lot here," He says as he takes a sip of his beer. After a few minutes the waitress comes back and takes our plates and Chris orders another beer. I decide to stick with my water for now.

"So... what do you want to do after this?" I ask as I take a sip of my water. Chris takes the last sip of his beer and starts on the next one as he reaches for my hand across the table. He laces his fingers through mine, gently playing with the ring on my finger.

"Uh... I don't know... we can check out more of the strip if you like... " He says as he plays with the ring on my finger and takes another sip of his beer.
"You're not tired at all? Normally you would be the one to want to just get back to the hotel and sleep," I giggle and take a sip of my water.

" Yea well... I'm feeling energetic tonight I guess," He smirks at me. I smile back at him and reach up and play with his beard a little. He's so adorable without even trying, I just love him so much.

After we talk a little bit more and Chris finishes his beer, He pays for our food and we head out of the restaurant and walk down the Las Vegas strip.

It's not exactly what they show in the movies with cabaret dancers and strippers all along the street. It's pretty busy but it's mostly just normal people, but jeez, the lights are just crazy though. It's so bright it looks like almost daylight. I bet that's how they keep people gambling in the casinos. It really is a city that never sleeps.

"I can't believe how many wedding chaples we just walked by on that one stretch," I say as I look up at buildings.

"Yea... I know... It's like the wedding capital of the world or something," Chris says as he looks at me. We walk a little further in silence, his fingers laced through mine and we come up to another wedding chapel.

"Ok, I don't know if it's just me but... what is with this?," I say as I point to the chapel which actually looked relitively normal against all the other ones that were extremely flashy and elvis themed.

"Do you want to go inside?" Chris asks me and I look up at him a little dumbfounded.
"Uh... no that's ok," I say a little nervously.

"Come on why not? We'll just check it out, just for fun," He says as his blue eyes look down at me. I have no idea why I felt so nervous, it's just a building where poeple get married, not a big deal right?

"Chris....?" I say as my heart starts to pound.
"Come on," He smirks and leads me towards the chapel.

•••

We walk up to the Chapel and Chris leads me inside.  The front lobby of the building looked completely normal, no flashy vegas themed props at all. The receptionists desk was empty as Chris looks around to see if there was anyone here.

"Chris... um... we should go..." I say and he turns to look at me.
"Why?" He asks me as I look around the room.

" I just... I don't think they're open... we should just head back," I say as I look up at him.
"Andi... let's... lets just do it..." He says with a completley serious look on his face.
"What?" I say a little shocked.
"Lets just get married here..." He says, his blue eyes looking deep into mine so intensly.

"Hello," An older blonde woman pops out of the back room and smiles at us and Chris smiles back at her.

"Can I help you two?" She asks so sweetly. I stand there in silence not knowing what to say. What is Chris doing?

"Uh... yes, er no... we were just looking," I say nervously and smile at her as she walks up to the desk and sits down.

"We'll if you're interested we do have packages available here, different themes if you want or if you're more traditional, we have that too," She smiles and Chris smiles back at her.

"Chris... we should go," I say quietly as I gently pull at his arm.
"Baby... what's wrong?" He looks back at me. I look up at him and look at the woman behind the desk. I don't know why I feel this way but I am extremely freaked out right now.

"Chris... nothing... just..." I trail off and look down at myself. I wasn't exactly in wedding attire and neither was he.
"Baby... hey... I love you more than anything in this entire world... let's just fucking get married," He says as he looks at me. I look up into his eyes and I have no idea why I am hesitating in the first place. I never even pictured myself getting married before so why is it such a big deal to me now? I love him more than anything or anyone in my entire life.

"Ok," I say quetly with a little nod and a smile spreads across his face. He leans down to me a places a quick kiss on my lips and leads me up with him to the woman behind the desk.
"Uh so... we would like the traditional package I guess..." Chris says a little nervously.

"Of course," She smiles at us and fumbels through the papers on her desk.

"Now do you need rings? We have the tradional with his and her solid white gold wedding bands, we do offer engraving as well if you wish," She says looking up at the both of us.

"Uh yea... we'll go with that," Chris says as he looks at me.
"Sure...," I say quietly as I try to control my nervousness.
"They are real gold rings right?" Chris turns to the woman.
"Chris..." I say as I tap him on the arm.
"Yes they are... we get asked that question all the time, so it's no bother," She re-assures him.

"Alright, Perfect..." The woman says as she rings up the total of the package. She also takes down our Identification and anything else we need to verify us. I guess it's a good thing I always carry that stuff with me.

"Ok, you two are set up so go on ahead into the chapel room there... " She says as she directs us into the main area. Chris takes my hand and we walk up the isle together and notice that we are the only ones there.  I always pictured a wedding in Vegas where you take a number and wait to be called  but this seemed more like a traditional way, like they way you would get married in front of a judge at city hall or something.

Suddenly a older man comes out behind a curtain in a formal preisthood uniform and stands up at the podium. Chris and I look at each other and walk up the isle to stand in from of him. i felt extremely nervous and weird all at the same time. I can't believe this is happening. Then the woman from the front desk comes from out behind the curtain which made Chris and I smirk a little at each other as we stood in front of the podium.

"Dearly beloved... we are gathered here today..." He says loudly which makes Chris and I jump a little and we desperatley try to control our laughter. The whole time he is performing the traditional vows, I look at Chris and even though this was definitely not was what I was expecting at all, I can't think of any other place I'd rather be at this very moment.

...

"Holy shit! Did we just...? I mean... we just... we're married... babe, we're fucking married," Chris says excitedly and slightly in shock as we stand outside the chapel waiting for a cab to pick us up to head back to the hotel.

" Yea... yea we are...," I say and let out a small squeal as he pulls me into him and crashes his lips to mine. I have never felt more elated than I do in this very moment. I reach up and lace my fingers through his incredibly soft curls as his hands reach around my back up under my jacket. I have no idea how I am able to contain myself right now. I love him more than anything and I can't believe he is mine. He pulls his lips away from me and touches his forehead to mine.

"So Mrs. Cornell.... what say we head back to the hotel... take off all our clothes... and maybe take advantage of that jacuzi in the bathroom..." He says low and lustfully as he looks at me under his brow.

"Well Mr. Cornell... I am so with you on that idea..."