News January 19, 2022
Surprise! THIS Olympian Is Married!

Adam Rippon and Jussi-Pekka “JP” Kajaala have skated their way into marriage!
On Wednesday, People magazine broke the news that the Olympic figure skater and the real estate broker got married on a whim in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve.
“I think everybody knew that we were going to do it and I think nobody knew if we were going to give them a heads up or not. And I guess we didn’t even know if we were giving ourselves a heads up,” the athlete — who won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Games — told the publication. “Listen, we’re unpredictable.”
In fact, the two always knew they “wanted to do something simple and just the two of us.”
“And so we were looking at different options of what we could do and so obviously when you do that, the next best thing that you can do is you reach out to [California marriage officiant] Maria and you ask Maria: ‘When is [your] next availability for a wedding?’ And she goes, ‘I have availability this week, but I also have something today.’”
That’s when Rippon and Kajaala took Maria up on her offer and went to a 1 o’clock appointment in Encino, California.
Along with their 4-month-old pit bull mix named Tony, the couple — dressed in their “Easter Sunday Mass” best — tied the knot in a ceremony at one of the office suite’s rooms, decorated with an arch tangled with fake flowers and vines.
“It was like what you would get from the dollar store if you knew you had a wedding in five minutes,” Rippon said, “but it was perfect.”
While exchanging their vows, Rippon says he surprised himself with how emotional he got!
“That was a moment where I wasn’t expecting it to be so sweet. It was very sweet,” Rippon continued, “I cried when I left.”
Following the ceremony — in which the two reused rings they had picked out in Finland, Kajaala’s home country — they told their respective families and celebrated… until 10:30 p.m.!
“We got home and got right to champagne immediately,” Rippon says. “No excuses. Winners don’t quit champagne.”
Once the COVID-19 pandemic has settled, Rippon and Kajaala hope to throw two parties — one in the States, and one in Finland — for friends and family to celebrate their love.
“Not like a wedding, but just friends over, family over,” Kajaala added. “Some good food. Drinks.”
Congratulations to Adam and JP on your nuptials!