The yearly Alvar Aalto symposium in Jyväskylä is a kind of a foo camp for design professionals. This August there was especially one presentation I didn’t want to miss: Dai Fujiwara, creative director of Issey Miyake and the creator of a-poc (a piece of cloth) manufacturing concept.
I had booked us hotels and all was set. Then (oh no!) little Eliel got sick.
Six weeks later at the Valve & Jaiku & Thinglink housewarming party, I met Laura Sarvilinna and Tuuli Sotamaa, who tell me this story: at the same Alvar Aalto symposium that we had missed, Fujiwara had offered to design wedding dresses for a couple who would exchange wedding vows before the end of the year.
Quite extraordinary, I agreed. But even more extraordinary was the fact, Laura exclaimed, that nobody had yet signed up to take the offer! No kidding. But wait a minute, said Laura suddenly, couldn’t you and Jyri get married?
I instantly thought it was a brilliant idea. Jyri’s birthday was a couple of days ahead and I had not yet thought about his present. Yes, that’s it: I’d propose him. Girls, I said, it’s a deal.
And yes: he said yes. Actually, he said “great idea, let’s do it”.
UPDATE: As a result of this project, my name has changed from Ulla-Maaria Mutanen to Ulla-Maaria Engeström. In the slow world of academic publishing, I'll still keep Ulla-Maaria Mutanen as my artist name.
Yay!
Posted by: Fiona | January 26, 2008 at 01:03 AM
how romantic! i'm so happy for you two (three i mean). and we want to see the pictures of the wedding dress
Posted by: regine | January 26, 2008 at 08:53 AM
Yay from me too!
Posted by: Matt | January 26, 2008 at 08:33 PM
Congratulations! On a more mundane note, I'm your SF neighbor and we have a UPS for you from FinnStyle. Happy to hold it for you until you're back.
Posted by: Georgia | February 01, 2008 at 07:55 AM
Laura will add some pictures here: http://www.itsabeautifuldaywedding.com/
Can't wait to see them myself!! :-)
Posted by: Ulla-Maaria | February 10, 2008 at 02:02 PM
¡miS mejoRes feLiCiTaCioNeS! :)
Q boNita es La foto y L@s Novi@S!
SaLudos Desde LiMa!
Posted by: Kukka | May 27, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Congrats, Ulla-Maria and Jyri! Just checking in on old Design Engaged associates.
Can't help but think of this photo every time I think of you two:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/daviderwin/63665106/
Many happy years ahead of you :-)
Posted by: Christiane | June 11, 2008 at 01:29 AM
Congratulations!!
Posted by: Robert | September 15, 2008 at 06:03 PM
what a beautiful couple. i hope you all the luck.
Posted by: aruba beach wedding | April 27, 2009 at 10:15 PM
i just love your hair in this picture.
Posted by: aruba beach wedding | May 03, 2009 at 01:47 AM