Hi! I’m Jessica

I’ve been finding ways to be involved in events for as long as I can remember. It never mattered if the event was for friends and family, co-workers, or people I’ve never met, I wanted to be involved.

Starting Yeti or Knot has been on my mind for quite some time, but my journey to get here hasn’t been a straight line. In fact, I actually have an engineering degree from Cornell University! I like to say that I have an engineering mind and a creative heart.

Thinking back on it now, I should have seen the signs after I planned an end of year celebration for my college major’s student association. I’ll never forget the very distinct Italian food aroma that filled my car during the final weeks of my senior year.

My formal wedding and event planning journey started in late 2018 when I was planning my own big day. I became obsessed with finding unique and meaningful ways to represent my love for and my relationship with my now-husband. After saying “I do” myself in January 2020, I wasn’t ready to walk away from the wedding industry altogether, so I started seeking ways to learn about the industry, wedding traditions, best practices, proper event management, and more.

A certain worldwide phenomenon put a significant damper on events for the rest of 2020, but as soon as I could, in early 2021, I jumped in feet first into all things events. I’ve been living my best life as a wedding planner and day of coordinator ever since.

Despite walking over 9.5 miles on a wedding day and working events drenched in both sweat and rain, I love every moment of planning and coordinating a wedding. The way it blends the need to be creative and open minded with the need to be detail oriented and organized has be coming back for more.

I’m originally from all up and down the East Coast – born in Florida, grew up in Northern Virginia, and graduated from Cornell University in Upstate New York. In July 2017, I moved to Colorado with my future husband without ever having set foot in the state and we haven’t regretted it for a single second.

I live in Thornton with my husband, Struan, and two rescue dogs, Ralph & Luna. I’m also the proud caretaker of a community cat in my neighborhood who I’ve named Chadwick.

Let me help you incorporate creative and meaningful details into your big day!

Jessica Shipman (wedding planner) after setup of head table
Woman in green dress with small dog
Yeti or Knot Logo
Wedding Cake Icon on rainbow background - Yeti or Knot

Why Yeti or Knot

Here at Yeti or Knot, we believe that:

  • Your wedding should represent you two and the relationship you share. Period.
  • Small personalized details go a long way in telling your love story.
  • Your budget can allow for custom details.
  • Detailed preparation and thorough communication is key to event success.
  • You should be able to enjoy your big day and not work it.

If you’re ready to create an event that showcases your love AND be able to enjoy it, reach out today!

Things I Love

I love all pets and animals, but I especially love my two pups – Ralph & Luna. Ralph is an Australian Cattle Dog mix and Luna is a Beagle, Pug, Bichon mix. These two have been on many cross country road trips by my side and seen both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. I also co-own a business in the pet industry.

I’ve been an Annual Passholder at Disney World since 2017 and visit frequently with my husband. He actually proposed on Expedition Everest in Disney’s Animal Kingdom! I love talking all things Disney, so no matter if you’re a Disney fan yourself or need a few WDW tips, I’m ready to chat!

I absolutely love being surrounded by nature and both hiking and camping are some of my favorite ways to do just that. And you bet my dogs come too! Fortunately, so many Colorado wedding venues are home to beautiful mountain views, so I feel right at home when I can’t be on the trails or in a tent.

Muppets make everything better. And that’s a hill I will die on.

As much love as I have for Disney, I’m anxiously waiting for them to come out with more and more Muppet content. For now, I’ll watch Muppets Haunted Mansion and Treasure Island.

I love being able to create something with my hands. Some of my favorite projects include props for a candy themed photo booth, endless Halloween costumes (most recently a Monsters Inc. x Big Lebowski crossover), and my coffee table, which is made of repurposed wine crates.

I currently have over 30 plants in my house and an active garden in my backyard. I come from a long line of farmers, so I take my plant care very seriously. My current favorite plant is a flourishing monstera, but I will always have a soft spot for the hearty spider plant.

They are my absolute favorite animal. I blame this on being born in Florida, but I could watch them swim and eat for hours. I love that they are both extremely majestic and extremely awkward. And if you haven’t yet seen a baby manatee, I highly recommend looking it up right now.

My second favorite animal is the llama followed shortly thereafter by other camelids (like alpacas). So when you pair a story about an emperor being turned into a llama with the comedy of John Goodman + David Spade, you have gold in my book. I could go on and on. Is that my voice?!

I walked down the aisle to the Imperial March. Enough said?

I have seen every official Star Wars movie and TV show more than once. I definitely take a Han Solo style view of challenges I face, but I have a special place in my heart for Darth Vader, Jabba the Hutt, and AT-ATs.

One of my favorite ways to support smaller artists is by buying stickers and washi tape that feature their art.

And naturally this has become a bit of a collection. Putting that first sticker on something is hard, but it’s SO worth it.

I might just like large, green characters (see Star Wars), but Hulk is my favorite Avenger.

If I need something to watch, it will almost always be Guardians of the Galaxy I or II, Thor: Ragnarok, or Deadpool I or II.

Give me all the spooky vibes, skeletons, and ghosts. Haunted Mansion is the best ride ever.

Each year my husband and I put together an elaborate skeleton display in our front yard. Past themes include Avengers: Endgame and Disney Princesses.

Do we have anything in common? Or do you have a something else you LOVE? I want to hear all about it!