Meet Melanie Jannicelli Shutt: Wedding Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melanie Jannicelli Shutt and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melanie, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
I think having a good work-life balance is incredibly important, especially as a business owner. The two key words for me are “balance”, “boundaries” and “flexibility”. For the first five years after I started Kimberly Rose Events, I was still working an additional full-time job. So, that time, I literally worked all day, went home, and worked all night on weddings. The balance was not there, but it was what I had to do to get myself to where I am today. After I was able to quit my full-time job and focus on KRE full-time, I got a lot better at creating that work-life balance. Now, I have business hours listed in my contract, clearly outlining when to expect responses, etc. On weekends when I do not have events or scheduled meetings, I often put myself out-of-office to focus on family & home life. It is very easy to sit down at your desk to work and then look up and it’s already 6pm! I try to wrap everything for the day up by 5, so I can spend my evenings with my husband. Sometimes I do work in the evenings, but they key is only doing it when it’s really necessary. Setting boundaries with clients is important, so they are away of the appropriate times to be calling/texting you. I think for me, it’s also situational. Sometimes you just have to work more in a day/week, than other times, which is why being flexible is key. Wedding season is that crazy time when most of my weekends are full. So when I do have an off weekend, I will mark it out on my calendar for personal/family time only. Also – time management is huge. Getting all the things done efficiently will maximize your personal time. You’ll feel great because you got everything done, and happy that you still have time for you. I also schedule in “me days”. Whether it’s mani/pedi with my mom, hair cut & color, or a happy hour with the girls, I set up scattered events throughout my calendar with things just for me. The bottom line is, in the beginning I had to work extra long hours, crazy schedule, etc to get my business to where I wanted it to be. Hard work pays off! Now I am able to work really hard when I am working, but also have my personal life with my family & friends. The balance takes work, but it’s well worth it!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Kimberly Rose Events is a luxury, boutique firm specializing in full-service wedding planning, design & execution. I have worked hard to earn my spot in the wedding industry in Colorado. KRE is now in it’s 8th season, and I love wedding planning more every day. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Trinity University in 2006. After moving back to Denver and spending five years in the bridal industry as a wedding dress consultant, and more than seven years assisting with meeting and conference planning for the State of Colorado, I made the leap to starting my own company in 2013. I named the company after her mom and sister, Kim and Carolyn Rose, in honor of their support, friendship and love over the years. I knew what I wanted to do, and I just did it! It was a little scary wondering if anyone would want to hire me at first! Now, I have over twenty years of experience in the wedding & event industry. I draw inspiration from each client to create upscale, beautifully unique experiences. As a boutique firm, I take a limited number of weddings per season, which allows me to give my full attention to each wedding. I like to think that I project joy and inspiration into everything I do, and my clients’ weddings are no exception. I strive to provide each client with exceptional personal attention and professionalism. My work has been published over a dozen times both online and in print. I placed top five in the Denver A-List’s “Best Wedding Planner” each year from 2016-2020. KRE was awarded the Wedding Wire Couple’s Choice Award in 2016, 2017 & 2018, and was recognized by Expertise.com as one of the top wedding planners in Denver in 2019 & 2020. I am an active member of the Colorado chapter of the Wedding Industry Professional’s Association (WIPA). I survived a rare brain condition known as an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in 2019, and am a passionate advocate for AVM & brain injury awareness. I was the spokesperson for Giving Tuesday for the world-renowned Craig Hospital in 2019, where she was a patient, and am a member of their annual PUSH Gala Auction Committee. Most recently, I became a member of the founding Advisory Council for the University of Colorado at Anschutz Department of Neurosurgery. My husband & I bought a home in the country in Feb 2020. We are living our best homesteading lives with a menagerie of animals including: 5 dogs, 4 ducks, 22 chickens, and 4 goats! Our homestead brings me so much joy and laughter.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
A long weekend in the city with my bestie! So many fun things come to mind. First stop – check into the Four Seasons downtown. On the weekend agenda: Tea at the Brown Palace, Spa and pool day at the Four Seasons, Sushi at Uchi, shopping in Cherry Creek with lunch at Hillstone, and Champagne & oysters at Blue Island Oyster Bar! In the world before a pandemic, seeing a show at the performing arts center or going to Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret would be fun! Outside the city – drive to the mountains – girls weekend in Vail at an AirB&B perhaps? Or Pearl Street and drinks at the St Julien. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Credit goes to my family: My parents Kim & Jim, my sister Carolyn and my brother James, for their support and always believing in me. To my amazing husband, Adam, for being my biggest cheerleader and support. To my friend Shannon, with The Olive & Poppy Floral. Shannon has been a friend, confidant, colleague, cheerleader, since the very beginning. We have worked on countless projects together, and she’s really been an amazing person to have in my life and for my business. I also have to credit my brain 🙂 I had brain surgery in 2019, and was in the hospital for 5 weeks. Things were touch and go there for a while, but my brain is back to good, and I learned so much about patience, strength & what really matters.

Website: www.kimberlyroseevents.com
Instagram: @kroseevents
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberlyroseevents

Image Credits
Bree Woolliscroft Photography Catherine Jeter Photography