Planned to perfection:How La Fête’s Creative Director, Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, ensures your big day goes off without a hitch

Whether you’re planning the wedding of a lifetime, or organising a stylish corporate event, the guiding hand of an expert could be difference between success and failure. Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, who founded bespoke event planner La Fête in 2016, has certainly got an eye for style. Having previously worked for iconic fashion brands such as Dior and Tom Ford, Charlotte launched La Fête with the intention of helping her client’s create luxurious and memorable occasions. Amongst corporate events, product launch parties, and landmark celebrations, wedding planning quickly became one of her most sought-after services.

Inspired by high fashion, La Fête’s clients benefit from Charlotte’s aesthetic instincts and exceptional attention to detail. Her fluency in English, French, Spanish and Italian has widened the company’s reach from the UK and into Europe, where La Fête is quickly becoming the go-to experts when it comes to planning a truly memorable, one-of-a-kind event. We spoke to Charlotte about the key aspects of planning a wedding, how her fashion background has helped guide her, and why La Fête is ahead of the competition.

A wedding is such a significant part of a couple’s relationship, and they often come with a lot of pressure on the day. What are the key aspects of the event that couples must consider to ensure it goes smoothly?

Couples need to make sure that they take the time to plan everything – they shouldn’t rush into a quick engagement unless they need to. This way, they can enjoy the process. Having that extra time means that they are not drowning in wedding decisions and added pressure.

Alongside the time, it is crucial to have an open channel of communication between the couple but also their nearest and dearest too. This means that if ever the pressure becomes too much, they always feel supported and know how to decompress.

And as a last tip, it’s obviously biased, but if they can, they should get a planner. We know what to do as we do this day in and day out. We are there to take away all the pressure and any stress from the whole process for the couple.

Having worked in luxury fashion for almost a decade before establishing La Fête, what did you learn in your previous career that benefits your clients today?

I would say that firstly, I learnt that 99% of my skills from the fashion industry were transferable to the events industry. However, the skills that gave me an extra edge were in terms of my creativity, my eye for detail, and ultimate attention to luxurious aesthetics.

More and more, I am working with clients that mention my fashion background and they love that extra touch, it’s like the cherry on the cake. Having this background has also proven to be a seal of approval for all my corporate and social events clients, whether they are within the fashion industry or not.

Tying the knot abroad has been popularised as one way to manage your wedding budget better. What other benefits can a wedding abroad offer?

The obvious benefits of marrying abroad are numerous, but I would say, living in the UK, the number one is the weather! As we all know, our gorgeous grey skies are not the ideal backdrop for an outside ceremony and party!

More and more couples also feel that the wedding weekend abroad is a lovely way to prolong the celebrations, by making it a three-day event and celebrating their love with their nearest and dearest. With everyone being spread across the world, it’s often difficult to have everyone come together, and weddings – especially destination ones – seem to be the exception that still brings people together.

What’s the most memorable wedding you have ever planned, and why?

Each wedding planned is memorable in its own way. The relationships with my couples, the look and feel of the wedding, the venue, the vibe, and, of course, the issues on the day that we resolve in a heartbeat and never let our clients find out about. I can’t have a favourite. I have loved every single event I have planned and created for my clients.

Hiring a co-ordinator or planner for your wedding day has become a virtual necessity in recent years. What are the major benefits of bringing La Fête into the process?

At La Fête, we pride ourselves on creating more than just a beautiful event, we create memories.

For years to come, the memories are what sticks with people beyond the photos and videos. It’s the feeling you have when you walk into the venue, the chills you get when you hit that dance floor, and the emotions you feel whilst watching the ceremony.

We think of everything for our couples, and are there to guide them through this mind-boggling process. Counselling them so that they have the day they want, tailored to what they need.

La Fête also co-ordinates a range of other celebrations and corporate events, can you outline those?

Yes, we do all sorts of events, from weddings to birthday parties, and any other social celebrations. But we also do many corporate events, from monthly breakfasts to large Christmas parties. We can adapt to any brief and any objectives outlined by our clients.

In terms of the London area, are there any go-to venues that you’ve established quality relationships with? How do your clients benefit as a result?

Obviously, being based in London, it is indeed easier to regularly catch-up with local venues. I think having an already existing relationship with a venue can definitely be a bonus for our couples as the communication can be quicker as a result. However, all of my clients have different needs and so it is nearly impossible to always work with the same venues.

To find out more about how La Fête can help plan your special day to perfection, visit the website at www.la-fete.com or call them directly at 0207 427 6088.