Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, founder of ‘La Fête’, is a destination wedding and event planner based in London, UK. Having both French and English parentage, Charlotte was born and raised in Geneva, Switzerland; she speaks fluent French, English, Spanish and Italian – meaning she can work effortlessly in each of these countries. Here we discuss all the different elements that bring a La Fête event together…
I’m fluent in French and English, these are both my mother tongues; I’m also fluent in Spanish and Italian. I learnt both of these as a teen, one after the other – Italian properly when I was studying my masters in Florence, and then I proceeded to use it on a daily basis when I was working in fashion. Living in London, speaking French to my children and Spanish to my husband daily, I’m fortunate that I get to practise three languages out of the four, daily. Italian gets practised as often as possible through work, holidays and our Italian friends…”
Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, founder, La Fête
C&B: “Charlotte, congratulations on being on our list of CITY & BEACH LIFESTYLE ‘TOP 10 INTERNATIONAL WEDDING PLANNERS 2024’! Growing up in Geneva must have been interesting and it’s so incredibly useful to be fluent in four languages. How did this influence your career and what inspired you to start in event organisation?”
CRQ: “I was working in the fashion industry for nearly ten years as a merchandiser, for brands such as Tom Ford and Nicholas Kirkwood. I set-up La Fête in 2016 realising there was a gap in the market for a multi-lingual planner that not only has a deep knowledge of the luxury sector but also an understanding of the blending of cultures and religions. I’m the product of such a blend and have now married into my own little blend with my Spanish husband…”
C&B: “That set of specialised knowledge truly sets La Fête apart from other planners who don’t naturally have your incredible insiders perspective – invaluable, we’d imagine. Then you have your background in fashion as well; how did that help hone your skills for what you’re doing today?”
CRQ: “During my time in fashion, I’d often be working on up to six collections at once for various clients all located in different countries and on different time zones – having the ability to do that has created something innate within me; I’ve been juggling projects my whole professional life with ease…”
My speciality is creating memories, memories that will never fade, memories that are created through all your senses that they sit deeply engrained inside you. Whether it’s a small intimate gathering, a corporate event or a blockbuster wedding, we can do anything but the attention to detail stays the same…”
Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, founder, La Fête
C&B: “Yes, being able to juggle a hundred things at once – and even better, in different languages with no hiccups or stress-related issues – is hugely important and is going to make you a ‘one-off’ in the events business! Talking of overseas, which are your favourite special event venues?”
CRQ: “I’m fortunate that until now, I’ve never yet worked twice in the same venue! It’s a true privilege to always be working in new spaces; there are obviously many stunning venues that I’ve worked at that I’d love to return to, but this is obviously always dependant on the client. As much as I put venues forward for consideration, I don’t have the final say on which is chosen!”
I’ve been lucky enough to be featured regularly in the lifestyle media since I set-up back in 2016, across both national and international press. I’ve also won two notable awards: Bridelux (now RSVP) ‘Best UK Wedding Planner 2022’, which is industry voted. I was also the lucky recipient of the Best Diverse Event at the 2024 Diversity awards…”
Charlotte Ricard-Quesada, founder, La Fête
C&B: “How do you attract new clients and convey to them how you work and all the talents you bring to the table?”
CRQ: “New clients come to me mostly through word of mouth, a little bit of social media and a few directory listings. All clients, regardless of how they find me, experience the same on-boarding journey: we have a video call or in-person meeting where all the burning questions from both sides are asked. We then chat about objectives, vision and – of course – the budget. It’s very important that the fit is right for both of us as we’re going to be working together for a long period of time and speaking very regularly. It’s a highly emotional period in my client’s life and we need to look forward to communicating with one another…”
C&B: “Yes, it’s so important that there’s rapport and a ‘meeting of minds’ when it comes to event planning; which country do the majority of your clients come from?”
CRQ: “It completely depends. All my clients over the past eight years have come from different countries or have homes around the world; I do love the variety and I thrive off it. I love that no two couple are ever the same!”
C&B: “Which service providers would you say are the most important for your business… florists, marquee providers, drinks suppliers?”
CRQ: “As a planner, I consider myself to be the conductor of the wedding suppliers – I know the overall look, feel, rhythm, tempo and the entirety of the team as a whole – who is doing what, when and where. So, my job is to make sure that all suppliers are equally important and valued. That’s the way you get the best out of your team. For every event I’m creating a new team, they need to work in unison, alongside each other and together. No one is more important than anyone else, not even me. Teamwork is how things become magic and exceed expectations…”
C&B: “Yes, the best collaborations do feel like an orchestra – every individual and every aspect is crucial to the end masterpiece! What are the major challenges that present themselves when you’re planning a wedding, if any?”
CRQ: “Anything and everything! It can go from the slightest detail to the weather. The only challenge that I have no control over is the weather, and that’s why I always have a plan B. I refuse to move ahead without one…”
C&B: “Most responsible planners think the same way – there’s got to be a marquee or some sort of coverage in case of rain – it’s just not possible to take the risk of not having one! What’s been the most memorable occasion you’ve organised over the past eight years, and why?”
CRQ: “Each wedding, celebration and event is memorable in it’s own way; I have anecdotes from most of them, but the most memorable part of any event is when the client comes to me and thanks me for my hard work. The fact that my clients are happy is why I do this job…”
C&B: “Yes, then everything has been worthwhile! Given the opportunity, what would be your dream project?”
CRQ: “The sky’s the limit, and anything a bit different is right up my street, so bring it on! My dream project could be the one I am already working on for this autumn, or one I don’t even know about yet!”
CONTACT: http://www.la-fete.com
