Fit for a King
Words: Michelle Wallace IG @my.michelle.w
Photography: Sergey Yusin @sergey_yusin
Wardrobe: Jaxson Maximus @jaxsonmaximus
Make-up: Julia Brig @juliabrigmia
style | June 01, 2021
Nathalie Cadet-James:
Event Planner
| The Creative Corner
A former attorney who clerked for a Federal judge and worked at top law firms, Nathalie found her true calling as an entrepreneur in 2008 when she launched Luxe Fête, an international event planning and design studio. Since then she has been named by BRIDES Magazine one of the top planners in the United States. Her clientele includes fashion houses, political candidates and global Fortune 500 CEOs. After a few years when Nathalie was looking to scale Luxe Fête and expand into other business lines, she applied to the Babson College Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab, a venture accelerator for women entrepreneurs, in part sponsored by FedEx. In this accelerator, she launched Luxe Fête Social, a turnkey dinner party rental service that leverages the power of the internet to make the joys of connecting over a beautiful setting, great food, and stimulating conversation easily accessible at one’s home.
Luxe Fête Social was named one of the Top 10 startups to watch in Miami by the Miami Herald, and also the 1st Place and People’s Choice winner of 2018 Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge. Nathalie is deeply passionate about telling stories, creating spaces that connect people and celebrating life. Featured in numerous national and international publications, she is recognized as an “industry innovator” and “event guru.” Her innovative yet timeless approach to planning and designing events has drawn the likes of high profile brides, executives and clientele which include Hillary Clinton, Christian Dior, Gucci and Prada.
Q: Where are you from?
A: Haitian American - from Miami, Florida
Q: How long have you been in Miami?
A: 41 years
Q: What was your career path?
A: A former attorney, I spent 8 years working at top law firms and clerking for a Federal Judge before I found my true calling: event planning and design. I am now the Founder and CEO of Luxe Fête Event Planning and Design Studio and Luxe Fête Social.
Q: Who influenced you the most?
A: My mother influenced me the most. My parents made many sacrifices to give us great opportunities. Family was always first. Somehow, my mother found a way to balance both family and work. She is a brilliant businesswoman who operates with grace, grit and passion. My ultimate hero.
Q: What motivates you?
A: The opportunity to be a storyteller through my design and event planning. After our basic needs of food and a home, stories are the thing we need most in the world - it stays in your heart.
Q: What’s a typical day like for you?
A: 5:00 a.m.workout, get the girls ready for school, meetings with clients or my team (sometimes internationally), soccer and dance for the girls, then wind down family time with my husband.
Q: Can you describe that "moment" (experience, emotion,) when you knew that you were pursuing your passion?
A: A father of one of my grooms was a Fortune 500 CEO. During the wedding, he told me, “Young Lady, you could run a Fortune 500 company. Thank you for bringing my family together like this.” The opportunity to create environments that connect people is truly a blessing. That was my first “aha” moment.
Q: Any projects in the works?
A: Always a project in the works! We are very excited about Luxe Fête Social, our dinner party rental service. Now more than ever, the pandemic has underscored the importance of meaningful human connection and community. We are primed to see the rebirth of the dinner party in consumers’ homes and Luxe Fete Social is ready to make it easy for everyone. There are of course some beautiful weddings and corporate events that we have scheduled in the fall and spring. My team truly cant wait for all of it.
Q: What is something most people wouldn’t know about you?
A: Most people would not know that I cut my hair this length as a matter of utility - it would take too much time to do my hair, and my girls hair!
Q: What’s a quote you live by?
A: “Grace will take you places hustlin’ can’t.”