Nathalie Cadet-James of the Luxe Fête Event Planning and Design Studio told theGrio: “Wedding design is so much more than selecting an expensive and beautiful centerpiece. You meet the guy. You fall in love. You get married. Somewhere in between there is an amazing story of your love.”
“Your wedding is the perfect opportunity to share that story,” Cadet-James continued. She encourages LeBron and Savannah to “create an atmosphere and tell their story. Personalizing a wedding is as easy as asking yourselves — who are we and what defines our relationship?”
The Cake: “The best cakemaker in town is Dominique’s Couture Cakes. Not only are her cakes literally a work of art — the taste is also to die for,” Cadet-James said. (http://www.dominiquescouturecakes.com/)
Rings: “For Savannah’s Tiffany-style ring with a pear shape diamond in the center along with two tapered diamond baguettes on each side, I’d take them to Ring Finger Studio to create perfect bands,” Cadet-James recommended. (http://www.ringfingerstudio.com/)
Hair: “The most consistent hair salon in Miami is Rik Rak,” Cadet-James told theGrio. “They are awesome and can work their magic on all ethnicities.” (http://www.rikrak.com/)
Flowers: “Karla Dascal Conceptual Events has the most refined taste in Miami,” said Cadet-James. “I love designing weddings with them. They are also used to celebrity client demands and complexities.” (http://karlaevents.com/)
The Gown: “Most of my clients go directly to the designer” Cadet-James mused. “She actually looks like a very down-to-earth, beautiful girl. Someone like Amsale would be good for her,” she offered. The African designer, Amsale Aberra is pictured here. (http://amsale.com/)
The Tux: “That’s a really hard question. We would have to go to the designers in Italy for him,” Cadet-James said. Prada anyone?
Bridesmaids’ Spa Day: “Savannah and her bridesmaids would have a field day at the Viceroy Spa. It’s ridiculously breathtaking and relaxing.” (http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/miami/)
Top Photographers: Ozzy Garcia or Tony Gajate would be perfect for the NBA king and queen, said Cadet-James. “They photograph a wedding as if it were a fashion spread.” (http://ozzygarciablog.com/ & http://www.tonygajate.com/)
The Venue: “The venue is definitely important in terms of establishing a luxury wedding,” the high-end event planner stated. “One of the most exciting venues right now in Miami is the World Symphony Building designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry (a $160 Million building).” (http://www.nws.edu/)
The Afterparty: “The after party is a popular trend” for luxury weddings, according to Cadet-James. LeBron and Savannah may want to create a post-wedding atmosphere that “essentially feels like a club,” she said.
The Honeymoon: “Two words: Viceroy Anguilla.” (http://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/anguilla/)
Her closing advice? Cadet-James suggests: “Create a loose inspiration board filled with images you love and that represent you and your fiancé. The element that gets you most excited when you go back to peak in the middle of the night is your ‘brand.’ Identify it and run with it like crazy in the design!”
Ever since LeBron James got engaged to his long-term girlfriend Savannah Brinson on New Year’s Eve, the city of Miami has been abuzz with expectations about the glitz and glamour promised by the coming ceremony.
“I think everybody is excited,” local tastemaker Robbie Bell told theGrio. “Everybody is trying to guess where it is going to be, and truly [hoping] that it will be in Miami.”
Because Brinson and James hail from Ohio, there is a chance that the high school sweethearts might not hold their nuptials in their newly-adopted home — but this is not stopping area event planners, caterers and venue operators from fantasizing about what their ideal Miami wedding would be like.
Bell — who styles herself as “an urban lifestyle specialist” — is a realtor and nightlife expert who credits the glamorous couple with contributing to the revitalization of Miami ever since James joined the Heat.
“People want to go where the athletes go,” Bell explained. From luxury shops to high-priced restaurants, the thrill that James has brought to the city has been felt in all of Miami’s most exclusive places — and anticipation over his wedding is kicking the fire up a notch.
“Everybody is trying to get the right eyes on them,” Bell said of Miami’s party purveyors. “It would be a coup to get the Lebron James wedding.”
Home to a bevy of great fete planners, Miami is known for seriously swanky soirees executed with high attention to detail. LeBron James’ staff recently rejected a cake intended for the New Year’s party at which he proposed to his new fiancée — even though it was free. For a wealthy man with refined tastes, the gourment cake wasn’t considered adequate for the party that doubled as his 27th birthday bash. LeBron’s standards for his wedding will surely be more stringent.
And in a city known for flash, James will have to get creative if he wants to impress.
“Miami was just voted the most vain city in the country,” food and dining columnist for the Miami Herald Nancy Ancrum told theGrio. “We wear our wealth, we wear our botox, we wear who we are on our sleeves. We don’t do subtle,” Ancrum said about the level of extravagance the marriage is expected to generate.
Nathalie A. Cadet-James is an expert at creating the most fabulous of this beach town’s festivities. If James and Brinson want to celebrate their union with a stylish blowout that thrills even Miami’s biggest afficiandos of bling, her Luxe Fête Event Planning and Design Studio might be the perfect place for them to start.
“Miami is very excited that he’s here, and that she’s here,” Cadet-James said of James and Brinson. “They are like our own king and queen getting married.”
What kind of gala should these sports royals throw to make an impact in a town known for doing it big — while expressing their love?
“That’s an interesting question,” Cadet-James said. “You don’t want it to look like Kim Kardashian’s wedding, which was nothing more than a production. They need to stay away from that.”
The luxury party planner elaborated: “That doesn’t mean they can’t spend a lot on their wedding and do something beautiful, but they have to make sure it’s personalized.” More important than money spent or the desire to impress others, James and Brinson should make their wedding an expression of their love story.
“If they keep it personalized at the core, the wedding will have a soul,” Cadet-James emphasized. “When did she meet him? How did they fall in love? Where do they like to travel? You can take details from that and create a beautiful design.”
The type of location and the number of people the couple would like to host are critical components to consider when planning a Miami dream wedding. The locale offers multifarious venues ranging from huge hotels to private estates.
As the pair already has two children, Cadet-James offers that, if their wedding officiant says a blessing over the entire family, this would add a tender element to their union.
Another innovative touch? “I would love to see a full-on choir at their wedding,” Cadet-James advised, to add a unique touch of black heritage. “For certain, goose bumps would start immediately. That would set the mood right away.”
However LeBron and Savannah choose to publicly legalize their love, hopes remain high that they make Miami the place they tie the knot, and that they keep the festivities grand.
“The most shocking thing would be if they had an intimate wedding,” Bell said. “Or if they eloped. You would see the faces fall in the hotel and catering business.”
But Ancrum wouldn’t bet her money on James and Brinson keeping things simple.
“I don’t see them eloping somewhere to a little private island,” Ancrum said. “But you never know. I remain open to being surprised.”
