Aisle Seat

On this week's episode, we have an amazing chat about wedding fashion with the dynamic duo behind the London-based bridal brand Katya Katya. Childhood friends Katya and Marina are at the heart of the brand and their style vibe is old world romance meets modern glamour. You may recognize the label name as it was recently in the headlines—actor Christina Hendricks wore a stunning Katya Katya dress for her spring wedding in New Orleans. In a move that proves celebrities are just like us, Christina spotted the brand on Pinterest and connected with Katya and Marina about creating her dream dress, a divine high-neckline lace gown that is the perfect embodiment of Katya Katya style. On this show, we talk about Christina's dress, the process of custom design and what Katya and Marina see trending for brides in the year ahead.   

You no doubt know about lab diamonds. You probably know a little on the subject, but on this week's episode—just in time for summer engagement season—you'll learn a lot about them thanks to our guest Virginie Roy, CEO and founder of Montreal-based Proud Diamond. Virginie credits her lifelong love and passion for jewelry to her grandpa who who worked in the diaamond and gold industry. Lab diamonds are something Virginie is incredibly passionate about and are at the heart of her business. On this show, Virginie takes us on a deep dive into the world of lab diamonds. How they are created; the cost; and why they are a smart, sustainable, and ethical choice for every day, but especially for an engagement ring.

A career in PR and events was the beginning of Cameron Forbes life in party planning. Cameron is founder and principle of Forbes Functions based in New York, and on this show Alison and Cameron chat all about she is planning the perfect parties for Gen Z clients. Calling herself the “Fairy Godmother of Parties,” Cameron tells me no event is too large or too small for her and her team to handle, and Cameron's goal with every wedding she works on is to make it showstopping and hyper-personalized.

Juliana Miranda is a Toronto based lifestyle expert and owner Mia Rose & Frank. She creates the most gorgeous personalized embroidered pieces including exquisite table linens, as well beautiful porcelain tableware pieces. Juliana is a former retail executive who worked for luxury brands including Tiffany & Co. and Holt Renfrew—trust when we say she's a tastemaker and knows the DNA of a great party. We loved catching up with Juliana on this show who shares her amazing entertaining expertise and how it relates to wedding planning; how to create beautiful wedding tablescapes; and she even shares her thoughts on some classic wedding etiquette queries like where to seat those single guests.

Size inclusivity for brides is a huge conversation in the world of wedding style. The needle is moving, but we have so much farther to go. This was recognized by Laura Pantin and Monika Kakucska-Godin, two bridal fashion industry veterans who worked with together for a bridal designer for many years before breaking out on their own to open their Toronto-based bridal boutique More 2 Love Bridal which is Canada's only store dedicated exclusively to curve size brides. Monika and Laura have made a huge impact with their business which opened in 2021 and stocks an incredible size range from 16 to 44. On this show Monika and Laura chat about how they are making a difference when it comes to inclusive and luxury wedding fashion so every bride can feel incredible—as they should—on their big day.

On this week's episode we visit one of the world's most incredible resort properties, Nemacolin, a luxury getaway in the mountains of southwestern Pennsylvania that also happens to be one of the most epic spots for a destination wedding. Nemacolin sits on over 2,000 acres of property and truly offers something for everyone; arriving and Nemacolin feels like a fantasy, and events here are truly bespoke and unforgettable. On this show we chat with renowned international event designer Ed Libby, founder of Ed Libby Events, famous for his iconic parties brimming with larger-than-life elements that bring the perfect fusion of high style and whimsy which he now does with Nemacolin as a creative partner. Ed is joined by Melinda Redling, Nemacolin's director of wedding Sales who shares everything you need to know about planning the most unforgettable wedding at this incredibly exclusive and gorgeous location.  

Our chat for this episode is dedicated to groom style and what's trending for men this wedding season. My guest is Canadian designer, stylist and fashion creative Cynthia Florek who's an expert in all things style, but particularly men's style. Cynthia is currently the creative director at Tip Top where she collaborates on seasonal creative direction for the men's fashion line. On this show, Cynthia shares how grooms are taking their fashion game up in 2024, what's new in suiting and accessories for the big day and why impeccable tailoring is the essential for every sharp dressed man.

On this week's episode, we're on the move again talking planning a destination wedding on one of the buzziest islands of the moment. As we've chatted about previously, St. Kitts is an island paradise which is a haven for wellness seekers, solo tourists, adventure lovers, and especially romantic travellers. There is so much goodness and beauty on this island to discover—there's a reason St. Kitts is on American Express Travel's list of 2024 Trending Destinations. When I was recently on island staying at the gorgeous Park Hyatt St. Kitts Christophe Harbour, I caught up the resort's Event Sales Manager Jacqueline Hector to chat about weddings at this Caribbean dream of a property. It's the perfect spot if you are looking for a celebration that's all about quiet luxury and elevated touches set against a breathtaking island vista.  

Just in time for 2024 wedding season, Pinterest has just released its annual wedding report, and the trends the social platform has tipped as the biggest ones for the year ahead are anything but traditional. Everything from seriously retro inspired parties to dark romance celebrations are on the list. On this show we chat with Pinterest's Global Trends and Insights Lead Sydney Stanback about everything fresh and cool happening in the wedding space. Sydney shares how she and the Pinterest team track and predict trends, and we dive into the specifics of Pinterest's 2024 Wedding Report and the searches by pinners in the realm of wedding style, décor and more. On the note of wedding style and Pinterest's ongoing commitment to inclusion, Sydney also talks about the platform's just launched new tool, body type ranges, which gives users the choice to select what body types are featured in their search.  

This week, Alison chats with a like-minded wedding media authority on the show. Emily Williams is the Luxury Brands & Destinations Editor for London-based Weddings & Honeymoons Media. Emily is a wedding expert with a particular eye on destination weddings and honeymoons, and on this show she shares her insider intel on trending romantic travel spots as well as her hit list of haute wedding details for 2024 weddings. Emily is herself engaged and planning her own destination wedding in Italy this summer—on this episode she offers some savvy planning advice for anyone considering having their big day on location.

Philadelphia-based designer Madison Chamberlain brings a joyful energy, and a fun and whimsical aesthetic to her wedding styles. Madison is passionate about inclusivity and diversity in the wedding space and her brand represents the freedom of being who you want to be; she designs looks for individuals who want dress for themselves on the big day. On this show, Alison and Madison chat about her creative inspiration, her latest collection, and how she has made wedding accessories a speciality of her label—Madison's veils are pure art! Madison also shares some thoughts on her planning her own wedding and the pleasures and the pain of bringing her Summer 2025 party to life.  

A destination wedding in a Caribbean paradise is something so many of us dream of, and host Alison McGill recently visited one of the most perfect spots to have that party: Four Seasons Resort Nevis, West Indies. The destination and this iconic hotel property are truly magical. Getting married at Four Seasons Resort Nevis can incredibly intimate, or wildly grand. Wedding events are full of luxury touches and cinematic scenes. On this episode, Alison chat with the resort's Director of Guest Experiences Mac Kee France, and general manager Billy Cueto, about what makes the island of Nevis, and this resort, so incredibly special and a perfect spot to not only get married, but hideaway for an ultra-private honeymoon.

Vancouver designer Ou Ma was born in Beijing, attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, and worked for iconic fashion houses Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren before moving to Canada and launching her own innovative bridal wear label. OUMA the brand launched in 2017 and Ou's vision was to create a contemporary, artistic fashion brand. OUMA's brand ethos according to Ou: “An OUMA wedding dress is a moment for brides to finally see themselves in their highest light and empowered state in the unique way which they individually choose.” Ou is an inspiring female entrepreneur and ahead of International Women's Day, I chat with her about all things OUMA and how she is shaking up the wedding space, but also giving back to her community with her fashionable work.

Daughters of Simone is a California-based bridal wear line that launched over a decade ago and has been a disruptor in the wedding style space since day one and on this show, host Alison chat with designer and owner Brittany Castaños. Of the beginnings of her brand, Brit says: “I wanted Daughters of Simone to represent someone who had been overlooked by the industry at large.” Brit shares the story of the Daughters of Simone on this episode. The inspiration behind its cool, It Bride bohemian aesthetic and where she finds her creative ideas. Brit prides herself on providing a non-traditional bridal line that's a fit for everyone—inclusivity and diversity are such an important part of her brand and something she is always striving to push the narrative forward.

On this week's show, London-based wedding photographer Benjamin Wheeler is our very special guest. Benjamin is a gifted artist who has made modern, fashionable, and cool images his signature. You may know him as the photographer of one of the most memorable Royal weddings in history. When Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice married Edwardo Mapelli Mozzi during the pandemic in 2020 theirs was a gorgeous micro wedding in Windsor, and Benjamin captured all the intimate and highly personal details of the day so beautifully. The couple's photographs perfectly exemplify Benjamin's authentic and emotional-filled aesthetic. Enjoy this episode and conversation with Benjamin who's unquestionably one of the world's leading wedding photographers. 

Vancouver based bridal wear label Tempête is doing things differently in the wedding fashion space. On this week's show host Alison chats with owner Inga Avedyan all about this exciting and very modern bridal brand. Tempête launched in April of 2023, and in under a year, has made its mark as one of the most exciting and innovative labels in wedding wear. Unconventional silhouettes, innovative fabrics, and sublime accessories from veils to sleek jewelry made to be worn long after a wedding day. Inga shares the story of Tempête on this show, what's trending with brides in 2024, as well as we can expect that's new and cool for the upcoming season.

On this episode, host Alison McGill catches up friend and luxury event planner Soha Lavin owner of Vancouver-based Countdown Events. Soha brings a supreme level of creativity and elegance to everything she does, and one of the things she is famous for is the opulent Créme de la Créme. wedding showcase. This annual event is held in Vancouver and Soha began producing it 2004; the show quickly became renowned globally as one of the best, most inspirational and immersive wedding events. Soha took a break from this year's show prep to chat with me about all the beautiful things she's been up to, why this year's event at JW Marriott Vancouver is her most ambitious yet, her take on what's happening in weddings in 2024, plus Soha shares her insider insights on the most important things couples need to do post-engagement to start the wedding planning process rolling.    

Just before the holidays, Alison travelled to London and experienced a bucket list moment with a stay at Claridge's. This 200-year-old  hotel is one of the world's most storied; the service and entire on property experience is second to none. While in residence, Alison sat down with the hotel's Director of Events & Groups, Mathilde Maitre, who makes all the wedding magic happen at Claridge's with her in-house team of event experts. On this show Mathilde shares the history of the hotel and what makes Claridge's so incredibly special, why a wedding at Claridge's is the ultimate experience, and how she and her team make 'I do' dreams happen in just a few months, or even 24 hours! Everything and anything is possible at the iconic Claridge's.  

This episode is dedicated to all the that happened in weddings this year, and everything we can expect for the coming one. Our guest is a returning fan favourite: Nicole Natassha Goulding, full service luxury event planner and bridal stylist. It's always a great time when Nicole Natassha joins Alison to chat about everything we love, what's creatively inspiring us, and what we can wait to see more of in the year ahead. Aisle Seat will be taking a little after-holiday break and we will be back with brand new episodes on February 1st, kicking off the new year chatting about weddings at one of the world's most iconic and fabulous hotels, Claridges.

Sustainability has become a key consideration for so many couples planning their wedding day and on this week's show, host Alison has an amazing chat all about this with one of the industry's foremost experts on eco-conscious celebrations, event planner and eco conscious designer. Holly Perrier. Holly is the CEO of Perrier Planning based in Toronto and Vancouver and her expertise lies in helping her clients to plan sustainable, meaningful and stylish events. Earth conscious events are not a trend, but a lifestyle choice and essential consideration in every modern event. On this show, Holly chats about how to easily make your event more eco-conscious and make a large impact on the environment by doing so. Holly is also in the midst of planning her own wedding and she talks about how she's making that intimate celebration both eco friendly and super-chic.

The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto is one of the world's most historic and storied hotels. Over the years, this 94-year-old grand hotel has played host to royalty and celebrities alike. It's the most incredible destination to host a party at, particularly a wedding celebration. On this show, Morgan Cardozo, who is the director of social catering sales at Fairmont Royal York, takes us inside those incredible events. Morgan and Alison chat the history of the hotel, how she and her team bring weddings come to life, and what  makes a party at the Fairmont Royal York the ultimate one. Morgan also shares her insider intel on wedding trends for 2024.

On this week's show our guest is New York City-based bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz who helps brides curate the wedding looks of their dreams. As Gabrielle shares, she is the girl who has always been obsessed with weddings, devouring wedding magazines and binging “Say Yes To The Dress” were her teenage obsessions. She evolved those passions into a career in wedding media, taking her love of bridal fashion to the next level with her own bridal styling business. On this episode, Gabrielle talks about the rise of the bridal stylist, why the multi-looks wedding wardrobe is here to stay, fashionable grooms, and we dive into her thoughts on guest dressing and why creating a wedding guest mood board for your event is essential.  

Loversland is a Toronto bridal boutique that has been doing things differently since opening their doors almost a decade ago. On this show, I chat with owners Danielle Gulic and Yvonne Reidy, best friends and business partners who have made the wedding space a more inclusive and welcoming place and can firmly be credited with introducing and championing the cool bride aesthetic. On this show, Danielle and Yvonne share their story, their thoughts on what's trending now in wedding style, the rise of the anti-bride, and they share all the details of a very exciting new launch, Loversland's own bridal wear collection.

We're entering the sparkliest time of the year, so it's time to chat about diamonds, engagement rings and pretty things and on this show, we have a master of the craft on this week's episode, Jillian Sassone of Marrow Fine. Jillian's passion for jewelry, particularly vintage pieces has made her one of the world's most renowned designers. She loves to take something old and recreate it into something new for a next generation. On this show Jillian talks about her very special custom design process, what she loves about working with vintage and heirloom pieces and the stories they tell, the trends she's loving right now for engagement rings (antique diamonds and sapphires rule!) and more.

This week Alison chat's with New York City based luxury events planner Andrea Adelstein, CEO of NYLUX Events who shares her tips for planning your dream wedding, and she also shares her own personal wedding story—she just got married this summer at Carnegie Hall and it was an intimate day full of twists on tradition. Andrea has some very interesting reflections from her wedding and some savvy considerations for every couple to keep top of mind when it comes to the big day. Having cocktails before the ceremony, serving pizza, and ending the party earlier rather than later are just a few of Andrea's brilliant wedding planning ideas. 

Oh, how bridesmaid times have changed and on this week's show Alison has a fabulous chat all about this with the co-founders of UK-based label Rewritten London, Frances Cookson and Katie Arnott. The stylish friends launched their game-changing brand back in 2016 when they decided to rewrite the rules for bridesmaid fashion and create chic, cool and impactful designs that are a pleasure to wear for a wedding day and will become staples of an occasion dressing wardrobe for years to come. On this show Fran and Katie share their story, what's trending for bridesmaids in terms of silhouette, colour and vibes, and Fran shares some stylish stories from her own recent wedding day.  

The invitation sets the tone your party and should be considered a first look at what guests can expect from your wedding event. Jenna Wiegand is the owner and executive director of The Polka Dot Paper Shop, and she is one of the most creative designers currently working in the luxury stationary space. Jenna has the most incredible, fun, and joyful energy which she brings to her design aesthetic—what she creates out of paper is quite simply magic On this episode, Alison and Jenna chat the importance of stationary in the wedding planning process, some of the innovative and incredible projects she's produced, how she's setting new trends with her designs, invitation etiquette and more.

Ines Di Santo is an iconic and beloved luxury bridal and evening wear brand based in Toronto and on this episode host Alison drops by the flagship store to chat with Veronica Di Santo about the beautiful fashion brand started by her mother designer Ines in 1998. An Ines Di Santo gown is a dream—they are impeccably cut and crafted, and wonderfully dramatic and exquisite. These are truly the wedding dresses of dreams in every way. Ines continues to innovate and evolve what's fashionable for brides with every bi-annual collection. On this show Veronica talks the newest Ines Di Santo collection which is just rolling out now into stores; what's to expect for Fall 2024 as the collection will show in a few weeks' time in New York; and the best part of her job, and working together alongside her legendary mom Ines.   

Makeup Artist Sophie Tilley is just one of those people who has that special sparkle and as a celebrity and wedding makeup artist that's exactly what she brings to her clients. Alison and Sophie met while working together a few years ago on a fashion photoshoot in her home city of London. Sophie has been featured in Vanity Fair, The Times, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, Brides and Tatler as both a beauty contributor and writer. On this episode Sophie shares her bridal beauty secrets, product, and treatment musts, why a wedding makeup trial is essential, plus snapshot of a day in her life as one of London's most in-demand makeup artists.  

Are you Etsy obsessed? This show is for you as we have a very special guest, the incredible Dayna Isom Johnson who is Etsy's trend expert and an absolute joy to spend time with. Dayna, who is also a judge on the NBC primetime series Making It, is the authority on everything that's cool, and weddings is one of her most favourite things to talk about—you know this show is fun, fabulous, and full of essential information to plan a buzzworthy wedding celebration. Dayna shares some highlights from Etsy's hit list of the Most Inspiring Wedding Trends of the year with host Alison McGill, as well as her thoughts on why the wedding registry is essential and how to create one with Etsy, what she loves when she's a wedding guest, and much more.

The wedding wardrobe is the breakout trend of 2023 and having a full range of looks for the entire wedding event is now essential. On this week's show we chat with Raquelle Kilotaitis who is the founder and creative director of The Afterwhite, an online store that ships worldwide and has the most fashionable, curated selection of wedding-worthy styles from ceremony dresses to rehearsal styles, brunch wear, swimwear, and bridal accessories. Raquelle is a stylist and a third-generation entrepreneur whose mom is the talent behind the Daphne Newman bridalwear line, a brand famous for crafting the most exquisite veils. On this show, Raquelle talks trends, the changing landscape of dressing for a wedding and takes us inside her own recent destination wedding in Italy and her fashion story. 

This week's episode comes with pixie dust included. The Four Season's Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World is located on the grounds of Walt Disney World in a quiet residential area called Golden Oak. It's a luxury resort offering Disney-adjacent magic as only the Four Seasons can, and the weddings at this property are positively enchanting. On this show, I chat with Laure Hitzig Clavette, director of catering at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World who talks all about planning a celebration at this exclusive property and how she and her team bring dream experiences to life—no request is too small or too large, including having Mickey and Minnie Mouse as guests of honour. Laure also shares her expert industry on food and wedding menus, and why bringing your favourite restaurant dishes to life at your wedding is the one of the biggest trends of the moment.  

This week on the show host Alison chats with the creative director of one of Canada's premiere bridal boutiques who's also a recent bride. Adele Van Baren is part of the amazing team at The Modern Bride. A few months back we had The Modern Bride CEO Jess Hirst on the show, and we talked a lot about integral role marketing and social media has played in the business. Creative Director Adele works hand in hand with Jess to dream up all that magic. On this show, Adele and Alison have an immersive convo about how she connects and interacts with The Modern Bride community, what's trending in wedding style into 2024, why a wedding content creator is an essential wedding vendor. Additionally, Adele also has SO many thoughts on what every bride-to-be needs to normalize with their wedding wardrobe.

On this episode, we step inside the beautiful wedding day of beauty expert Stephanie Gee, director of operations and new media for Gee Beauty, a multigenerational business co-founded by which has beauty studios in Toronto and Miami and a booming online business at geebeauty.com. Steph and her husband Julien were married in June and had an intimate, and very personal, multi-day celebration in Toronto. On this show, Steph talks everything weddings, beauty, and wellness with host Alison, from her regimented pre-party skin prep plan she started a year out from her wedding day, to doing her own wedding makeup and tips for brides looking to do the same. We also discuss Steph's hit list of five essential things she learned as a bride which she wants to share with others on the journey.

On this week's show, host Alison McGill chats with an absolute icon of bridal style, the incomparable Pnina Tornai. You of course know Pnina for her stunning and luxurious gowns and for being a disruptor in the bridal fashion space with her sexy, sparkly and dramatic designs. Her dresses are carried exclusively at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York, a partnership of more than 20 years. Pnina of course is also famous as beloved star of Say Yes to the Dress. She is also a jewelry designer having partnered with Jared for a stunning bridal and fashion collection of pieces. Pnina has also just launched a fashion-forward line of shoes in collaboration with Naturalizer. On this episode, the 'Fairy Godmother of Brides' catches us up on everything happening with her, including a little insider intel on the next Pnina Tornai couture collection coming this October.  

On this week's show, host Alison McGill explores Scotland's Borthwick Castle, a building that dates to 1430 which has been fully restored into a luxury weddings and event space. Borthwick Castle is located 30-minutes from Edinburgh and is one of the finest surviving examples of medieval architecture and has a storied history including playing host to Mary Queen of Scots and her husband the Earl of Bothwell during her reign in the 16th century. In 2013 the castle underwent an extensive, multi-million-dollar renovation. This January, Borthwick Castle was featured in Vogue as the venue for Outlander star Graham McTavish and photographer and fashion darling Garance Doré's stunning winter wedding. On this episode, Áine Edwards and Amy Cullen from Borthwick Castle talk all about this incredible property and what having a destination wedding in this iconic 600-year-old space looks like.   

On this week's show, host Alison McGill is joined by celebrity stylist Cristiano Basicu who's artistic director of the renowned London salon Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa. To spend time in Cristiano's orbit is to truly experience beauty and style greatness, so having him as a guest on the show to talk wedding hair is a joy. Cristiano is a runway and editorial and stylist, his work has appeared in Vogue, Tatler and Harper's Bazaar to name a just a publications. He also counts a slew of A-listers as clients—look at his socials to see what icons he styles on the regular. On this episode, he shares with me over the course of his career he has worked on no less than 14 (!) royal weddings. During this charming chat, Cristiano and Alison talk the best of wedding hair trends, how to work with your stylist leading up to the day and more.

On this show, Savannah Miller joins us to chat not just about fashion and her latest bridal wear collection, but her own incredible wedding day last December. Savannah launched her own eponymous bridal collection in 2016 and her brand became instantly iconic, beloved for simple, modern, and effortless designs—the mood is elevated boho and Savannah truly is the ultimate cool-girl. Her Spring/Summer 2024 "Into My Arms" collection is one that is extra-special for Savannah: it stars not only a brand-new ball gown silhouette inspired by the dress she designed for model and writer Danielle Copperman that's become a runaway bestseller; but also a replica of her own wedding dress, named Savannah of course. Savannah married James Whewell in a festive and sparkly celebration just before the holidays and she totally leaned into the opulence and drama of the season. Savannah shares all the intimate details of her day—this wedding was pure magic! 

For the final episode of the Destination Romance Mini-Series,we're talking about how to plan a wedding in a tropical paradise with luxury event planner Natalie John. Based on the island of St. Kitts, Natalie is the owner and CEO of Dreamy Weddings, and with 23 years of event planning experience in the Caribbean she truly is one of the foremost destination wedding experts. Natalie was named one of the top 25 A-List wedding planners in the world by Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine. On this show, Natalie chats how to begin the journey to an unforgettable island wedding celebration, the key things to consider when booking and does some trend forecasting with me for the year ahead in weddings. Natalie says there's never been a more exciting time to plan a wedding day away from the everyday—it's an experience and escape both couples and their wedding guests are craving.   The Destination Romance mini-series of Aisle Seat is brought to you by St. Kitts Tourism Authority. This magical island famous for its shimmering aqua blue waters, miles of pristine white sand beaches and lush rolling landscapes was named the 2023 Caribbean Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal. As one of the world's most romantic destinations, St. Kitts is a place you can truly disconnect from modern life and connect deeply with each other. There are so many experiences to enjoy together in St. Kitts that suit every style of traveler. Indulge in world-class cuisine, cuddle up on a catamaran sunset cruise for two, zipline high above the verdant rainforest, and explore the rich history of the destination touring sugar cane fields, historic sugar mills and lovingly restored plantation properties. In St. Kitts, you will not only fall in love with the island, but the people who will make your visit even more unforgettable. St. Kitts is a beautiful choice for a destination wedding, honeymoon, or an indulgent getaway from every day. This destination has it all and it's waiting for you to explore. VisitStKitts.com to learn more and start planning your romantic escape.

St. Kitts is a destination with major buzz right now. It's one of those magical places that still has a wonderful feel of natural, untapped beauty. It's somewhere you can choose to adventure in high or low gear, or a bit of both. On this show, we'll take an up close and very personal tour of the dreamy destination and its stunning sister island Nevis with Tommy Thompson, CEO of St. Kitts Tourism Authority. Tommy, of course, is an absolute expert on the destination and on this episode shares what makes it so very special and the ideal place to escape to when you want a romantic interlude, be it a destination wedding, honeymoon, anniversary trip, or just because you need to unwind, unplug, and reconnect.   The Destination Romance mini-series of Aisle Seat is brought to you by St. Kitts Tourism Authority. This magical island famous for its shimmering aqua blue waters, miles of pristine white sand beaches and lush rolling landscapes was named the 2023 Caribbean Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal. As one of the world's most romantic destinations, St. Kitts is a place you can truly disconnect from modern life and connect deeply with each other. There are so many experiences to enjoy together in St. Kitts that suit every style of traveler. Indulge in world-class cuisine, cuddle up on a catamaran sunset cruise for two, zipline high above the verdant rainforest, and explore the rich history of the destination touring sugar cane fields, historic sugar mills and lovingly restored plantation properties. In St. Kitts, you will not only fall in love with the island, but the people who will make your visit even more unforgettable. St. Kitts is a beautiful choice for a destination wedding, honeymoon, or an indulgent getaway from every day. This destination has it all and it's waiting for you to explore. VisitStKitts.com to learn more and start planning your romantic escape.

Welcome to the first Aisle Seat mini-series! Over the next three episodes we'll be talking all about travel, and the romance of it. On a previous podcast, host Alison McGill was joined by Sarah Margulis, co-founder of Honeyfund who shared some interesting stats about marital happiness and how travelling together is an important part of it. On this episode I dive deeper into this idea with travel writer and broadcaster Natalie Preddie. Travel and Leisure, The Washington Post, and Dreamscapes Magazine are just a few places Natalie's byline has appeared. She's a woman who's always on the go and exploring some of the world's most incredible destinations. She knows the value of together time and says a getaway with her husband is one of the things that helps them stay connected. For this chat, Natalie takes us globetrotting to some of her favourite romantic destinations and shares some savvy travel tips on how to align your travel styles as a couple. The Destination Romance mini-series of Aisle Seat is brought to you by St. Kitts Tourism Authority. This magical island famous for its shimmering aqua blue waters, miles of pristine white sand beaches and lush rolling landscapes was named the 2023 Caribbean Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal. As one of the world's most romantic destinations, St. Kitts is a place you can truly disconnect from modern life and connect deeply with each other. There are so many experiences to enjoy together in St. Kitts that suit every style of traveler. Indulge in world-class cuisine, cuddle up on a catamaran sunset cruise for two, zipline high above the verdant rainforest, and explore the rich history of the destination touring sugar cane fields, historic sugar mills and lovingly restored plantation properties. In St. Kitts, you will not only fall in love with the island, but the people who will make your visit even more unforgettable. St. Kitts is a beautiful choice for a destination wedding, honeymoon, or an indulgent getaway from every day. This destination has it all and it's waiting for you to explore. VisitStKitts.com to learn more and start planning your romantic escape.

For our Season Three finale, we have an extra special episode featuring a chat with floral artist Becky DeOliveira. Becky launched her business Blush and Bloom over a decade ago and she is a disruptor, inspiration, and trailblazer in the floral realm. Becky literally eats, sleeps and dreams in a world of flowers and has over 20 years of experience in the industry. She changed the narrative around wedding flowers with her whimsical and artful designs and continues to innovate—she brings high-style to everything she does. On this show, Becky and host Alison cover a lot of ground, from Becky's creative inspirations to wedding floral budgets and of course some best-kept secret trends she loves.

On this week's show, we travel to the Emerald Isle for a spirited chat with renowned luxury event planner Olivia Buckley. As the founder and creative director of Olivia Buckley International, Olivia is the mastermind behind Ireland's most exquisite and sought-after wedding celebrations. With a heart full of passion and a keen eye for detail, Olivia artfully weaves the enchantment of Ireland into every aspect of her remarkable celebrations. The destination truly is one of the most romantic and breathtaking places imaginable for a wedding and on this show, Olivia chats about the incredible parties she plans, some of Ireland's most romantic castles and venues, why a couple's personality plans such a huge role in the look of their wedding, and more. Olivia will have you sold on planning a dream day in her beautiful homeland.  

If you have ever wondered about non-surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures and considered making an investment in treatments in advance of your wedding day this one's for you. On this episode I have an educational and enlightening conversation on this very subject with Dr. Ron Somogyi and Dr. Waqqas Jalil, cosmetic surgeons and co-owners of FORM Face + Body, who share that they have seen a definite uptick in the number women and men visiting them pre-wedding day who are looking to feel the very best version of themselves for their celebration. As the doctors' share, they work with patients to build a custom plan patients that makes everyone feel their most confident and authentic self. On the show, Dr. Jalil and Dr. Somogyi detail what procedures—both surgical and non-surgical—are the top requests, and the considerations of treatments including what procedures involve, recovery time and cost. This week's Aisle Seat podcast episode is brought to you by FORM Face + Body. Helmed by board-certified surgeons Dr. Ron Somogyi and Dr. Waqqas Jalil, FORM Face + Body are uniquely qualified in its goal to unlock the beauty and potential in every patient they meet. FORM specializes in advanced aesthetics, with a team that's dually trained in both cosmetic and reconstructive techniques. FORM creates patient-centric solutions designed with your unique goals, body symmetry, health, well-being, and personal objectives in mind. Perhaps you're hoping to enhance an area of your body, or to remedy a physical concern that restricts your movement or comfort. As a full-service clinic, every option is at your disposal, from transformative cosmetic surgery to gentle skin-refining treatments. Whatever your goal, FORM thrives at the epicenter of science and art, with a highly trained support team that guides you through your aesthetic journey from consult through aftercare—including round the clock support and complimentary skincare plans to help you celebrate and enjoy your results to the fullest. FORM Face + Body breaks the mold of traditional surgical care by forming a real connection with each patient. Empowering cosmetic solutions and a patient-first approach that's unique to you. For more information about FORM Face + Body visit their website at formfacebody.ca.

The Knot is renowed wedding planning site and vendor marketplace and on this week's show Aisle Seat host Alison has an amazing chat with Deputy Editor and wedding expert Esther Lee about trends, planning advice and the shifting landscape of wedding events in 2023 and beyond—Gen Z is bringing a unique perspective to weddings. The Knot recently released its 2022 Real Wedding Survey, and it is brimming with info and stats about everything from the current cost of weddings to proposal and engagement ring insights, to first dance music choices (hint: the top song has been in the pole position for several years now). Also, if you've ever wondered on how to have your real wedding featured by The Knot, Esther shares her insider intel on that too.   This week's episode of Aisle Seat is brought to you by Paris Jewellers, a sister-owned fine jewelry company focused on celebrating their customers' stories and community partnerships. Paris Jewellers began when an immigrant family from Vietnam opened a jewelry store in a small town while taking ESL classes and using a Vietnamese-English dictionary to communicate with customers. That single store has grown to a business of 23 locations with over 200 employees. Paris Jewellers has had the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind engagement rings for some very special clients including Emmy Award-winner Dancing with The Stars judge Derek Hough, actress Lana Condor and everyone's favourite Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe. Paris Jewellers have also raised over a million dollars for various women and children focused charities. Visit parisjewellers.com to find the ring of your dreams as well an all-star collection of dazzling pieces to add to your fine jewellery collection. Use the exclusive code AisleSeat25 at parisjewellers.com for the month of May to receive 25% off your purchase (some exclusions apply).

As the co-owner of Paris Jewellers, a Canadian-based, female-founded business, Chau Lui is an expert on engagement rings and sparkly things. Chau and her sister Trang run the business started by their mom when the family emigrated to Alberta from Vietnam. Chau's passion for jewelry is contagious and she will have you wanting to stack your collection with classic pieces, with an engagement ring of course being a mainstay of it. On this show, Chau talks engagement ring trends (oval, pear and black diamonds are super-hot!) and takes us inside the design process of a few very high-profile sparklers she personally designed worn by Kaitlyn Bristowe, Lana Condor and Hayley Erbert, fiancé of Dancing With The Stars' Derek Hough.