Aisle Seat

If the idea of having a dreamy 500-acre property just outside of New York City in the Hudson Valley all to yourself for your party, Cedar Lakes Estate in the Hudson Valley is the place. This property has topped travel lists including Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards and has a beautiful history. The property was home to a legendary summer camp which began in 1929 and was purchased in 1986 by the Karvellas family who not only brought it back to life but transformed the property into the most incredible event venue under the leadership of sisters Lisa and Stephanie Karvellas. These women have created a one-of-a-kind event destination on the grounds of their childhood home, a luxe, rustic escape which is all about incredible food, service, and creating unforgettable experiences. It’s also favourite spot of celebrities—actor Beanie Feldstein and her wife Bonnie Chance-Roberts married there in 2023 and the gorgeous day was featured in Vogue. On this show, I chat with co-owner Lisa to learn all about weddings as Cedar Lakes Estate and why it’s one of North America’s premiere destination wedding spots.

We’re back from summer break with a new show! On this episode we chat with two amazing women who head up one of the top bridalwear lines in Canada, Kathryn Bass Bridal. Kathryn and her business partner Kelsey McIntyre are a dream creative team who create fashion magic in the Vancouver studio. Their designs are whimsical, ethereal and made for the modern bride with size inclusivity always at the forefront of everything they create. I caught up with this dynamic duo recently to talk trends, shopping tips and they also give a teaser into the new 2025 collection which drops in just a few days—prepare for serious gorgeousness!

Nadia Manjarrez is an incredible bridal wear designer who made a huge impact on wedding style since releasing her first collection just a few years ago. Nadia trained for her career in fashion in her native Mexico before moving to New York in 2011 for a design internship and went on to work luxury eveningwear brands including Badgley Mischka and Marchesa. Nadia moved back to Mexico in 2020 and unofficially started her business in her parent’s home when several of her friends commissioned her to design their wedding dresses—this was the beginning of her atelier, Nadia Manjarrez Studio. On this show Nadia shares everything about her newest collection which is full of romantic and dramatic designs like drop waist gowns, textural tulle and exquisite lace. She talks creative inspirations and why empowering women in her Mexican community is a key part of her brand. Nadia also talks about her own incredible wedding wardrobe—she had designed looks, all of which were spectacular!

On this week’s show, Alison meets a new bridal fashion friend, Agnese Petraglia who a designer and the founder of Medusa London. Italian born Agnese creates beautiful things and her career in wedding style started when she moved to London from her native Italy in 2014. She always had a love for crafting and making things and soon discovered fashion was her passion. She launched Medusa London in 2021 and it’s a label that puts sustainability first and foremost in everything they do. On this show, Agnese chats all about why eco-consciousness should be first and foremost when considering any fashion, particularly wedding designs. We talk about the custom design process which the choice of many of her Agnese’s clients, her stunning capsule collections, Medusa London’s exclusive sustainable fabrications, and more.

Anne Sportun is iconic Toronto-based fine jewelry brand started in 1987 by artist and designer Anne. Renowned for pieces that are statement, modern, and organic in feeling inspired by natural and organic forms, engagement rings have always been a particular passion of the brand and never more so than now with Anne’s daughter Haley Woodbury who’s a co-owner of the business focusing her custom jewelry expertise on all things wedding bling. On this show, host Alison and Haley chat about what’s trending for engagement rings this year—antique diamonds, gemstones and custom one-of-a-kind pieces are the biggest ask. Haley also talks budget—as in what’s actually realistic—and why lab diamonds can be a great choice. Recent newlywed Haley also shares details of her day and what she decided on for her own ring which is spectacular.

This week on the show Alison chats with real bride Becca Webster—a five-time World Cheerleading Champion and star of the Netflix show Cheer Squad—who just married her longtime love, Dee Guertin. The brides’ big day had the most stunning details—a dreamy wedding venue, a romantic-modern aesthetic, and incredible fashion for the brides and their squads. Becca has a huge social following and has been documenting every moment of her wedding planning since she and Dee were engaged in 2022; their party has totally gone viral. On this episode Becca shares all the details of her romance, engagement, and wedding day, and how she and Dee have felt so supported by all the love their day has received. “What really fills our cup is knowing our wedding could help provide a light at the end of the tunnel for other members of the LGBTQ2+ community,” Becca says. Becca also talks about her new career as a wedding content creator and her business Secco Studios which was born out of a love for creating content for her own wedding. Becca knows what it takes to make wedding content go viral and she says this is the top request of clients she’s working with in 2024.

This week we have an inspiring chat with luxury wedding planner Raj Grewal founder and principal of LUX Affairs in Vancouver. Raj has an amazing energy and her passion for the wedding industry; she’s an innovator and a visionary who makes major magic happen for couples to ensure their celebration is unforgettable. Raj’s background is actually in finance, and she started planning weddings as a side hustle; she made events her full-time passion when she founded her company 10 years ago. With a specialty in Indian weddings, Raj has become renowned as one of the world’s top luxury event planners and on this shows she shares her insights into what’s trending with weddings for the year ahead, why dreaming big for your day is always a good idea but having a pro team in place to guide you through those decisions and making sure it’s a smart use of your money is key.

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.