Aisle Seat

Canadian fine jewellery brand bluboho has made ethically sourced sapphires a hallmark of their engagement ring designs, many of which are one-of-a-kind. On this show Alison chats with bluboho founder Maggie Aurocco about the brand she founded 16 years ago and why creating modern heirloom pieces has always been a top priority. "From day one the focus of bluboho has always been on stunning design that are not just beautiful but heirloom quality," Maggie says. On this show Maggie shares what inspires her and her creative team, why the Montana sapphires used in bluboho's engagement ring designs are so magical, she takes us on a journey to St. Kitts which is the inspiration for a three-part collaboration of highly collectible pieces. The bluboho X St. Kitts 'safe travels, wild heart' collection includes eight bespoke engagement rings, plus a stunning lineup of charms inspired by the Caribbean island—there will be a third chapter launching in the autumn of 2026.

This episode of Aisle Seat podcast is brought to you by St. Kitts Tourism Authority. St. Kitts is an uncrowded yet vibrant destination, ideal for those who want to go off the radar and value unique experiences over traditional getaways. Layers of undulating mountains, beaches with sand that ranges from champagne to midnight black, and one of the few rainforests in the world that is still expanding, St. Kitts is a place you and your loved one can truly disconnect from modern life and connect deeply with each other. Vibrant experiences include visiting a coffee farm in the mountains, hiking through the rainforest with one of the island's medicine men, and swimming coral gardens among vibrant and varied sea life. 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 the offbeat choice for a destination wedding, honeymoon, or discreet getaway from every day. This boutique destination is waiting for you to explore at visitstkitts.com. Log on to learn more and start planning your romantic escape.

Wedding magazines are a particular love for us here at Aisle Seat—host Alison McGill was the Editor-in-Chief of celebrated Canadian-based publication Weddingbells for many years. On this show, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a beautiful new wedding-focused title, G&G Weddings, produced by the creative minds behind the award-winning publication Garden & Gun Magazine. Executive Editor Amanda Heckert chats with Alison about the inspiration behind G&G Weddings, an idea which had been percolating with the magazine's editorial team for some time and was born as a result of the popularity of the G&G's online wedding content. Amanda and Alison chat about the joy wedding media brings to readers, the process of having a real wedding covered by the publication, what's trending in weddings for the year ahead and when you can expect the next drop of G&G Weddings—the inaugural issue was such huge hit the editors are already working on a second one.

As this year draws to a close, we're looking ahead to what to expect for 2026 in the world of weddings and this chat with Canadian-based luxury event planner Alexandria Damouni from OMG Events will get you inspired about the ins and outs of stylish celebrations. For Damouni and her clients, it's not about what's cool for colour palette choices or viral florals, it's about being intentional in your day. "Experience is trending, and emotion is trending," Damouni shares with host Alison. On this episode we'll talk about the evolution of the wedding guest experience, why weddings need to reclaim their emotional impact and resonance and how couples are redefining what luxury means for their big day.

The most important part of a wedding day is a detail that's often not given proper love: the vows. These are powerful words and writing them (along with wedding speeches and a personalized ceremony) can feel overwhelming for many of us which is why hiring a pro to coach you through the process and help you craft the perfect wedding script is a very smart idea. Brian Franklin is founder of Los Angeles-based Vows & Speeches a business he launched four years ago, and his superpower is making you sound amazing. "Getting help with writing your vows doesn't make it less personal, it's actually the opposite," Brian shares. On this show he chats with host Alison about what makes for the most meaningful wedding vows and why humour should be a key component of them. Brian also shares some wedding speech disaster stories, his process for working with clients and why rehearsing your wedding vows or speech to ensure a flawless delivery is the secret to public speaking success.

On this show, Alison chats with renowned custom jewellery designer Kat Florence who creates dazzling bespoke pieces. Kat is famous for her one-of-a-kind jewellery crafted with dazzling, rare gemstones (Golconda diamonds are her current obsession) fashioned into collectible pieces that feel at once old world and modern. "I love the contrast of the old with the new," is how Kat describes her design aesthetic. Kat shares her favourite engagement ring ideas of the moment on this episode, and why she has a particular passion for coloured gemstones. She also talks about her latest business venture, Kat Florence Hotels, a luxury boutique property which she opened a year ago in her Canadian hometown of Elora, Ontario. The intimate hotel just won a 2025 Conde Nast Readers' Choice Award; Kat has created the ultimate getaway, a place to slow down, savour and feel extremely well taken care of.

The biggest trend in wedding style? Vintage wedding looks and on this show host Alison chats with an expert in the world of vintage fashion, Cher Thornton owner of Toronto's Vintage Bride boutique. Cher has been in the vintage clothing business since 2008 and over the years bridal fashion became her specialty. Her store stocks upwards of 3o0 styles on any given day with wedding dresses spanning the decades from the 1930s through Y2K. On this episode, Cher and Alison chat about what designs and decades are currently trending with modern brides, why vintage has become so huge as wedding style choice, tips for finding your dream vintage wedding dress and how much time you realistically need to land an heirloom treasure.

Diamond alternatives are trending as the hautest choice for engagement rings and one of the brightest and most beautiful stones is moissanite. Canadian fine jewelry brand El&Elle has made this sparkling lab grown stone the star of their lineup, and on this show Alison chats with company co-founder Louis and Justin De Bernardi about the rise of moissanite as a choice gemstone for engagement rings and statement jewelry. "When people see moissanite in person, they can't stop talking about the shine that comes from it," Louis shares. "Not only is this stone more affordable than diamonds, but a more sustainable choice which is something that is a key pillar of our brand." Other things covered in this sparkling conversation include Louis and Justin's thoughts on their favourite engagement ring settings of the moment, why hefty carat sizes are now more attainable, and what they feel the most underrated stone cut is, one which they have beautifully mastered, and share is one of their favourites in their current design lineup.

On this show Alison welcomes back Sara Margulis co-founder and CEO of Honeyfund. Sara started her company 20 years ago in 2005 and the inspiration came from her own wedding when friends and family came together to help make her dream honeymoon a reality. On this episode, Sara shares some hot destinations couples are travelling to for honeymoons in 2025 (hello, Iceland!), up and coming spots she thinks are perfect for romantic travel, and why travelling together and specifically a honeymoon are vital for a happy marriage. Sara also chats about the etiquette surrounding wedding gifting and the one thing you should never, ever expect from your guests.

The custom engagement ring is having a mega-moment thanks to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. So too are romantic old mine cuts and elongated shapes, and on this show we get into all of these Taylor-centric trends with Cathy Shen, a Vancouver-based jewelry designer and owner of Ma Folie. Creating bespoke engagement rings is the foundation of Cathy's Vancouver-based business and she is passionate about pieces stacked with meaning, and personalization. "If you want something very intentional you go to a small jeweler or designer to create that piece which reflects you and your partner," Cathy shares in this chat. Host Alison and Cathy get into the specifics of designing a custom engagement ring; why she loves sapphires for as a star-stone to make a ring truly bespoke; and how Taylor's instantly iconic engagement ring will shape trends for years to come.

Weddings are no longer just events, they are experiences full of personal touches and meaningful moments for both the couple and their guests. On this week's show host Alison chats with Alexandra Clement McNamara, creative director and founder of Clement & Co. Events in Toronto about how couples are making their celebrations authentic and uniquely in 2025. Alexandra also shares an insider look at what's we can expect to see trending for 2026 weddings which she and her team are well into working on with clients. Expect to see more intimate weddings and classical European influence when it comes to venues, decor and wedding fashion.