Aisle Seat

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.