Aisle Seat Alison McGill

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.