Aisle Seat

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 formfaceandbody.ca.

The Knot is a global leader in wedding media 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 for the month of May to receive 25% off your purchased (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 emigratedto 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 ofDancing With The Stars’Derek Hough.

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 emigratedto 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 ofDancing With The Stars’Derek Hough.

Canadian designer Catherine Langlois creates beautiful things, and on this episode, she takes us inside her world of custom wedding dress design. There is nothing quite like the bespoke experience in fashion, particularly when it comes to a wedding dress. Being able to create the dress of your dreams and every divine detail about it is an extremely special collaborative process that Catherine absolutely adores. On the show, Catherine talks the process of bringing a one-of-a-kind wedding dress to life, her creative inspirations, and what’s currently haute in the world of bridal style if you are dreaming up a dress for the year ahead.

On this show host Alison McGill chats with Sara Margalis CEO and co-founder of Honeyfund, the honeymoon registry service which single handedly changed the game of wedding gifting. Sarah launched Honeyfund in 2006 after she and her husband were planning their own dream honeymoon and instead of a setting up a tradition registry, asked their guests to help them achieve their travel goal. To date, over eight hundred million dollars have been gifted through Honeyfund registries. On this show, Sara talks what’s trending in honeymoon destinations (for the first time in decades, Hawaii is NOT number one!), and she also shares some insightful stats on marital happiness and how travelling together (and taking that all important inaugural trip as just marrieds) is an integral part of it.

Hiring a wedding planner truly is the best investment you can make for your wedding day. On this episode, host Alison McGill chats with Alexandra Denniston, owner and lead planner of luxury event business Eventlightenment Planning, about why having pro wedding player on your team is so key. Ali is based in beautiful Rhode Island and has her finger on the pulse of wedding trends, but also on wedding education for her clients—there are a lot of little secret to dos and costs that come along with an event. On this show, Ali shares her thoughts on how to successfully navigate the wedding planning process, why a bold colour palette is her choice design trend, and her thoughts on an essential budget item that is often never factored into a planning spreadsheet.

When you own a bridal fashion boutique housed in a stunning century-old, beautifully restored loft space, you of course plan your dream wedding there. That is exactly with Jessica Hirst of The Modern Bride did for her 2022 New Year’s Eve wedding, and what a party it was. On this episode, Jess takes us inside her gorgeous black-tie wedding day and through her epic fashion story, a parade of stunning wedding looks from designers including Katherine Tash, Georgia Young, Sarah Seven and OUMA. We also talk about her beautiful business which she co-owns with her mother Donna, the uniqueness of the wedding dress shopping experience, and what you can expect to see trending in bridal fashion in the year ahead.

California-based Claire Pettibone is our guest this week and, on this show, we dive into her magical couture creations which she and her team handcraft at the company’s headquarters, a charming 1920s castle in Los Angeles. Pettibone’s vibe is feminine, vintage, and fanciful. She first launched her business in 1994 as a lingerie designer; she entered the bridal space 10 years later. More than 20 years later she continues to evolve her brand and style aesthetic in beautiful, modern ways. On this show Claire talks about her stunning new Adorned collection, shares a charming childhood story which shaped the beginnings of her bridal design career, and her thoughts on when you know you have found the perfect dress.

On this week’s show, I have a super fun chat withsoon-to-be-married food influencers Katherine Moore and restauranteur Chef Randy Feltis. This couple are social media darlings loved for their easy, entertaining and delicious recipes showcased on their social platformsKatherine Wants. They are planning a Summer 2023 wedding at home that will naturally be an epic food event. On this episode Katherine and Randy talk about their second chance-at-love romance, the challenges of planning their wedding at home and the best wedding food trends of the moment including what will be on the menu for their own celebration.