Bridal designer and TLC star Randy Fenoli is the darling of brides-to-be across the country. So it's no surprise that each time he appears at Houston's Bridal Extravaganza he addresses an adoring sellout crowd. Such was the case last month, when 15,000 poured through the turnstiles at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Granted, not all 15,000 could sit in on his lecture or garner those all-important selfies, but once again his take on the wedding dress drew an SRO crowd. As flamboyant and as fun as ever, Fenoli shared a bit of his wisdom on wedding dress selection and his view of up and coming trends in bridal gowns.
Three points to remember in dress selection, according to Fenoli:
* Brides should follow their personal look and their "story," be who you are rather than re-invent yourself for that walk down the aisle.
* When selecting the best dress, remember that it is all about proportion. A bride with full hips should balance her look with a fuller base of the dress while a petite bride should focus on smaller proportions and smaller accessories.
* Most brides would insist on this in any case, but Fenoli advises that the bride try on the dress to insure that the silhouette is proportionate to her body type.
As for trends in the wedding gown market place, Fenoli mentioned five new or expanded approaches to wedding gowns:
* Straps and sleeves are being favored in place of the strapless gown. However, Fenoli doesn't think it's a trend that will last as, he believes, sleeves and straps prohibit freedom of movement as in they can't raise their arms, particularly for fun dancing. He says that glamorous shrugs are being favored over sleeves.
* Dramatic silhouettes are in favor with brides wishing to make a bigger statement with their gowns.
* Trains are going short, veils long as brides forgo the cumbersome train in favor of freedom of movement.
* Some brides are going for a Bohemian style in their gowns.
* Adding a pop of color in accessories is growing in popularity, such as a hint of color in the wedding pumps or gown trims.
New episodes of TLC's Say Yes to the Dress, staring Fenoli as dress designer, begin airing March 6.
Joe and Jan Jordan, left, loan Randy Fenoli their Rolls Royce golf cart for a spin around the George R. Brown.
