Last Sunday, I had the fortune of meeting one of my favorite people in the fashion world, Randy Fenoli. Randy has been inspiring women of all ages prepare for their wedding day on TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress. I have always admired his passion, enthusiasm, and dedication to making others feel special.
The Houston Bridal Extravaganza Show is one of the biggest wedding events in the US and for good reason. The George R. Brown Convention Center is literally filled to the brim with everything from dance lessons to, of course, the wedding dress.
While I may not be preparing for a wedding, I have given advice to a fair share of brides (37 to be exact). I was so excited to hear Randy speak about everything from building confidence to finding the best styles for your body type. Promoting his book It’s All About the Dress, Randy talked about the importance of highlighting and featuring “real women”. Virtually every bridal photo shoot in mainstream media highlights brides ranging from sizes 0-4, but Randy features women of all shapes and sizes in his book, including one lucky lady from Houston.
There were two especially poignant moments for me during his talk. First, I was amazed by the struggles he conquered to get to where he is today. We often see successful people and assume that they had a cake walk to the top. He reminded his captivated audience of the importance of recognizing that everyone has a back story that may not be so evident, but those trying and difficult facts are molding us and shaping us for the unexpected. I was quite surprised to learn that when TLC first approached him about Say Yes to the Dress, his first reaction was to say “no”. My second highlight of the day was his emphasis on his three E’s:
Educate
Elevate
Empower
The second “E” especially spoke to me. Whether you are getting married or not, one of the biggest and most important challenges we face is finding ways to elevate ourselves. I think this is especially challenging for women. He goes through each “E” in detail in his book, and I highly recommend you snag a copy!
As I absolutely love Randy (even more so after witnessing his hilarious and self-deprecating talk), I naturally jumped to be the first in line to meet (and hug) him. I had to ask what tips he had to elevate to help in self-elevation. His answer? Trust your instincts and don’t beat yourself down.
Amen Randy!
Here are some of the dresses featured:
Then there’s the fun cakes:
And fun with friends:
Enjoy the weekend!
Let’s get connected ladies & gents!
Instagram:@admirablylegal
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/admirablylegal
Twitter:@MiraHaykal
Im hoping to meet him tomorrow in Pittsburgh!
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He’s adorable. You will absolutely LOVE him…good luck! And send him my best from Houston!;)
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OMG! Lovely dresses!! Awesome post! 😀
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Thank you so much!! I’m not getting married anytime soon, but it was definitely fun to see the countless styles.
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Some fabulous dresses! Looks like a fun event
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I had a blast hearing Randy, but it was definitely crazy!! Too many bridezillas!
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Really!! Cool
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thanks ms a.legal..i like him and the show also..never had an actual wedding or wedding dress (and, i know me..it would have had to have other uses!) but i enjoy watching everyone else..and his message sounds good..
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He’s definitely a character! i haven’t had a wedding myself, but it was really interesting (and rather hillarious at times) hearing some of the stories he shared that were not aired on the show. I was surprised at his focus on self-confidence vs. the dress. it was refreshing.
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Lovely photos! The dress cake is amazing ❤
I also think that your outfit is really cute. Xoxo
★ http://www.thedailyfashioninspiration.wordpress.com ★
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Thank you so much! The cake was incredible. It’s hard to capture on camera, but it was almost as tall as me! 🙂
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Wow! It is certainly such an honour to attend a VIP event like this and I hope you had a fabulous time over there and I really liked your checked dress too.https://lifestylebites3.wordpress.com
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Thank you so much! It was so fun to attend…even if I’m not a bride to be. 😉 He really would make a great motivational speaker.
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Ugh all those dresses & cakes amazing!! I wonder if there going to come to NYC.
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The cakes were insane to see in person. I’m sure the prices are too. 😉 I’m not sure if they’re headed to NYC (lucky girl), but I imagine Randy is travelling around promoting his book.
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Love his advice! Thanks for sharing :$
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Now if only I could follow it! Thanks for stopping by!
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Hey luv, your blog is awesome do you mind checking out my blog and video
https://youtu.be/2qZh9dQzuGY thanks a bunch❤❤❤🌷🌷
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Hi gorgeous! Of course I will!! Thanks so much for stopping by!:)
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Thank you so much💓💓
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HOLY. Must have really been wonderful to have met him! His designs are truly amazing and so pretty; makes me wanna get married so I can wear one of his magical creations haha. You look lovely as well Mira; your plaid dress is the cutest thing ever!
Xo. http://www.sonamnaiducreative.com
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He is so animated in his show, and he is exactly the same in person. I didn’t realize he was so into the design aspect of weddings. Such a talent!
I’m not sure if a wedding will come my way, so those who don’t do, teach.
Thank you so much! I was looking for a light dress that wasn’t white of course. 😉
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Holy cake!
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My thoughts exactly. 🙂
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That one cake that was a dress… I can’t imagine the hours spent on that.
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