TLC star Randy Fenoli will be in Wilmington this October for an event with the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.
By Meg Ryan
From his childhood upbringing in Illinois, Randy Fenoli knew he wanted to be involved in charities and giving back.
Today, the star of TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress” and “Say Yes To The Dress: America,” is doing just that involvement with at least 30 charities. This includes the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, as the star will host “An Intimate Evening with Randy Fenoli” on Monday, Oct. 21 beginning at 5:30 p.m., at Salesianum School in Wilmington.
The fundraising event with Fenoli is celebrating the coalition’s 10th anniversary of its Great Stuff Savvy & Home Resale Shops. Along with a meet and greet opportunity and Q&A with Fenoli, there will be an online auction with boutique fashions, jewelry, handbags, and accessories, plus furniture, art, and home decor, according to the coalition’s website.
Fenoli’s Power of Pink Bridal Gown, first unveiled in Barcelona this spring, will also be on display. Fenoli said this gown is dedicated to all women and celebrating their strengths through hardships. The pink is a nod to breast cancer awareness.
Fenoli has plenty of titles under his belt including fashion and beauty expert, and author of “It’s All About The Dress.” But, charity work is one of his biggest passions.
“It’s one of the main goals of my entire life,” he said.
Working with charities that celebrate women and their strengths is important for Fenoli who lifts women up everyday with his work.
“My whole mantra is to empower women and make them feel beautiful and confident, especially on their wedding day,” he said.
Fenoli is well known for his work on the TLC shows, helping women find their perfect wedding dress at Manhattan’s Kleinfeld Bridal. At first, the designer declined to be on the show as he was never interested in being a part of reality tv.
But, after the first season, he saw the show evolve into something greater than a simple reality show after making a sale.
“I think the show is brilliant. It’s not just about wedding dresses. It’s about the family unit,” he said.
Fenoli relates the show to one of his favorite sitcoms, “The Golden Girls,” because while it discussing deep subjects, viewers still walk away laughing and happy. “Say Yes to the Dress” has touched on multiple deep topics including cancer, loss of a family member and losing a limb, among others.
“We deal with these really heavy, deep subjects but when you leave the show, you’re always smiling and feeling good because at the end you see this beautiful couple getting married through all the obstacles and everything,” he explained.
The designer’s favorite part of working on the show is the moment every time a woman steps on the pedestal in the perfect dress and sees herself as beautiful.
“Sometimes it’s for the very first time,” he said.
Seeing the bride know she looks beautiful now and will look beautiful for her wedding day is like winning an Academy Award for Fenoli.
Fenoli’s advice to brides looking for their perfect wedding dress is simple: “the dress really needs to represent who you are as a couple,” he said.
Think about your relationship, are you athletic, a night owl in sparkly outfits or more traditional? Fenoli explains after figuring that out, it’s all about finding the dress that makes you feel beautiful. It’s less about what the dress looks like and more about how the bride feels in it.
“It doesn’t even matter what she’s wearing if she’s wearing that smile and that confidence. That’s going to show through,” he said.
For more information on the event, visit debreastcancer.org.
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