The year of weddings is underway, so that means Say Yes To The Dress is back! Season 20 of the hit show premieres July 9 on TLC and will be full of brides finding that perfect dress, heartfelt reunions, and more. Say Yes To The Dress veteran Randy Fenoli has been with the show almost since its inception, and he is stunned by how much an impact the show has had for 15 years.
“I started at Kleinfeld’s on the last day of filming of season 1. I remember when season 1 aired, it was really more about the consultants and what was going on behind the scenes. I remember saying to myself, ‘I don’t think they’re going to go for season 2.’ So now for us to be on season 20 after 15 years, I can’t tell you how lucky and blessed I feel,” Randy told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY.
Despite the show having 15 years under its belt, Randy noted that season 20 will feature new and exciting stories we’ve never seen before. “There’s always a situation I’ve never experienced before,” Randy said. “We have one bride who came in with her four sisters. Their parents passed away when they were very young and they got separated. Now they’re grown up and are able to come together and have this wonderful moment. It kind of reminded me of my childhood because I lost my sister at a very young age. She was basically like my mother. It was one of the experiences that just brought it home for me personally.”
He continued, “We have another bride actually that has a rare joint disease, and she’s unable to use her arms. She literally has to use her feet to put on her makeup and do things. I’ve never had that experience. It’s really great. One bride is a competitive singer, so she and Krissy, one of the consultants, she also sings. When she found the right dress, they did a little duet. It’s always something new and fresh with every single bride. I think that’s another reason why the seasons just keep going because there’s always something new around the corner that we haven’t experienced.”
Familiar faces from the show’s past will also be returning in season 20 for the reunion show. “It’s like seeing an old friend and somebody that you love or a colleague that you worked with. You get to go down memory lane and share those moments,” Randy gushed. “We’re so busy working at the salon sometimes that you don’t get a chance to sit down, so it was great to just sit back and reminisce about old times of brides and different stories and it’s wonderful. I can’t wait to see that reunion episode air.”
Twenty seasons is an incredible feat for any series, so how long does Randy think the show can last? “I honestly can’t believe it’s lasted this long, but at the same time, I can’t personally see an end coming to it,” Randy told HollywoodLife. “Every show comes to an end, but it’s one of those shows that I think is so iconic… I think to be able to create a catchphrase is just so cool. Long after the show is gone, that will be said in bridal salons probably forever. It’s just so cool. I think the show gave people an appreciation for what brides go through. The guys who watch the show had no idea how important this moment was for a bride. I think it also teaches people how to treat their loved ones during that appointment because they’re not acting right I will call them out!”
The season will highlight the versatility that brides are looking for with their dresses these days. “I think what’s really trending in bridal right now is kind of the convertible look where you get a wedding dress and it gives you several looks, like the straps come off, the sleeves come off, or the train comes off,” he noted. “I know that in my collection, every single dress that has a sleeve, and I have quite a few of them actually, has these invisible snaps and you can’t even tell and then they come off or the train comes off… I think brides today are wanting two looks, but it’s not always in their budget to get two dresses. So I think that’s a huge trend is to give them two looks or several looks in one dress.” Say Yes To The Dress airs Saturdays on TLC.