TLC Star Randy Fenoli Headlines Bridal Luncheon at Rivers Casino

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE SHIELDS-ROSSI

Last Sunday, Julia Lacey got dressed in white and headed to the Rivers Casino on Pittsburgh’s North Shore. She wasn’t there to get married — that isn’t scheduled until the fall of 2027 — she was there to plan it. 

“[Wedding planning] has been stressful, good, exciting, everything all together,” Lacey says. 

On June 14, the Rivers Casino held a Bridal Luncheon and Designer Showcase hosted by TLC star Randy Fenoli. Then the fashion director for Kleinfeld Bridal in New York City, Fenoli found fame on the network’s “Say Yes to The Dress,” which premiered in 2007.

Lacey says she grew up watching the show.   

“It’s not as easy to go up to New York [City] as people think it is. I think it’s exciting that they brought the event to Pittsburgh,” she says. 

Hundreds of brides-to-be, grooms-to-be and their friends and family gathered in the Bridges and Rivers Ballrooms at the casino for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. The ballrooms were decked out in red rose floral arrangements, blush table cloths and pink centerpieces for the event.

Haley Duvodecky and Angelica Morgamo attended the showcase together, although the friends are at different stages in their wedding planning. After getting engaged last year, Duvodecky says she has everything but the rehearsal dinner and small ceremony details worked out.  

“[I’m here to] make sure I have all the little details planned out, to be able to check everything off my list, even items I don’t know I need,” she says. 

As for Morgamo, she said yes two weeks ago — and has a lot of strategizing ahead before she ties the knot. 

“The main reason I’m here is because I have not been to a wedding in years and now I have to plan my own. I would say the biggest thing would be floral designs and just themes that I might want to carry over into my own wedding,” Morgamo says.  

Sipping on the “Say Yes” spritz or “I Do” mimosas, attendees were free to walk around and talk with various wedding vendors present at the event. 

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE SHIELDS-ROSSI

Abby Beauchamp, wedding coordinator at Dormont Florist, says she decided to attend the showcase as a vendor in the hopes of meeting new clientele. 

“I think that getting in front of faces and showing people what we are able to do and the versatility of what we are able to dream up,” Beauchamp says of her goals for the showcase. 

Dormont Florist has a $5,000 minimum for wedding flowers. Beauchamp says that although floral arrangements and bouquets are more expensive than people realize, they are worth it. 

“They are also one of the most impactful pieces of the day when it comes to making everything come together.” she says. “They are this tangible way to present the emotion of the day, a tangible representation of the feeling you’re trying to communicate.”

When asked what florals are trending right now she says that, while couples should incorporate their own vision, cascading pieces, vibrant greens and Amaranth are popular. During the initial consultation, Beauchamp says she always asks her clients what specific vibe they are trying to curate.    

“I had someone describe it like they wanted flowers to be a version of fireworks because they had waited so long to find each other and it was just a big celebration,” she says. 

PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE SHIELDS-ROSSI

Both of the venue’s ballrooms were filled with live music from various wedding entertainment companies around the Pittsburgh area, including Scotty Sabatasso, also known as DJ Spills, the owner of Pittsburgh Entertainment Company.

 Sabatasso says that Pittsburgh Entertainment Company offers photography, videography, photo booths, wedding officiants and, of course, DJing.

“We try to make it a one stop shop for couples,” Sabatasso says. 

Each year Sabatasso does around 30 to 50 weddings, many at the Rivers Casino. He noticed that upbeat remixes to popular songs and live musicians at ceremonies are trending —but what hasn’t changed is the need for a good DJ.  

“A good DJ really amplifies the energy of a wedding. We curate, we make sure everything stays on a timeline,” he says. 

After hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, attendees made their way into The Event Center for the sit-down luncheon. The room was filled with white and baby blue accents centered around a stage with three wedding dresses, all from Fenoli’s bridal line. 

Wearing a baby blue suit that complemented the decor, Fenoli made his way to the stage to applause from the audience. 

“You are throwing the biggest party of your life,” Fenoli told the audience. “You have a ring on your finger because someone loves you.”

Fenoli began by talking about his childhood growing up on a farm in Mt. Vernon, Ill., working as the fashion director at Kleinfeld Bridal and becoming a public figure with the success of “Say Yes to the Dress.” When describing how brides can find the perfect dress, he used examples of past clientele, but added that ultimately the bride should choose something that makes her feel good.  

“It’s the single most important dress a woman will wear, the most photographed,” he says. “What makes you feel the most beautiful, that’s the dress you choose.”

At the end of the luncheon, after everyone was stuffed with wedding cake and champagne, three brides-to-be won free wedding dresses from Fenoli’s bridal line. One lucky bride also won a $20,000 wedding reception package at the Rivers Casino. 

After Fenoli shared his slice of New York City with Pittsburghers, one attendee gave him a taste of the Steel City in the form of a Terrible Towel. Fenoli stood on the stage waving it around — and the crowd joined in by waving their napkins. 

“The fact that you get to choose this. This is something you are creating, enjoy every bit of it, these are the good times,” Fenoli told them.