"Say Yes to the Dress" star Randy Fenoli was in town recently for an appearance at the Grand Wedding Expo at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, in Cranston. We caught up with the wedding gown expert (a former fashion director at New York's Kleinfeld Bridal salon) to talk tips and trends -- and find out what it's like to advise thousands of brides. 

Q: For many women, a lot of anxiety comes up around choosing the perfect dress. Any advice on ways to reduce it? 

A: It is difficult because the bride wants everybody to love the dress. She wants her mother's approval. She wants her dad to be proud of her. She wants to look sexy enough for her fiancé. She wants her friends to love it and she wants something that's going to make her look good, too. 

Just remember when you were single and never thought that you would find a guy. It's the same thing. Eventually you will find a dress that makes you feel beautiful.mermaid chiffon one shoulder wedding dress I've yet to have a bride walk down the aisle naked. Trying on wedding dresses should be fun. If not, go elope. Why all the pressure and the stress? It's your choice. 

Q: What trends are you seeing right now in bridal fashion? 

A: This past season, designers came out with a lot more straps and sleeves and interesting backs. I think they're thinking about what brides are asking for. They want to make sure the dress looks good from all angles.Asymmetric neckline dress 

But the real trend is that brides can look any way they want. They can be bohemian, they can be regal, fun and funky or sexy. There are enough designers and gowns out there that you can find just about anything. 

Q: What are the biggest mistakes women make when shopping for bridal gowns? 

A: The number one mistake is not preparing for your appointment. Beforehand, decide how much you want to spend. Define your story and your theme. Start going through magazines or go online and find examples of what you like. A picture says a thousand words; most brides have never done this before so they have a hard time finding the words. My book, "It's All About the Dress," also guides you though the process. 

And you're probably bringing people with you to the appointment. You need to tell them how you want them to behave beforehand. Tell them, I'm sensitive about my hips, so don't say that dress makes them look wide. I'd also ask them to hold off on comments before they've heard what you think about the dress. 

Q: On your show "Randy to the Rescue," you travel around the country helping women select wedding gowns. Do you see regional differences in the dress styles women choose? 

A: Yes, and it's very interesting. You go to Denver and all the women want a very natural-granola, laidback wedding. And then you go to Texas and they want to wear cowboy boots. Then you go to San Francisco and everybody wants to get married on the beach. I also find that the more expensive the city, the more people make, the more they understand fashion and the more they're willing to spend on a dress. 

Q: You meet a lot of brides, both at events and on your shows. What questions do you get asked most frequently? 

A: I do and I love working with brides. They're not bridezillas, they just want to look beautiful on their wedding day. I'm probably a therapist more than anything else. It's about finding out what they're most anxious about and removing that from the equation. 
It's funny, no matter what bridal show I do, there's always at least one bride that come to me and says, if you could put me in any dress, which one would it be? I think no, no, no, it's not what I want, it's what you want. Well, honey, do you like beading? What's your venue? How much do you want to spend? There are so many variables.