# 153 - Day 1 of Filming "Randy to the Rescue" is now complete!

Okay folks, we're not in Houston any longer. At least not right now because we're filming in Dallas for a reality show. Gasp!

Our first day of filming for the series "Randy to the Rescue" on TLC is finished, but we still have another full day of filming before it is a total "wrap."

The episode with my daughter and our family should air around July this summer. Henry had to stay in the background, mostly because he has a side to him that is very much gentlemanly Southern cultured and he doesn't want to see anything on Heather that might be selected for the wedding day, he wants to be WOWed as she comes down the aisle for their big moment.

One of the first things the production crew did was to put Heathers microphone equipment on her body...stringing it through her clothes so that you could not see it when looking at her face-forward.

Stefie is talking into the microphone!

Oh, but you could definitely see it on the booty-side of town!

On this first filming day, they decided to do some one-on-one interviews with Heather and her family. Usually, they said, it's the mother who gets to go in for the interview, so they were ready to send me marching orders.

I am so darn camera shy that when the producers went to call me in to do the one-on-one interview with the mother, I asked if Deputy Dave could be with me in the room. Then, we began to talk about how fathers never get to be interviewed and the producer said that was simply because most fathers don't show up. Sad. So, we ended up sending Deputy Dave into the interview room and he was perfect for the interview.

Then, as we were all sitting there, I asked Risa, the producer, "Why can't Stefie go in an interview? She's the female version of the interview you might want to get...she's Heather's sister AND her maid-of-honor."

Stefie is wearing the black shirt.

So, you can imagine Stefie's surprise when they made a few head microphone 007 calls, then pointed to Stefie and said, "You're up! Put on some lipstick, they're ready to take you to the interview room."

Stefie's face and neck turned red for a brief moment, then she put on her fabulous smile and headed for the bright lights and cameras!

Basically, the first day of filming gave us the opportunity to be introduced to Randy, one by one around a bling-style wedding cake. Then, Heather met the make-up artist and hair stylist that will be doing her hair and make-up today (Tuesday) for the second day of filming. And on our first day of filming, we were able to walk around and look at some dresses hanging on a few racks as the film crew followed us along.

We were rather opinionated, boisterous and clashing. No joke. It was not a contrived production...I would love for my daughter to wear a wedding dress with SOME lace and maybe sleeves, heck, even Kate Middleton in the royal wedding just wore sleeves.

Us three girls considering the dress before us...hmmm...not sure.

Heather and I checking out a unique looking dress, but it's
not her dream dress.

Supposedly, sleeves are cost intensive. But, Heather is not exactly into sleeves. She does like some lace, but just a touch of it in the right place.

She will be wearing her cowboy boots with her wedding dress and Randy was simply relieved that the boots had a bit of a heel on them. Henry carried around a back-up pair of high heels that Heather had actually sparkled up on her own with her creative side; Henry was so sweet to carry around these shoes all day.

The one thing that we found to be a lot of fun was that none of us in our family are really starstruck by any person, but we do appreciate Randy's uncanny ability to fit a dress to a woman's body-style while listening to what she does and doesn't like and he matches the style of dress to her type of wedding. His knowledge has been long earned since he's been in the business since he very young; his expertise in the area is what has gotten him on television...along with his charismatic personality.

Heather's two friends, Stephanie and Lindsey,
then my two girls standing side by side in cowboy boots, Heather and Stefie

This year, Stefie and I attended a Bridal Extravaganza in the Houston area and we bought special tickets to actually see Randy with "Say Yes to the Dress" give a presentation about wedding dress selection considerations. This old momma was quite surprised. Well, I was actually really happy when he gave a little boost for sleeves when he said that he LOVED sleeves, but not everyone could afford them because they cost so much to be added to a wedding dress, so we've moved to the sleeveless style dresses. However, he didn't think that those would be staying in style for much longer because sleeves are making their come-back. Actually, he said they never left, but the shops carrying most of the dresses were carrying what the main stream public wanted...strapless and affordable. That makes sense.

I'm thinking, can't we take some lace off of my wedding dress from when I married the girls' father over 25 years ago and incorporate it into the dress some how?

The "Holding Room" where we'd all chill out until the next step.

As for meeting Randy in person and each of us getting to shake his hand...the introduction held particular importance because it gave Heather an opportunity to explain to Randy that her wedding theme was based upon "City Girl Meets Country Boy." Of course, this introduction was captured by the film crew that surrounded us.

No pressure!

And as the day wore on, we would get to take little breaks...I guess Heather and the girls embraced more of their country side as they sat here in between filming and had a beer. Yes, Stefie is 21...we all had to sign photography/videography releases and the person in charge of these looked at Stefie as she drank her beer while handing her the form and saying, "Are you old enough to sign this form?" She laughed and held up the beer, "If I'm old enough to be drinking this, I'm old enough to be signing the paper."

Dad and I just wished everyone had drank a cola. But, this picture is what we had to confront and it was not half bad, especially since they barely got to take a few sips before they were called into another room for more filming. Ahhhh, that's too bad....and that's life in the big city of Dallas right here in this picture below folks.

Anyway, the show will be interesting because all of us have differing opinions. Often LOUD opinions. Heather would hold up a dress and actually have sparkles in her eyes, but her friends would be saying, "Oh no, that's not it at all," or her dad would be saying, "I don't see a turtleneck on that dress," and I'd be saying, "Yeah! At least it has delicate straps!" and Stefie would stand there saying, "Ugly."

It will be a challenge to find the right dress.

Today's filming, which will be the second day of shooting, we will be watching Heather try on a few dresses and they will be filming our response. Everyone is rooting for her, but I guess we will see what she comes out wearing because Randy is getting to pick the dresses that he thinks she should wear.

Watch it have sleeves!

If so, I might have to let loose of my evil laugh. Or I just might cry because at least I get the chance to SEE her in a wedding dress with sleeves.

Heather and Henry