Carpet and Bridal Runners
Carpet runners are decorative rugs placed on top of a carpet or surface to add to the decor. A carpet runner is what is used for a “red carpet” event which immediately transforms a space into something else elegant and buzzworthy. A carpet runner could be used in order to preserve the surface underneath or to change the look of the venue. A runner denotes that the carpet hasn’t been cut perfectly to fit a particular space so it shouldn’t be confused with a sub floor. Carpet runners can also be used in the wedding planning industry as a bridal runner. Traditionally, a bridal runner is the path that leads the bride from her holding area, down the aisle, to the altar to meet her groom. A bridal runner can be made up of anything from:
- Carpet
- Flower Petals
- Silk
The aisle made by the separation of chairs is where the bridal runner is laid. This is to alert the guests of where the bride will be walking so that it will be kept clear. Usually, everyone in the bridal party walks with an escort so the aisle and the runner must be wide enough for two people. The usage of flower petals as a bridal runner has gotten very popular in recent years because they are romantic and match the rest of your floral décor.
A bridal runner can be used for an outdoor or indoor wedding ceremony. Carpet runners are most typically used for inside wedding ceremonies because it can just be rolled up and reused. Flower petals, even though they can be used inside, are typically used outdoors because of their fragility. Flower petals will wither, they can get easily attached to the bottom of ones shoe, they can blow away and they don’t last very long especially if you have a large bridal party who is trampling over them. It really doesn’t matter so much because the flower petals aren’t supposed to take the place of a carpet runner.
A carpet or thin runner can also be used for an outdoor wedding but make sure that it is suitable for the environment. For example, you don’t want to kill someone’s grass with heavy carpet in the middle of the summer. If the walking surface is already slippery, you wouldn’t want to place a silk bridal runner on top of it because everyone would be sure to fall. This brings me to a very practical reason for the carpet runner. It lessens the probability that someone will slip or trip on an uncertain surface.
