Wedding Blog
My fiance and I just booked our venue and it isn’t the usual looking venue. The area where we plan on having the ceremony is shaped rather oddly (it looks like a circle with two mini circles on the sides). The biggest issue we’re having is that there is a fountain right in the middle of the area, so we can’t have an aisle runner. Is it necessary to have an aisle runner and are there alternatives to having a runner? I thought about rose petals then found out that rose petals were prohibited. I’d love to have something so any suggestions would help. Thanks!
Kristine
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Share this post: Open Question: Aisle Runner Alternative
when you walk down the aisle on your big day, would you have to walk around the fountain?
what kp said.
that question aside, a few possible solution:
line the “aisle” in potted plants, tall hurricanes with candles, or tall floral arrangements to delineate the space & keep guests from walking on it. use “borders” of river rock, if it’s allowed by your venue, to line the aisle.
It would be cute if the BMs went one way around the fountain and the GM went the other way. I don’t think its totally necessary for you to use runners. Maybe u can mark the aisle with something else.
can i ask why rose petals are prohibited? that seems like such a strange thing… they’re so soft and fluffy, i can’t see them harming the floor or anything.
rose petals aren’t allowed? but they biodegrade!
if held in the evening, what about lining the aisle with lanterns… if held in the morning, what about tying swashes of silky linen on each chair at the end of the rows? the river rock idea above sounds great too!
for mine i had a country style wedding but didn’t want an aisle on the floor. i bought six standard rose plants to mark the aisle… and the white chairs on both sides made a natural aisle. my mother in law insisted ON THE DAY itself to put a flimsy material down. she didn’t even put weights on it so i was so afraid of tripping! and she KNEW i wanted no “aisle”… ANYWAY.
so lesson is: NO flimsy material ok?? please. 
I think Miss Lime is definitely on the right track with potted topiary or candles depending on your style.
However, may I be honest and suggest you reread your sentence: Is it necessary to have an aisle runner and are there alternatives to having a runner?
Define necessary - do you mean, will you be judged by your friends and family if you don’t have a piece of stuff on the floor to walk on?! I was listening to the abundantly inciteful Darcy Miller on Wedding Masters the other day and she said, ‘Your guests will only see things that are there. They won’t know the things that are missing unless you tell them.’ Is that a good mantra or what?! If you like your venue, don’t worry about what you put on the floor. It (or a lack of it) will not ruin your day.
I’m agree with Helen–an aisle runner is not necessary at all! Whether or not you have an aisle runner should is purely a matter of choice.
I’ve been debating on wether or not to have the venue that has the same exact layout becuase of that reason. Thank you for asking the question; we might consider going with the venue of my dreams… 
If evening/night — could have guests along the aisle hold up candles.
We didn’t have an aisle runner either b/c our path outdoors to the gazebo was curved…our florist put centerpieces from the tables on pedestals and then stretched out tulle in between them all the way down the aisle. It was beautiful.
I don’t like the fuss of an aisle runner if it doesn’t roll out right. So we didn’t have one.
Can you not use silk petals either? That’s just silly.
some places don’t allow rose petals or other “non-native” plants because they don’t want to harm the natural environment, especially typical in historic or natural parks and the like.
if you want to differentiate the aisle, then i’d go with hurricane lamps or something stable or connecting the chairs, like audreyen suggested.
In a long shot, it’s not the Newton White Mansion in MD, is it? Your description sounds really familiar!
My wedding had a similar situation. We chose not to decorate the aisle because it would be one more thing to clean up afterwards. Plus, the site was naturally beautiful and like Helen said above, nobody will miss it if it’s not there.
I’ve seen an aisle runner at the same site though, which went all the way to the fountain, stopped, and continued on the opposite side of the fountain. While it looked pretty, it was awkward to walk on it, go around the fountain, and step back onto it. Plus, the setup was awkward since it was such a huge piece of fabric and was impossible to lay straight.
Using paper bag luminaries (pretty with white bags and doilies glued on) would be nice if you want to make it a little more “wedding”. Otherwise, having chairs set for your guests automatically defines an aisle.
Hope that helps — good luck!
Holy cow, I was going to ask if it’s the Newton White Mansion in MD, too! That’s our venue site. I love it, but this ceremony setup is a bit of a dilemma. I think we’ll go minimal and maybe set up a flower arrangement or two to designate where we’ll say our vows, but that will be it.
I think the broken-up aisle runner looks a little awkward if you have to go around the fountain.
I agree with Helen - guests won’t miss what there isn’t because they’ll only see what there is. And “stuff” isn’t important. The fanciest wedding I’ve ever been to had all the works, but we didn’t get to spend any time with the bride and groom. I don’t remember all the stuff they had, but the fact that I didn’t get to talk with them sticks in my head.
My venue (and most churches) prohibits rose petals as well. I asked around and found out that it was for two reasons. The first being that people can slip on them if the floor is not carpeted. The second is that rose petals stain the carpets. Another bride told me to use silk rose petals instead. No one can tell the difference.
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