CREATING A DRAMATIC ENTRANCE  by Judy Allen Customization is one of the hot wedding trends today. Today, fashionable bridal couples are looking to their wedding planners to show them ways they can take something old and turn it into something new, original and fresh that they, and their wedding guests, will long remember.

One way couples can do that is by adding their own personal touches to traditional wedding accessories as well as ceremony and reception site décor.

At the wedding ceremony site, the focus -- in the past -- has primarily been on the wedding stage area and decorating the pews. What has often been overlooked is the actual wedding aisle floor covering. The thinking has been that once the bride arrives, everyone's focus will be on her and her wedding dress, and once the bride has walked down the aisle to join her groom, all eyes will be front and center. But you only have to look to Hollywood, who knows how to stage a special event, to see how they use walking down the “red carpet” to maximize dramatic effect. In fact, Hollywood planners no longer limit themselves to using red carpet walkways and now have “white carpet” celebrity events and premiere openings that feature customized theme carpets or runners for their guests to enter and exit on. Now wedding planners can offer bridal couples the opportunity to create something that will recreate this effect and add visual impact by using personalized aisle runners at their wedding ceremony or reception site.

The Original Runner Company ( www.originalrunners.com ) produces non-slip custom aisle runners for weddings (as well as award ceremonies, fashion shows, proms, graduations and other special events where a “red carpet” entrance is important). The company's collection of fabric runners includes 17 solid colors and four romantic prints, and they also do custom hand-painted designs (such as hand painted flowers to match the wedding bouquet). Couples can have their wedding theme logo reproduced (from their invitations, programs, cake or even wedding dress pattern) or have their wedding aisle runner monogrammed. As the bridal couple turns to face their wedding guests, after exchanging their vows, what they will see first is their new combined monogram and that creates a wonderful wedding photograph opportunity. Matching ring pillows and banners are now being added to their line. The banners are being used as a backdrop to the wedding ceremony stage and at the wedding reception site to greet the newlyweds or behind the head table.

The Original Runner Company requires twelve weeks lead time for custom orders. The more time you can give them the better it is for you. You want to allow yourself time to practice laying the aisle runner out so that you can time your installation and it is better to do that well in advance of the final flurry of wedding day preparations. The runners are easy to install and remove – you will need to arrange staff for that and add that into your move in, setup, teardown, move out timelines -- and have a non-slip backing to keep runners flat and smooth without taping or pinning. The aisle runners are tear and puncture proof and can be used outdoors as well as indoors. If you are considering using them outside however you will need to give special consideration to what they will be laid on. For example, will they be laid on cement or on grass? You will also need to access how level the walkway is. Special considerations regarding installation may be in order. And remember is it important to test out the carpet before the actual wedding day so that any adjustment that need to be made can be (e.g. have the bride try walking in her wedding shoes on the aisle runner – many brides forget that they may need to scuff the bottom of new shoes so that they don't slip).

After the wedding the custom aisle runners can become a lasting memento of the couples special day. A section of the aisle runner can be used as matting when framing wedding photographs, invitations or bridal bouquets. Part of the aisle runner can be hung on the wall and as new family members come along their monogram can be added to the runner for their special ceremony (e.g. birth, baptism) and the wedding day aisle runner becomes a family heirloom. A portion of the aisle runner can also be made into a memory quilt, pillow or Christmas tree skirt. A special section – such as the combined monograms – can be framed as custom art or fashioned into a table runner to be used for romantic dinners or wedding anniversary celebrations. You would need to make arrangements with local suppliers to handle the conversion of the aisle runner into a wedding memory keepsake.