Roping Off Center Aisle

Cerinney

My sister, who is a florist and has been to and involved in tons of weddings, said it is bad luck for any of my wedding guests to walk down the center aisle on my wedding day.  I have seen several pictures of this and want to do this, but I have two questions:  1)  Is there a specific name for fabric that is tied to block the center aisle?  I know it's not an aisle runner.  And 2)  Who typically takes this down/unties the bow? 

harpsdesire

In most weddings I've been to, guests DO walk down the center aisle.  I've never heard of it being bad luck. On the other hand, if you want to lay down petals, runner or similar decor well in advance instead of while guests are seated and just before the bridal party enters, it makes sense to rope off the center.

I have heard of the thing used to block off reserved seats being a 'courtesy cord', so I imagine that would be the same thing.

Whoever escorts the mothers to be seated would take it down and then seat them down the center, typically.  So ushers or groomsmen, or if you aren't doing a formal seating of mothers, you can ask anyone who would be on hand at the right time to take it down just before the bridal party enters.

QueerFemme

I am having an outdoor wedding with a white carpet runner, and we are roping off the center aisle.  Not so much for the bad luck thing, but I don't want the white carpet getting filthy before I walk down it. 

I am going to the fabric store and buying a long piece of wide, white satin ribbon.  (its about 2 inches wide).   It will be tied to the last chair on each side.   We are also draping organza style material on the chairs on each side of the aisle. So, people aren't tempted to get up from their chair and cross the aisle to go chat with someone sitting on the other side.     

I think you can use whatever fabric you want and that you think is pretty and matches your decor.  If you are having a rustic wedding, use some rope.  Whatever strikes your fancy.

TiffannieF

We didn't rope ours off and we also didn't have pew decorations or fabric draped between the pews (although I have seen it done before).  Our ushers insured nobody walked on the aisle but I don't think they would have in any case.  In my circle it's pretty common knowledge to not step on the aisle, however, as you can see from the first response, every circle is different.

You can use whatever ribbon you would like.  I would go to a craft store and look in the ribbon section.  You could also use tulle or rope.

If you have a coordinator then they would untie the ribbon/rope/tulle (or whoever is escorting the first person in processional, like an usher).

HobokensFury

Sorry but I've never heard of this. My only though is even the Queen of England walked do the center aisle before Kate.

eirwyn

I've never heard of it being bad luck. 

For those concerned about dirt, this is why the ushers unroll the aisle runner just before the procession, after everyone is seated. (Obviously, if you're outside and using something else, that would be the exception.)

If you are concerned about decorations, then you could do what the other brides did and drape some organza or another pretty fabric along the rows and use a ribbon to close off the center aisle. I like what they did in the picture the OP posted because it's so quick and easy to pull the ribbon and have it un-tie.

blemond

I plan on not allowing anyone to walk down the center aisle as well. I'm thinking about roping the chairs on the inside with flowers, which will make sure that people wont be able to get to their seat from the inside, they will have to walk on the outside to get to their seat.
 
I don't think it's bad luck for other people to walk down the center but I plan on having snowflakes going down the side of the center aisle and I don't want anyone messing it up.