The white aisle runner was first employed so the bride wouldn't get her dress muddy. In the days when roads were unpaved, wedding guests would arrive and track in dirt or mud from the streets. It didn't seem right for the bride to drag the hem of her dress in the mud, so a clean white runner was laid down the aisle for the Bride. Today the unrolling of the aisle runner signifies it is "almost time" for the bride to arrive. The aisle runner is usually unrolled in hushed anticipation. What a wonderful tradition!