seeking input on 2 wedding questions -

[sambycat]

here are 2 entirely unrelated wedding quandries i'm facing at the moment:

• aisle runner - i understand the aisle length at the WP is 75', i bought a runner that is 100 feet and started working on the monogram design. all fine and good. i thought the idea would be to unroll it from the entrance towards the altar o thats the end i started painting. i was reading something that made me realize i guess that would leave a lumpy roll of 20 feet or so at the altar or on the steps. so, should i cut some off and start over painting, cut off and glue on what i started somehow to the runner or unroll the whole dang thing and cut and trim or paint on the inside end and reroll it???? i think these things are like a map - they will never refold like they were to start!!! what to do??
• now for a more serious question - guest list and family stuff: backstory - getting married at WDW, i currently live in VA, he is in TX (where his entire family is), my family lives in 2 parts of Indiana, my brother lives in California where we grew up and my friends are as far flung as I am. No matter where we got married, it would involve long distance planning and travel for someone. we decided on WDW for a variety of reasons, and we are getting married on a weekday. originally, we thought "escape" but that was cutting too tight on the guest list (although after reading here i see we could have expanded it some but noone at DFTW suggested this and now i'm kind of in love with the plans we've made).... we all know guest list drama, but we have a small guest list and unless i had a wedding for at least 80+ people, i couldn't accomadate my entire extended family. and my mother alsways said that if you cant invite everyone, you cant have "that party". so i'm not inviting really any extended family aside from my grandma (hoping whe will be able to make it). SO do i even mention the wedding ever at all? i didn't send out engagement announcements, i know its made it through the rounds pretty well, i've spoken directly with my closest family members right after the engagement. i have realized lately that there are some friends i THOUGHT i told, but really hadn't (other than facebook status!!) in the confusion. i'm not trying to ask for gifts and i don't want to say "oh heres stuff about my wedding that i should have planned differently but didnt and can't afford to host everyone that i should have" but its also rude to just ignore it too.....