Straight or Distorted: See the meaning of Red Car-pet

In one of my recent trips, I managed to link up with well-to-do humans. Such humans put their feet on carpets - "Red" to be precise. So, you like me, may ask, 'What's the meaning of this spiritually loud word that everybody got fuss about?
Lets start by being on point: Google says: It is a long narrow red, carpet laid on the ground for DISTINGUISHED visitor to walk on arrival.( Not departure- my own guess). Better still google says, it is privileged treatment of such visitor.
Cambridge Dictionary puts it more or less the same, 'A long red floor covering put down for an IMPORTANT guest to walk on when he or she visits "somewhere and receives special welcome".

"somewhere and receives special welcome" mean arrival and so not exit nor departure.
Funny enough, i can't tell through which door i got in but what am conscious of is I walked on the RED CARPET at DEPARTURE. Am I distinguished?

Woo! woo! wait, that ain't really boggling. Caption these two photos . The events happened separately.

For more of these click http://variety.com/gallery/met-ball-red-carpet-arrivals-2015-met-gala-photos/#!2/beyonce-and-jay-z/