What’s personalized, pampers your guests, and packs a major punch of pretty? DIY Hand Fans of course! Perfect for any outdoor event, ceremony, cocktail reception, or dinner, paper hand fans are an inexpensive and easy way to add lovely little details into your wedding day. From the addition of simple textures to surprising extras, here are five unique ways to style and personalize a hand fan, all guaranteed to impress!

Fan Style #1 – Boxwood Beauty

The Supplies

• ‘romantic butterfly’ design personalized hand fan in vintage pink
• baker’s twine in watermelon
• boxwood trim

The How-To

Step 1: add interest and dimension to your fan handle with a touch of boxwood trim. To start, position your boxwood as desired.

Step 2: wrap boxwood trim around your handle with baker’s twine. Wrap four or five times to secure boxwood and to allow baker’s twine trim to stand out.

The End Result

Fan Style #2 – Vintage Lace

The Supplies

• ‘vintage lace’ design personalized hand fan in vintage mocha
• stationery jewels in clear crystal (2mm)
• pink crystal trimmed lace (or plain pink lace that can be embellished with stationery jewels)

The How-To

Step 1: add detail to the printed part of your fan using crystal sticker embellishments.

Step 2: add a touch of texture to the paper fan by cutting out one of the flowers from your lace pattern and gluing it to the top left corner of the fan. If your lace did not come embellished with crystals, use the stick on crystals.

Step 3: finish off the look with a simple tie of lace on the fan handle.

The End Result

Fan Style #3 – Purple Petals

The Supplies

• ‘french whimsy’ design personalized hand fan in victorian purple
• satin ribbon in deep plum and lavender
• adhesive jewels in lilac (4mm)
• paper rose

The How-To

Step 1: add just a subtle touch of interest to this already detailed fan design with a single crystal sticker accent.

Step 2: add a 3D replica of your fan detail onto the handle with a paper rose accented with a stick on crystal. Hot glue your rose to the handle.

Step 3: complete the look with a two tone purple ribbon tie on the fan handle.

The End Result

Fan Style #4 – Sweet Sentiments

The Supplies

• ‘forget me not’ design personalized hand fan in willow green
• satin ribbon in hunter green
• crocheted boarder handkerchief
• green craft paper
• floral design whole punch

The How-To

Step 1: punch your floral shape into both sides of your printed fan, taking care not to cut into the wording or design on either side.

Step 2: overlap your two fans as shown in image #2 above, back to front, and position your green craft paper in between. You can use two separate pieces of paper or a single long strip, whatever you find easier to work with.

Step 3: glue your fans together using regular craft glue. Avoid hot glue as it’ll show through the fan.

Step 4: insert fan into handle.

Step 5: for a sentimental touch perfect for your closest loved ones sure to shed a tear or two on your wedding day, add a pretty handkerchief to the handle. Start by lining up your handkerchief to the handle on the back side, taking care not to cover the wording on your fan.

Step 6: flip the fan and secure handkerchief to handle with a strand of ribbon. If the handkerchief is folded as in the image above it will naturally bend for a lovely finish.

The End Result

Fan Style #5 – Ceremonial Mementos

The Supplies

• ‘wanderlust’ design personalized hand fan (design formatted to act as a ceremony program)
• vintage shipping diy tag kit
• mini pencil (if you can’t find it ready made, buy a regular sized pencil and cut it down to size)

The How-To

Step 1: create your own unique Unity Ceremony by involving your guests. Attach to each fan a small tag complete with mini pencil that your guests can use to write down their special ceremony wishes for the two of you. Provide them with a vessel to drop their cards into and consider incorporating it into your ceremony. Start by wrapping your mini pencil with rope. Wrap three times and finish with a double knot.

Step 2: next attach your pencil to your tag. First thread your rope into the tag from the front. Stop at the point where you want your pencil to stay.

Step 3: loop your rope from back to front and thread through the front once again. Finish off with a double knot. Hold your pencil in position while threading and tying your knots to avoid it from pulling all the way up your tag.

Step 4: thread one strand of rope through the handle insert.

Step 5: tie the two strands together in a double knot and finish with a bow. Finally insert your hand fan.

The End Result

xoxo.