DIY Wedding Program Fans



Making program fans is simple and can be personalized to fit the style of your event.



Here is what you will need:


Here's what you'll need to gather:

TIP:

We suggest using 65lb-80lb paper for two sided fans, especially if printing on a home ink jet printer. If you are only doing a one sided fan, you should order it from a professional printer and ask for at least 110lb paper.



Step One

If you have a one page design, like ours (we printed our own on 8.5" x 11" paper and folded it in half so we didn't have to make any cuts), its best to fold and crease your paper before adding the glue. This way, you don't have to worry about the glue sticking or drying before its lined up.


TIP:

Sometimes it is difficult to get a nice crease when working with thicker paper so we suggest using a bone folder. Simply line up the corners and use the bone folder to smooth out the crease. You can find bone folders in craft sections, craft stores, or art supply stores and they are usually under $5.





Step Two

Now that your program is prepared its time to turn it into a fan! Lay it on a flat surface, apply a generous amount of glue to one side where the stick goes, and place the stick on the fan. Press firmly and assure that it is straight.






Step Three

Apply glue around the edges and fold immediately. Remember to be generous with the glue where the stick will be placed. The image below shows where glue should be applied.






Step Four

Press each edge firmly, assuring that all edges are sealed. Make sure to use clean fingers or use a clean bone folder! Even a small amount of grease or glue can leave a mark on your beautiful program design.





Step Five

Add the finishing touches to your fan. Use corner punches, apply ribbon or twine, or come up with your own embellishment to personalize your fans.




Note: I used about 12" of twine for each fan. But of course, you can do more or less depending on the look you want.







ADDITIONAL TIPS

Below you can see the difference between what a 1" rounded corner looks like compared to a 1/2" rounded corner. Can't decide which one you like better? No need to decide, you get two for the price of one in the set. You can decide when you receive them or use both to add variety!




Have you seen our new colored sticks? With ten colors to choose from, it makes it easy to find a stick that fits the style of your event!




Stamping your fan sticks is a very easy way to personalize any fan!




Be creative when adding ribbon and embellishments to your fans! It doesn't have to be limited to the stick. Try using a small hole punch to cut half cirlces and add twine to your fan!




Jumbo sticks also work great for fans, but a smaller fan design would work better with the 6" sticks.




If you are feeling a little overwhelmed about putting together a ton of fans, why not have a fan assembly party? For weddings, grab your gals for a fun luncheon, movie, and fan assembly. Give each person a step and start an assembly line while you chat or watch a girly wedding themed movie!




We have new black wavy fan sticks and they can even pass as chalk board sticks! Use chalk to add a design, initials, or have people write their names for place cards.


Let us know any cool ideas that you come up with, we love to hear from you!

Reader Comments

Date 7/27/2015
Karen Moskowitz
Hi, My daughter's wedding is using a lot of pink---are the 'rose' wavy sticks pink or red? Can I use the straight sided stick for wedding program fans as well? Thanks, K
Date 7/28/2015
Chadwick Pearsall (Crafty Sticks)
Karen, the rose colored sticks are a dark pink color. A straight sided stick would work fine. We recommend using an 8 inch stick for our 8.5" x 5.5" fans, but if you are making a smaller fan a 6 inch stick would probably work too.
Date 8/4/2016
Nicole
Where do we access the template to this program?
Date 8/4/2016
Jon (CraftySticks)
Date 8/4/2016
Jon (CraftySticks)
Date 8/17/2016
Megan
Will the Zig 2-way glue pens definitely hold the wood sticks to the card stock?
Date 8/18/2016
Jon (CraftySticks)
Megan, They sure will!
Date 2/14/2017
Kerry
Hi! Love the post - super helpful. How well does the glue hold over time? Would you discourage making the fans several months in advance? Thanks!
Date 2/15/2017
Jon (CraftySticks)
The glue holds very well over time. I have several fans that have been sitting on my shelf for a couple years and the glue is still holding great.
Date 4/1/2017
Jill eilert
Where can I find program template?
Date 4/4/2017
Jon(CraftySticks)
Jill, You can view our DIY Wedding Fans at the below URL. http://www.craftysticks.com/DIY-WEDDING-FANS_c_10.html
Date 6/12/2017
Veronica
Do you have any recommendations for printing the fans? The template offers great colors. I imagine i'd have to run a test on my color laser printer and if it doesn't work out, have them printed professionally.
Date 6/13/2017
Jon(CraftySticks)
Veronica, that's the safest and wisest way I'd go about it. Customers usual do that and if they aren't pleased take it to a printing shop. Hope this helps!
Date 8/6/2017
Jennifer Anderson
The 65lb paper is a little thin when it doubles does that strengthen the fan? *Hello Jennifer, the paper we offer is actually 80lb cover stock. It's a great combination of strong but still foldable and compatible with inkjet and laser printers and copiers. Thank you for the question. -Wende
Date 8/7/2017
Roberto(CraftySticks)
Jennifer, it sure does. We have had no complaints with the strength/power of the fan once it is assembled.
Date 8/14/2017
MommaLippe
Hi: Do you have a template for a 5x7 size fan or is the 8.5x5.5 the only size?
Date 3/14/2018
Erica
Can the headings be edited/changed? For instance, we don't have a wedding party but if I can edit the headings we would like to print a poem instead. We would like to print the order of events and the poem on one side, then we would leave the other side as-is.
Date 5/20/2018
Kim
We are having a small informal ceremony in July without a bridal party but still want to provide our guests with fans. We were going to make ourselves until I stumbled across your fantastic site. I am going to purchase two kits but want to know is the template for the bridal party side fully editable so I can take that out and type something in? Otherwise I will design my own but purchase the other items separately from your site.
Date 5/23/2018
Emily H.
Would the color of the stick come off on sweaty hands? My wedding will be outside and I'm trying to decide if I need to get regular color sticks or if I can go with one of the other colors!
Date 5/24/2018
Sheron
Hi, Where can i get the wavy template for the wedding fan and is there a machine i can use? I am scared that my hands are not gonna be steady enough for a smooth cut! Thank you much.
Date 5/24/2018
Betsy (CraftySticks)
Emily, We have not had any comments about any of our colored sticks coming off on any hands this Spring. You could possibly spray some type of coating on them just to make sure that doesn't happen.
Date 5/31/2018
Carolyn
Where do I find the template to do this fun project? Thanks, Carolyn
Date 6/4/2018
Tom (CraftySticks)
Carolyn, Please see the URL. http://www.craftysticks.com/DIY-WEDDING-FANS_c_10.html
Date 7/18/2018
Kathy
My daughter is getting married in August. In searching for fans, I came across your site...exactly what I was looking for! Love the selection of borders, but wish to modify some of the text; for, example, omitting the flower girl and ring bearer, etc. I noticed 2 other similar posts but didn’t see a response. Hope you can help us. Thank you.
Date 7/18/2018
Kathy
My daughter is getting married in August. In searching for fans, I came across your site...exactly what I was looking for! Love the selection of borders, but wish to modify some of the text; for, example, omitting the flower girl and ring bearer, etc. I noticed 2 other similar posts but didn’t see a response. Hope you can help us. Thank you.
Date 7/18/2018
Bill (CraftySticks)
Kathy, Templates are offered as pictured. If spacing adjustments, design changes, or additional lines are needed we offer customization. Quotes range from $10-$50 depending on your needs. Please call or email us for a quote. We'd love to help!
Date 3/16/2023
Maureen
Gor the 8,".5 x 5.5 fans how much of the 8" sticks fo you leave out? How many inches?

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