22 Wedding Ceremony Program Fans to Help Keep Guests Cool

By Chloe Gorman
May 12, 2015
Credit: Laura Gordon Photography

Your guests will appreciate these double-duty paper goods.

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Credit: Laura Gordon Photography

If you have your sights set on a summer wedding date or warm destination location, you're probably planning on holding your ceremony outside. While your guests will be thrilled to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, you'll want to keep them comfortable when the temperatures start to rise. The best way to do that? With ceremony program fans.

One of the best parts about these fans is that they have a dual purpose: They keep your attendees both cool and informed. Traditionally these fans come in two forms. The first involves a piece of cardstock adhered to a stick and the second, a hand-held triangle-shape. However, you can (and should!) make these fans your own. Ahead, you'll see how many couples did just that. Whether it's playing around with various shapes, materials, or designs, there are many ways to make these paper goods unique to your day. You may even want to ditch paper altogether. This couple curated cloth fans for their ceremony program, which contained a "treasure map" of the venue.

To help you brainstorm your very own design, we've rounded up creative program fans from real weddings. Draw inspiration from your invitation suite (one couple asked their stationer to incorporate their custom crest onto their paper goods!), location (Throwing your wedding in a tropical location? Add leaf motifs to your program inspired by your venue!), or another meaningful big-day motif. Whatever type of program you choose, guests are guaranteed to be wowed (and relieved!) when they see these ceremony essentials.

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Tile-Shaped

Credit: Sawyer Baird

Your program's illustrations and typography aren't the only elements you can play around with—you can also experiment with different shapes. The bride dreamed up this tile-inspired fan, complete with drawings of different big-day elements.

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Tropical Foliage

Credit: Aaron & Jillian Photography
33 Tropical Wedding Ideas We Love

If you're throwing a tropical destination wedding, guests will definitely appreciate any efforts you take to help them stay cool. So, why not give them fans inspired by the surrounding foliage, like these by Lytle Fober of Analog Creative Co.?

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Heart-Shaped

Credit: Momoko Fritz Photography

Pay homage to your love for each other with heart-shaped fans. The groom created these iterations, complete with the couple's initials and silhouettes for the ultimate personal touch.

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Thematic Programs

Credit: Christian Oth Studio
See more animal ideas here

Your ceremony programs are just another chance for you to incorporate your event's theme or location into your big-day paper goods. Farm animals graced every bit of paper—right down to these fold out fans!—at this barn celebration.

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Waves

Credit: Max Wanger
Beautiful Ideas from Beach Weddings

Cut the edges of your program (like Happy Menocal did here) to mimic the waves for your oceanside nuptials.

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Small Details

Credit: JB Marie Photography

SAS-E Ink proves even the smallest program details still make an impact. Note how the small gold tassel and greenery motif elevate this scalloped fan.

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Whicker

Credit: Marni Rothschild Pictures

Cool your guests off by tying paper programs to wide wicker hand fans—they also make great warm-weather wedding favors.

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Roses

Credit: Liz Banfield
10 Fresh Ways to Add Roses to Your Wedding

Nothing says romance quite like roses, which is why The Lettered Olive included the bud on every bit of paper at this celebration—including these scalloped ceremony fans.

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Chalkboard Inspired

Credit: CJ Williams Photography

Call on the past when designing your ceremony fans. These charcoal gray versions were reminiscent of old-school slate boards. Illustrated flowers brought a light, feminine vibe to the program.

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Message

Credit: Rachel Solomon Photography
28 Unique Ways to Show Off Your Favorite Quotes at Your Wedding

While your guests are waiting for your ceremony to start, keep them entertained (and cool!) by writing a funny message on your custom program fans. This creative bride designed these herself.

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Garden

Credit: The Happy Bloom

For an outdoor ceremony, we're loving these garden-inspired, rectangular programs from Minted.

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Seashell

Credit: VUE Photography
Nautical Wedding Ideas

Nodding to your nautical theme (or location!) is easy with seashell-shaped programs.

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Maps

Credit: Josh Gruetzmacher

Ensure guests won't get lost (or overheated) at your celebration by incorporating a map of the venue onto your fan.

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Starry

Credit: Peer Johnson
30 Celestial Wedding Ideas That'll Have You Starry-Eyed

As far as detailed ceremony programs go, this one takes the cake. Not only did it include an order of events, but also a precise view of the night sky on the evening of the wedding.

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White Space

Credit: Katie Stoops Photography

Take note from Intrigue Design Studio and use illustrated versions of your celebration's florals to fill up the white space on your rectangular programs.

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Invitation-Inspired

Credit: Stephanie Bassos Photography
26 Monogram Wedding Ideas We Love

Asking your stationer to design a custom crest for your invitations? Have them add your new cypher to your program fans, as well.

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Illustrated

Credit: Joey Kennedy Photography

Hand-drawn flowers and calligraphy—by Printerette Press and Just Write Studios—add a whimsical and colorful element to these circular fans.

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Big Fan

Credit: Heidi Vail Photography
57 Summer Wedding Ideas You'll Want to Steal

A bigger fan, like this one by Belovely Floral & Event Design, allows for more space to write out all of the necessary ceremony information—and provides guests with a larger blast of air on an especially hot day.

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Monogram

Credit: Aaron Delesie

Searching for the perfect personal touch for your ceremony fans? Look no further than your watercolor monogram. Note how the ribbons on this option reinforce the shades in the crest.

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Couple's Portrait

When it comes to personalized program fans, it doesn't get any more sentimental than these, which feature an illustration of the newlyweds.

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Whole Lotta Love

Credit: Shannen Natasha Weddings
Heart-Shaped Wedding Ideas for the Romantic in You

Make hearts flutter at your ceremony by gift your guests with programs cut out in the romantic shape.

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