Summer lies ahead. With summer comes long days full of sunshine, bright blue skies and warmer temperatures. Much, much warmer temperatures.
If you decide on an outdoor wedding and reception, keep in mind that not all of your guests appreciate balmy days the way you do. And even if they do love them, they are not going to love when the gentle stops and the heats descends on them.
One of the most appreciated summer wedding favors is the fan. It’s a simple gift that you can personalize with your names and the date of your nuptials. Best of all, there are a variety of fan styles to choose from, from cloth to bamboo, wood or plastic.
Even better, is that you can still place these personal manual air conditioners in lovely gift boxes — wedding favor boxes designed especially for fans.
In all honesty, the fan makes a fabulous wedding favor for any outdoor summer wedding. In addition to controlling the movement of air around you, your fan becomes an exotic hand prop.
Print up simple directions for using the fan and insert them with the fan in the wedding favor box. All you need are a few steps, such as how to flick open the fan with one hand (the part that will open faces away from you). Holding the upper portion firmly, snap your wrist with a quick flick, allowing the bottom half of the fan to descend away from your hand. In a sweeping gesture, bring the hand with the fan upward to your face. Wave the fan gently to feel the fresh air moving — or to flirt coquettishly with the person next to you.
Every gesture made with a hand fan has its own unique meaning.On the back of the directions, include a few hand fan movements and their meanings. For example, the person who touches the edge of the fan with her fingers is saying, “Let’s talk.” Opening the fan slowly means, “Wait for me.” There are plenty more gestures and their meanings that you’ll want to share with your guests.
Proper hand fan movements are slight and subtle gestures, and even fanning yourself should remind an observer of the gentle kiss of butterfly wings rather than the flapping of pterodactyl wings.
You may have come to think of wedding favor boxes as cubes or pyramids, but, almost any shape is possible. The elongated rectangle fan is perfect for that fan.
Decorate the wedding favor box as you would any other, with a ribbon that indicates the guest is receiving a special gift as a thank you for being a part of the celebration.