Where can I buy folding fans?

redheadbride15 · May 2015

The weather forecast for my wedding day (this Saturday) is predicting high temps close to 90 degrees, which is very atypical for late May in New Hampshire and so I wasn't prepared for that! The space where the ceremony and cocktail hour will be is not air-conditioned.

I'm planning to place some large room fans and some water bottles in an ice bath, but I also thought it would be nice to get some small folding hand-fans for my guests. Does anyone have suggestions for a store where I can get ~60 of these on a last-minute basis? (Normally I'd order online but I don't think they'll be delivered in time). Or any other suggestions to help beat the heat and keep my guests comfortable?

TrixieJess · May 2015

Do you have a Chinatown? I find that you can get nice, cheap ones in the Chinese shops. They sometimes come with cases. You could probably barter for a box of them.

swiftsticks · May 2015

You might have luck at your local dollar store. I found some cheap folding fabric fans at the Dollarama chain for $1.50 each. They're not going to last forever, but they'll keep our guests cool.

redheadbride15 · May 2015

TrixieJess said:

Do you have a Chinatown? I find that you can get nice, cheap ones in the Chinese shops. They sometimes come with cases. You could probably barter for a box of them.

Yes, I'm in Boston - great idea! Thanks!

emmaaa · May 2015

Another idea, my SIL had fans as her programs. She printed her programs on thick cardstock paper and cut them out in a rounded rectangle shape and them glued them to a large Popsicle stick thing.

southernbelle0915 · May 2015

At 90 degrees, you really need to move somewhere with AC. For ceremony and cocktail hour, you're talking 2+ hours that people will be sitting in 90 degree heat. Some friends of ours had their wedding in August in Texas... THAT'S hot. They got a tent and rented an AC unit that cooled the tent. That's an option.

I had folding fans for our outdoor wedding. I got them at Michael's in the wedding aisle. Using a 40% coupon, they were inexpensive.

redheadbride15 · May 2015

southernbelle0915 said:

At 90 degrees, you really need to move somewhere with AC. For ceremony and cocktail hour, you're talking 2+ hours that people will be sitting in 90 degree heat. Some friends of ours had their wedding in August in Texas... THAT'S hot. They got a tent and rented an AC unit that cooled the tent. That's an option.

I had folding fans for our outdoor wedding. I got them at Michael's in the wedding aisle. Using a 40% coupon, they were inexpensive.

Well the good news is that the building is an old stone mill, which actually gets very cool and will hold the cold temperature well, especially because there will be low overnight temps in the 40s all week. I was in the building last summer on a 90 degree day and it wasn't as bad as you'd imagine.

Michael's and DIY with popsicle sticks are great ideas if Chinatown fails me.