How to Make a Peacock Feather Fan Bouquet

I fell in love with the idea of a peacock themed wedding long before I was even engaged. I'm just fascinated by uniqueness and the vibrant colors of peacock feathers. I knew I wanted to integrate it some way into my wedding.

After I became engaged and it was time to plan my wedding, my budget, unfortunately, was very modest. I was worried I would have to have a bare bones wedding with no peacock flair.

Always wanting to be different, I decided I wanted my attendants to carry feather fans instead of the traditional flower bouquets. 

Of course, like every potential bride, I scoured Pinterest for ideas. I saw a lot of really beautiful feather fan bouquets, but no how-to's on how to make them. Discouraged, I turned to Etsy, hoping I could buy them at a reasonable price. The few I found were far out of my price range.

I was determined to have a peacock feather fan, so I bought some feathers and decided to try it on my own. I have to say they turned out beautifully. My maid of honor and bridesmaids loved them, and they made a pretty wedding favor for them to keep.

• 25-30 peacock feathers
• 10-12 ostrich feathers in your color choice (optional)
• thin cardboard
• bridal satin in your color choice
• hot glue

Now, you could probably do this step the easy way and just use a large glass as a template. I folded the cardboard in half, drew a semicircle, and then cut it out. Cut out one 2-inch diameter circle for each fan. I needed two fans, so I cut out two circles.

Cut out a square of the bridal satin that's about double the size of the cardboard circle.

Using your hot glue gun, place a small dab of glue on one edge of the cardboard. Fold over the satin and hold until it's set.

To keep things from getting wrinkly, work on opposite sides of the cardboard. Next, turn the circle 180 degrees and place a dab of glue on the cardboard, pull the satin smooth, fold over, and hold till set. Continue to work on opposite sides until the circle is covered.

Cut off any extra satin to minimize bulk.

Draw a line in the middle of the back side of your circle. Turn ostrich feathers so they arc away from you. Glue the first feather slightly above this line. Space feathers evenly around the top half of the circle. Do not glue feathers completely around your circle!

First layer: Cut peacock feathers to a length that is slightly shorter than the ostrich feathers. To make sure they are spaced evenly, I recommend gluing one to the left side, one to the right side, and so on.

Second layer: Cut peacock feathers to a length so that they reach the bottom of the eyes of the first layer. Glue.

Continue with as many layers as it takes to fill in the fan, cutting each layer shorter than the one before it.

Tip: Bigger peacock eyes require fewer layers.

Pump a good amount of hot glue on top of the feathers at the base. Turn the bottom of the circle upwards and hold firm until cool.

Enjoy your handiwork!