Our easy to follow explanations will help you figure out what balloon decors are the best pick for your special event.
We felt overwhelmed with the large variety of displays we came across when we began with balloon decorating. Along our learning process, we figured out that it all boils down to three general designs:
Balloon Bouquet
Mainly used as a centerpiece for tables, the balloon bouquet actually is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, tied up to curling ribbons, are organized in various heights and affixed to a table base. In the examples beneath the base is either a heavy flower basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be almost any decorative object that is heavy enough to hold the balloons in place and where the ribbons can be tied up to.
A balloon centerpiece may be crafted from latex OR mylar (also known as foil) balloons OR you can combine them.
As the balloons must be helium filled this choice determines the life-span of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float around 14 days, even the finest latex balloons will never keep up much longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. By working with a product called 'hi-float', it's possible to make them last 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Typically, balloon arches carry out their objective best when you can walk through them! So they are perfect balloon decorations for a doorway or exit. Usually they are also used to frame the head or cake table at a wedding or to make a magnificent stage decor.
Unlike with bouquets you get the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A floating arch is made of single helium-filled balloons aligned like pearls throughout an unnoticeable nylon line, hence the name "String of Pearls". The two ends are fixed to bases, similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and typically standing on the floor. A brick or sand filled up balloon will get the job done and can easily be decorated quite nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - quite often used for wedding balloon arches - you produce an amazing result with reasonably little effort. The only problem is the short longevity, due to the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as explained above.
If the decor for your unique occasion have to last a lot longer, you may either work with mylar balloons instead of latex or you go for an arch click here with air-filled balloons.
With these types of balloon decorations, there is a little bit more constructional effort involved, as an air filled balloon arch requires some supporting components:
a mounting crafted from a good, flexible material like conduit, PVC piping or aluminium pole and
a sturdy base at either end to anchor the arch.
The conduit or rod is shaped into the actual arch and the balloons are attached to it, mainly in clusters of three to five balloons. By utilizing various colors and placing the balloons in an unique way you'll get this good spiraling effect presented on the photo. Do not worry, we'll describe in detail and with numbers of photos how to do that!
Depending upon the size of the arch you'll need to blow up plenty of balloons! Get your family and friends prepared! As an alternative you can use a hand pump and even rent or buy an electric pump. This investment, obviously, only makes good sense if you are intending to do a lot more balloon decorations.
A much easier way to create an air filled balloon arch is by utilizing so called 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Column
Placed as outstanding eye-catchers at either side of an entrance or head table at a wedding event, balloon columns are perfect for wedding balloon decorations. They also make excellent balloon decorations for marking out an area of your venue, for example the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are commonly made of air filled balloons, supportive materials are required:
a sturdy aluminum or plastic pole and
a stable base as support for the rod.
The balloons are connected to bunches of normally three to five balloons and fixed to the pole, layer after layer. By using larger balloons for the bottom and the top, and smaller balloons in between, the balloon column takes the characteristic look of its model in the "real" world. To crown your work you could position a stuffed giant balloon above the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, each of these balloon decorations imply you'll need to blow up a great deal of balloons! So, renting an inflator would be a great idea, specifically for blowing up the huge balloon that crowns your column.
You may fill only the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. By doing this you will not need a strong base and a pole, as the balloons will support themselves. Use a nylon line to attach the balloon bunches to.
A helium filled balloon column will certainly do fine if you need the display solely for one evening. It saves you the struggle of creating a frame and leasing an inflator. However, helium costs more than air and the lifespan of the balloon decorations will be much smaller.