Our simple to follow explanations will help you make a choice what balloon decorations are the best solution for your special event.
Once we kicked off with balloon decorating, we felt overwhelmed with the impressive range of displays we came upon. Yet along our learning process, we figured out that it all come down to three general designs:
Balloon Bouquet
Generally used as a centerpiece for dinner tables, the balloon bouquet actually is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, tied to curling ribbons, are laid out in various heights and attached to a table base. In the instances under the base is either a weighted flower basket or a sand-filled balloon. Yet it could be essentially any decorative object that is heavy enough to maintain the balloons in position and where the ribbons can be tied to.
A balloon centerpiece may be made of latex OR mylar (also referred to as foil) balloons OR you can blend them.
As the balloons will have to be helium filled this choice determines the lifespan of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float as much as 14 days, even the best latex balloons would not stay up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. Having said that, by utilizing a product called 'hi-float', it's achievable to make them last 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Generally, balloon arches perform their purpose best when you can walk through them! They are ideal balloon decorations for an entrance or exit. Frequently they are also utilized to frame the head or cake table at a wedding celebration or to design a spectacular stage decoration.
Unlike with bouquets you have the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A hovering arch is composed of single helium-filled balloons organized like pearls along an invisible nylon string, hence the name "String of Pearls". The two ends are fixed to bases, quite similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and often basing on the floor. A brick or sand filled balloon will do the job and can easily be decorated nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - usually utilized for wedding balloon arches - you put together an amazing effect with fairly little effort. The only drawback is the short life-span, as a result of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as described above.
You could either use mylar balloons instead of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decor for your special event should last much longer.
With these options of balloon decorations, there is website a bit more constructional work involved, as an air filled balloon arch needs some supportive components:
a structure constructed from a sturdy, flexible material like conduit, PVC piping or aluminium pole and
a tough support at either end to secure the arch.
The pipe or rod is formed into the actual arch and the balloons are attached to it, mostly in clusters of three to five balloons. By using different colors and placing the balloons in a special way you'll get this good spiraling effect presented on the photo. Don't panic, we'll explain in detail and with numbers of photos how to do that!
Basing on the size of the arch you'll will have to blow up plenty balloons! So, get your friends and family ready! As an alternative you may use a hand pump or maybe rent or buy an electric pump. This investment, obviously, only makes good sense if you are considering to do much more balloon decorations.
A much basic way to make an air filled balloon arch is by making use of so named 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Columns
Positioned as amazing eye-catchers at each side of an entry or head dining table at a wedding ceremony, balloon columns are great for wedding balloon decorations. They also make wonderful balloon decorations for defining an area of your wedding venue, for instance the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are usually crafted from air filled balloons, supporting elements are needed:
a solid metal or plastic pole and
a sturdy base as anchor for the pole.
The balloons are tied to bundles of often three to five balloons and fixed to the rod, layer after layer. Utilizing a larger size balloons for the top and the bottom, and smaller sized balloons in between, the balloon column takes the characteristic contour of its model in the "real" world. To crown your work you could put a stuffed giant balloon on top of the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, both of these balloon decorations mean you'll have to blow up a ton of balloons! Leasing an inflator would be a great idea, especially for blowing up the giant balloon that crowns your column.
You may fill only the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. This way you will not need a sturdy base and a pole, as the balloons will support themselves. Work with a nylon line to secure the balloon bunches to.
If you need to have the display only for one evening, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the headache of creating a frame and renting an inflator. On the other hand, helium costs more than air and the life-span of the balloon decorations will be much smaller.