Our easy 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 confused with the impressive variety of displays we came upon. Yet along our learning process, we understood 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 organized in various heights and attached to a table base. In the examples under the base is either a weighted flower basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be pretty much any decorative object that is heavy enough to hold the balloons in position and where the ribbons can be tied up 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 need 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 quality latex balloons will never stay up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. Having said that, by using 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! So they are optimal balloon decorations for an access or exit. Frequently they are also used to frame the head or cake table at a wedding event or to design a spectacular stage decoration.
Unlike with bouquets you have the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A floating arch is composed of single helium-filled balloons organized like pearls throughout an invisible nylon string, hence the name "String of Pearls". Both ends are fixed to bases, very similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and generally basing on the floor. A brick or sand stuffed balloon will do the job and can easily be decorated nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - commonly utilized for wedding balloon arches - you build an incredible outcome with relatively little effort. The only disadvantage is the short here life-span, because of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as discussed above.
You could either use mylar balloons in place of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decorations for your specific event should last longer.
With these options of balloon decorations, there is a little more constructional labor required, as an air filled balloon arch needs to have some supportive elements:
a structure constructed from a sturdy, flexible material like conduit, PVC piping or aluminium pole and
a stable 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. Don't panic, we'll explain step by step and with lots 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 may use a hand pump or maybe rent or buy an electric inflator. This investment, obviously, only makes good sense if you are considering to do many more balloon decorations.
A much simpler way to build an air filled balloon arch is by using 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 and reception, balloon columns are great for wedding balloon decorations. They also make exceptional balloon decorations for defining an area of your wedding venue, as an example the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are normally crafted from air filled balloons, supporting materials are required:
a solid metal or plastic pole and
a strong base as anchor for the pole.
The balloons are tied to clusters of usually three to five balloons and fixed to the pole, layer after layer. Utilizing a bigger size balloons for the top and the bottom, and smaller sized balloons in between, the balloon column takes the characteristic look of its model in the "real" world. To crown your work you could put a stuffed giant balloon at the top of the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, each of these balloon decorations mean you'll have to blow up a lot of balloons! So, renting an inflator would be a good strategy, specifically for blowing up the huge balloon that crowns your column.
You could fill only the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. That way you won't need a stable base and a pole, as the balloons are going to support themselves. Make use of a nylon line to connect the balloon clusters to.
If you need the display just for one party, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the trouble of building a frame and getting an inflator. Yet, helium costs a lot more than air and the life expectancy of the balloon decorations will be much shorter.