Our very simple to follow explanations will help you make a choice what balloon decorations are the optimal pick for your special event.
Once we started with balloon design, we felt overwhelmed with the massive variety of displays we came upon. Yet along our learning process, we understood that it all come down to three fundamental concepts:
Balloon Bouquet
Normally used as a centerpiece for tables, the balloon bouquet actually is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, tied to curling stripes, are arranged in different heights and affixed to a table base. In the examples under the base is either a weighted flower gift basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be essentially any decorative item that is weighty enough to hold the balloons in position and where the ribbons can be tied to.
A balloon centerpiece can be made from latex OR mylar (also known as foil) balloons OR you can combine them.
As the balloons will need to be helium filled this choice determines the life expectancy of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float approximately 14 days, even the finest latex balloons will never stay up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. But, by using a product called 'hi-float', it's achievable to make them survive 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Generally, balloon arches fulfill their objective best when you can walk through them! So they are excellent balloon decorations for an entrance or exit. Commonly they are also used to frame the head or cake table at a wedding event or to design a magnificent stage decor.
Unlike with bouquets you have the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A floating arch is composed of single helium-filled balloons lined up like pearls throughout an unnoticeable 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 usually basing on the floor. A brick or sand stuffed balloon will do the job and can easily be decorated quite nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - quite often used for wedding balloon arches - you generate an incredible effect with reasonably little effort. The only problem is the short lifespan, because of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as described above.
If the decor for your unique party should last much longer, you may either use mylar balloons as opposed to latex or you choose an arch with air-filled balloons.
With these types of balloon decorations, there is a little bit more constructional labor required, as an air filled balloon arch needs some supportive parts:
a mounting made of a solid, flexible material like conduit, PVC piping or aluminium rod and
a strong bottom at either end to secure the arch.
The conduit or rod is shaped into the actual arch and the balloons are connected to it, typically in clusters of three to five balloons. By utilizing various colors and putting the balloons in a special way you'll get this good spiraling effect displayed on the photo. Do not panic, we'll explain step by step and with numbers of photos how to do that!
Basing on the size of the arch you'll have to blow up quite a few balloons! Get your family and friends prepared! As an alternative you could use a hand pump and even rent or buy an electric pump. This investment, of course, here only makes sense if you are preparing to do much more balloon decorations.
A much less complex way to design an air filled balloon arch is by making use of so called 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Column
Placed as excellent eye-catchers at each side of an entry or head table at a wedding event, balloon columns are perfect for wedding balloon decorations. They also make wonderful balloon decorations for defining an area of your wedding venue, for example the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are frequently made from air filled balloons, supporting materials are required:
a sturdy metal or plastic pole and
a read more sturdy base as anchor for the rod.
The balloons are linked to sets of often three to five balloons and fixed to the rod, layer after layer. By using larger balloons for the bottom and the top, 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 position a stuffed giant balloon on top of the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, both of these balloon decorations mean you'll must blow up a ton of balloons! So, getting an inflator would be a good idea, particularly 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 would not need a stable base and a pole, as the balloons are going to support themselves. Work with a nylon line to secure the balloon bunches to.
If you need the display just for one evening, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the trouble of constructing a frame and renting an inflator. However, helium costs much more than air and the life expectancy of the balloon decorations will be much lower.