Our quick and easy to follow descriptions will aid you make a decision what balloon decors are the optimal option for your special party.
We felt overwhelmed with the huge range of displays we came across when we started off with balloon decorating. Yet along our learning process, we figured out that everything come down to three basic styles:
Balloon Bouquet
Mainly used as a centerpiece for dinner tables, the balloon bouquet truly is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, tied to curling stripes, are organized in different heights and attached to a table support.
A balloon centerpiece may be made of latex OR mylar (also called foil) balloons OR you can blend them.
As the balloons have to be helium filled this choice determines the life expectancy of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float approximately 14 days, even the best quality latex balloons won't stay up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. However, utilizing a product called 'hi-float', it's achievable to make them last 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Typically, balloon arches perform their objective best when you can walk through them! They are excellent balloon decorations for a doorway or exit. Often they are also used to frame the head or cake table at a wedding event or to make an incredible stage decor.
Unlike with bouquets you have the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A floating arch is made of single helium-filled balloons lined up like pearls along an invisible 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 balloon will get the job done and can easily be decorated nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - frequently used for wedding balloon arches - you generate an incredible outcome with quite little effort. The only disadvantage is the short lifespan, due to the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as explained above.
You could either use mylar balloons as an alternative of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decoration for your special occasion should last a lot longer.
With these options of balloon decorations, there is a little more constructional labor required, as an air filled balloon arch needs some supportive elements:
a frame made from a solid, flexible material such as conduit, PVC pipe or aluminium rod and
a strong bottom at either end to secure the arch.
The pipe or rod is formed into the actual arch and the balloons are attached to it, primarily in bunches of three to five balloons. Using various colors and putting the balloons in an unique way you'll get this great spiraling result displayed on the photo. Do not worry, we'll describe in detail 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! This investment, of course, only makes sense if you are planning 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 entryway or head table at a wedding celebration, balloon columns are perfect for wedding balloon decorations. more info 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 frequently made from air filled balloons, supportive elements are needed:
a sturdy aluminum or plastic pole and
a solid base as support for the rod.
The balloons are linked to bunches of normally three to five balloons and fixed to the pole, layer after layer. By utilizing a bigger 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 place 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.
As an alternative you may fill just the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. This way you would not need a stable base and a pole, as the balloons are going to support themselves. Utilize a nylon line to connect the balloon clusters to.
If you need to have the display specifically for one event, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the hassle of setting up a frame and getting an inflator. However, helium costs much more than air and the lifespan of the balloon decorations will be much shorter.