Our very simple to follow explanations will help you make a choice what balloon decorations are the most ideal solution for your special event.
Once we kicked off with balloon decorating, we felt confused with the impressive range of displays we came upon. Yet along our learning process, we discovered that everything boils down to three basic concepts:
Balloon Bouquet
Typically 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 affixed to a table base. In the instances below the base is either a weighted flower basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be essentially any decorative object that is heavy enough to hold the balloons in place and where the ribbons can be attached to.
A balloon centerpiece can be made from latex OR mylar (also called foil) balloons OR you can blend them.
As the balloons will need to be helium filled this choice determines the longevity of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float up to 14 days, even the finest latex balloons will not stay up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. By utilizing 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 function best when you can walk through them! They are perfect balloon decorations for an entrance or exit. Often they are also used to frame the head or cake table at a wedding or to design an incredible stage decor.
Unlike with bouquets you get the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A hovering arch is made of single helium-filled balloons aligned like pearls along an invisible nylon line, hence the name "String of Pearls". The two ends are fixed to bases, very 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 quite nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - oftentimes used for wedding balloon arches - you build an amazing result with quite little effort. The only drawback is the short longevity, because of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as discussed above.
You could either use mylar balloons as an alternative of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decor for your specific occasion should last longer.
With these kinds of balloon decorations, there is a bit more constructional labor required, as an air filled balloon arch needs some supporting components:
a frame crafted from a sturdy, flexible material such as conduit, PVC piping or aluminium rod and
a sturdy support at either end to anchor the arch.
The pipe or rod is shaped into the actual arch and the balloons are attached to it, usually in clusters of three to five balloons. Utilizing various colors and placing the balloons in an unique way you'll get this nice spiraling result shown on the photo. Do not panic, we'll describe 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! This investment, obviously, only makes sense if you are preparing to do many more balloon decorations.
A much basic way to create an air filled balloon arch is by making use of so called 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Columns
Placed as superb eye-catchers at each side of an entryway or head dining table at a wedding celebration, balloon columns are great for wedding balloon decorations. They also make excellent balloon decorations for defining an area of your venue, for instance the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are oftentimes made from air filled balloons, supporting elements are needed:
a sturdy aluminum or plastic pole and
a strong base as support for the stick.
The balloons are tied to sets of often three to five balloons and fixed to the pole, layer after layer. By using even bigger balloons for the top and the bottom, and smaller 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 above the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, both of these balloon decorations mean you'll must blow up a ton of balloons! Leasing an inflator would certainly be a fantastic idea, particularly 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. That way you won't need a strong base and a pole, as the more info balloons will support themselves. Make use of a nylon line to secure the balloon bunches to.
If you need the display just for one night, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the headache of creating a frame and leasing an inflator. However, helium costs much more than air and the lifespan of the balloon decorations will be much shorter.