Our very simple to follow descriptions will allow you determine what balloon decors are the perfect option for your special party.
When we started with balloon decor, we felt overwhelmed with the substantial assortment of displays we came across. Yet along our learning process, we found out that all of it boils down to three essential concepts:
Balloon Bouquet
Most commonly used as a centerpiece for tables, the balloon bouquet really is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, attached to curling ribbons, are arranged in various heights and affixed to a table base. In the examples beneath the base is either a heavy flower gift basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be virtually any decorative object that is weighty 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 named foil) balloons OR you can combine them.
As the balloons need to be helium filled this choice determines the life-span of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float approximately 14 days, even the highest quality latex balloons will not stay up much longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. But, by using a product called 'hi-float', it's possible to make them last 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Naturally, balloon arches carry out their function best when you can go through them! So they are ideal balloon decorations for an entrance or exit. Usually they are also utilized to frame the head or cake table at a wedding or to create a magnificent 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 lined up like pearls along an unnoticeable nylon line, 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 standing on the floor. A brick or sand filled up balloon will get the job done and can easily be decorated quite nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - quite often used for wedding balloon arches - you produce an amazing result with reasonably little effort. The only problem is the short longevity, due to the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as explained above.
If the decoration for your unique function have to last a lot longer, you may either use mylar balloons instead of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons.
With these kinds of balloon decorations, there is a little bit more constructional effort required, as an air filled balloon arch requires some supporting parts:
a mounting crafted from a good, flexible material such as conduit, PVC pipe or aluminium rod and
a sturdy 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, primarily in bunches of three to five balloons. By utilizing 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!
Depending 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 preparing to do many more balloon decorations.
A much easier way to create an air filled balloon arch is by using more info so called 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Column
Placed as impressive eye-catchers at either side of an entrance or head table at a wedding, balloon columns are ideal for wedding balloon decorations. They also make great balloon decorations for marking out an area of your venue, as an example the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are frequently made of air filled balloons, supportive elements are required:
a sturdy aluminum or plastic pole and
a solid base as support for the rod.
The balloons are linked to sets of normally three to five balloons and fixed to the pole, layer after layer. By utilizing larger balloons for the bottom and the top, and smaller balloons in between, the balloon column takes the characteristic shape of its model in the "real" world. To crown your work you could position a stuffed giant balloon above the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, the two of these balloon decorations imply you'll must blow up a great deal of balloons! So, renting out an inflator would be a great idea, especially 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. By doing this you would not need a strong base and a pole, as the balloons will support themselves. Utilize a nylon line to attach the balloon clusters to.
A helium filled balloon column will certainly do great if you need the display just for one evening. 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.