Our very simple to follow descriptions will allow you decide what balloon decorations are the optimal option for your special occasion.
Once we started with balloon design, we felt confused with the substantial selection of displays we saw. Yet along our learning process, we found out that everything come down to three fundamental styles:
Balloon Bouquet
Normally used as a centerpiece for dinner tables, the balloon bouquet really is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, connected to curling stripes, are arranged in different heights and connected to a table base. In the instances below the base is either a weighted flower gift basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be practically any decorative item that is weighty enough to hold the balloons in position and where the ribbons can be attached to.
A balloon centerpiece can be crafted from latex OR mylar (also named foil) balloons OR you can combine them.
As the balloons must be helium filled this choice determines the life-span of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float around 14 days, even the finest latex balloons will not keep up much longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. By working with a product called 'hi-float', it's possible 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! So they are perfect 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 arranged like pearls throughout an unnoticeable nylon line, hence the name "String of Pearls". Both ends are fixed to bases, similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and typically basing on the floor. A brick or sand stuffed balloon will get the job done and can easily be decorated quite nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - frequently used for wedding balloon arches - you make an incredible outcome with quite little effort. The only disadvantage is the short lifespan, due to the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as discussed above.
If the decoration for your unique party must last a lot longer, you could either utilize mylar balloons instead of latex or you choose an arch with air-filled balloons.
With these types of balloon decorations, there is a little bit more constructional labor involved, as an air filled balloon arch needs to have some supporting parts:
a mounting made of a strong, flexible material such as conduit, PVC pipe or aluminium rod and
a durable foundation 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. Using a variety of colors and putting the balloons in a specific way you'll get this wonderful 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 will have to blow up plenty balloons! Get your family and friends ready! Alternatively you could use a hand pump or even rent or buy an electrical inflator. This investment, of course, only makes good sense if you are planning to do much more balloon decorations.
A much basic way to make an air filled balloon arch is by making use of so named 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Columns
Positioned as amazing eye-catchers at each side of an entry or head decorations balloons 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 composed of 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 rod, 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 contour 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 fantastic strategy, specifically 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. This way you will not need a sturdy base and a pole, as the balloons will support themselves. Use a nylon line to secure the balloon bunches to.
If you need to have the display only for one night, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the headache of creating a frame and leasing an inflator. On the other hand, helium costs more than air and the life-span of the balloon decorations will be much smaller.