Our quick and easy to follow descriptions will aid you decide what balloon decorations are the right choice for your special occasion.
Once we started with balloon design, we felt confused with the huge selection of displays we saw. Along our studying process, we figured out that it all boils down to three basic designs:
Balloon Bouquet
Mainly used as a centerpiece for counters, 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 bottom.
A balloon centerpiece may be made of latex OR mylar (also referred to as foil) balloons OR you can blend them.
As the balloons will have to be helium filled this choice determines the lifespan of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float as much as 14 days, even the best latex balloons would not keep up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. Having said that, by utilizing a product called 'hi-float', it's achievable to make them last 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Generally, balloon arches fulfill their purpose best when you can walk through them! They are best balloon decorations for an entrance or exit. Frequently they are also utilized to frame the head or cake table at a wedding celebration or to design a spectacular stage decoration.
Unlike with bouquets you have the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A hovering arch is composed of single helium-filled balloons organized like pearls along an invisible nylon string, hence the name "String of Pearls". Both ends are fixed to bases, very similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and generally basing on the floor. A brick or sand filled balloon will do the job and can easily be decorated nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - commonly utilized for wedding balloon arches - you build an incredible effect with relatively little effort. The only drawback is the short life-span, because of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as described above.
You could either use mylar balloons in place of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decor for your special event should last much longer.
However, with these kinds of balloon decorations, there is a little bit more constructional work required, as an air filled balloon arch needs to have a couple of supportive components:
a frame made from a solid, flexible material like conduit, PVC piping or aluminium pole and
a tough support at either end to secure the arch.
The pipe or rod is formed into the actual arch and the balloons are connected to it, typically in clusters of three to five balloons. By using different colors and placing the balloons in a special way you'll get this nice spiraling effect shown on the photo. Don't panic, we'll explain step by step and with lots 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 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 event, balloon columns are ideal for wedding balloon decorations. They also make great balloon decorations for marking out an area of your venue, for example the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are commonly made of air filled website balloons, supporting elements are needed:
a strong metal or plastic pole and
a sturdy base as anchor for the pole.
The balloons are secured to bundles of often three to five balloons and fixed to the rod, layer after layer. Using a larger 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 on top of the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, both of these balloon decorations mean you'll will need to blow up a ton of balloons! Getting an inflator would certainly be a fantastic idea, in particular for blowing up the giant balloon that crowns your column.
As an alternative you might fill only the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. That way you won't need a stable base and a pole, as the balloons are going to support themselves. Make use of a nylon line to connect the balloon clusters to.
If you need the display just for one party, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the headache of setting up a frame and leasing an inflator. However, helium costs more air and the lifespan of the balloon decorations will be much smaller.