Our very simple to follow descriptions will allow you decide what balloon decorations are the optimal choice for your special occasion.
Once we started with balloon design, we felt confused with the huge selection of displays we saw. Yet along our learning process, we found out that everything come down to three fundamental styles:
Balloon Bouquet
Generally used as a main feature for tables, the balloon bouquet really is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, connected to twisting stripes, are arranged in different heights and secured to a table support.
A balloon centerpiece can 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 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! They are perfect balloon decorations for an entry or exit. Commonly 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 composed 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, quite similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and usually standing on the floor. A brick or sand filled balloon will do the job and can easily be decorated quite nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - oftentimes utilized for wedding balloon arches - you create an amazing result with fairly little effort. The only downside is the short longevity, as a result of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as described above.
You could either use mylar balloons instead of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decor for your special occasion should last a lot longer.
With these types of balloon decorations, there is a bit more constructional work involved, as an air filled balloon arch requires some supportive components:
a structure constructed from a sturdy, flexible material like conduit, PVC piping or aluminium pole 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 connected to it, usually in sets of three to five balloons. By utilizing different colors and placing the balloons in an unique way you'll get this good spiraling effect presented on the photo. Don't panic, we'll explain step by step and with lots of photos how to do that!
Basing on the size of the arch you'll have to blow up quite a few balloons! This purchase, obviously, only makes sense if you are considering to do many 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 superb eye-catchers at each side of an entryway or head dining table at a wedding ceremony, balloon columns are excellent for wedding balloon decorations. They also make wonderful balloon decorations for defining an area of your wedding venue, for instance the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are often made from air filled balloons, supportive elements are needed:
a strong metal or plastic pole and
a sturdy base as support for the stick.
The balloons are secured to bundles of generally three to five balloons and fixed to the rod, layer after layer. Using larger sized 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 place a stuffed giant balloon on top of the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, both of these balloon decorations imply you'll will need to blow up a bunch of balloons! Renting 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. This way you won't need a sturdy base and a pole, as the balloons are going to support themselves. Work with a nylon line to affix the balloon clusters to.
If you need the display just for one evening, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the trouble of constructing a frame read more and renting an inflator. Yet, helium costs more air and the life expectancy of the balloon decorations will be much lower.