Our quick and easy to follow descriptions will aid 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 figured out that everything come down to three basic 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, attached 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 heavy enough to keep the balloons in position and where the ribbons can be tied to.
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 need 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 stay up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. Having said that, utilizing a product called 'hi-float', it's achievable to make them survive 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Generally, balloon arches perform their purpose best when you can walk through them! So they are optimal balloon decorations for an access or exit. Often they are also used to frame the head or cake table at a wedding celebration or to create a spectacular stage decoration.
Unlike with bouquets you get 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". The two ends are fixed to bases, quite similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and often 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" - usually utilized for wedding balloon arches - you put together 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.
If the decorations for your exclusive event must last longer, you can either utilize mylar balloons as an alternative to latex or you go with an arch with air-filled balloons.
With these options of balloon decorations, there is a little more constructional labor required, as an air filled balloon arch needs to have some supportive elements:
a frame made of a solid, flexible material such as conduit, PVC pipe or aluminium rod 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. Utilizing different colors and placing the balloons in a special way you'll get this great spiraling result presented on the photo. Do not worry, we'll describe in detail and with numbers of photos how to do that!
Depending upon the size of the arch you'll need to blow up plenty of balloons! Get your family and friends prepared! As an alternative you can use a hand pump or maybe rent or buy an electric pump. This investment, obviously, only makes good sense if you are intending to do a lot more balloon decorations.
A much less complex way to create an air filled balloon arch is by utilizing so called 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Column
Placed as outstanding eye-catchers at either side of an entrance or head table at a wedding event, balloon columns are perfect 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 balloons, supportive materials are required:
a sturdy aluminum or plastic pole and
a stable base as support for the rod.
The balloons are connected to bunches of typically three to five balloons and fixed to the pole, layer after layer. By using bigger balloons for the bottom and the top, and smaller sized balloons in between, the balloon column takes the characteristic look of its model in the "real" world. To crown your work you could position 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 need to blow up a lot of balloons! So, renting an inflator would be a good 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 struggle of creating a frame and leasing an inflator. On the other hand, helium costs more than air and the life-span of get more info the balloon decorations will be much smaller.