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 range of displays we saw. Along our studying process, we figured out that it all boils down to three fundamental designs:
Balloon Bouquet
Primarily used as a main feature for counters, 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 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 quality 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 last 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Generally, balloon arches fulfill their purpose best when you can walk through them! They are ideal 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 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 standing 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 amazing effect with fairly little effort. The only drawback is the short life-span, 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 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 structure made from a sturdy, 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 get more info 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 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 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 commonly made of air filled balloons, supporting 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 great deal of balloons! Leasing an inflator would certainly be a really good idea, primarily for blowing up the giant balloon that crowns your column.
Alternatively you could fill only the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. By doing this you will not need a strong base and a pole, as the balloons will support themselves. Use a nylon line to attach the balloon bunches to.
If you need to have the display simply for one night, a helium filled balloon column will do fine. It saves you the struggle of creating a frame and leasing an inflator. However, helium costs more than air and the lifespan of the balloon decorations will be much smaller.