Our very simple to follow explanations will aid you determine what balloon decorations are the optimal pick for your special occasion.
When we kicked off with balloon design, we felt overwhelmed with the impressive selection of displays we discovered. Yet along our learning process, we found out that all of it come down to three fundamental designs:
Balloon Bouquet
Mainly used as a centerpiece for dinner tables, the balloon bouquet really is the heart of a balloon display. Between two and nine balloons, tied to curling stripes, are organized in different heights and affixed to a table base. In the examples below the base is either a heavy flower basket or a sand-filled balloon. It can be virtually any decorative item that is weighty enough to keep the balloons in place and where the ribbons can be tied up to.
A balloon centerpiece can be crafted from 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 life expectancy of your balloon decorations. Whereas mylar balloons will float around 14 days, even the best latex balloons won't keep up longer than for about 12 to 24 hours. But, by utilizing a product called 'hi-float', it's possible to make them survive 10 to 25 times as long!
Balloon Arch
Generally, balloon arches carry out their purpose best when you can go through them! So they are perfect balloon decorations for an access or exit. Frequently they are also utilized to frame the head or cake table at a wedding event or to create an incredible stage decoration.
Unlike with bouquets you get the choice between helium or air-filled balloon arch.
A floating arch is composed of single helium-filled balloons aligned like pearls throughout an invisible nylon line, hence the name "String of Pearls". Both ends are fixed to bases, quite similar to the table bases for bouquets, just a bit heavier and typically basing on the floor. A brick or sand filled balloon will get the job done and can easily be decorated nicely.
With a "String of Pearls" - oftentimes used for wedding balloon arches - you put together an amazing outcome with fairly little effort. The only problem is the short life-span, as a result of the nature of helium-filled latex balloons, as discussed above.
You could either use mylar balloons as an alternative of latex or you go for an arch with air-filled balloons if the decorations for your special party should last longer.
With these options of balloon decorations, there is a bit more constructional labor involved, as an air filled balloon arch requires some supportive components:
a mounting made from a good, flexible material such as conduit, PVC piping or aluminium rod and
a strong support at either end to anchor the arch.
The pipe or rod is shaped into the actual arch and the balloons are connected to it, mostly in bunches of three to five balloons. Utilizing different colors and putting the balloons in a special way you'll get this great spiraling result shown on the photo. Do not panic, we'll describe in detail and with lots of photos how to do that!
Basing on the size of the arch you'll have to blow up plenty of balloons! Get your family and friends ready! As an alternative you could use a hand pump and even rent or buy an electric inflator. This investment, obviously, only makes sense if you are intending to do many more balloon decorations.
A much basic way to create an air filled balloon arch is by utilizing so called 'Link-o-Loon' balloons.
Balloon Column
Positioned as impressive eye-catchers at either side of an entry or head table at a wedding celebration, balloon columns are great for wedding balloon decorations. They also make great balloon decorations for defining an area of your wedding venue, for example the dance floor or the stage decoration.
As columns are usually made of air filled balloons, supportive materials are required:
a strong aluminum or plastic pole and
a solid base as anchor for the rod.
The balloons are secured to clusters of normally three to five balloons and fixed to the rod, layer after layer. By using even bigger balloons for the top and the bottom, 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 put a stuffed giant balloon here above the balloon column.
Like with the air filled arch, both of these balloon decorations mean you'll must blow up a lot of balloons! So, renting an inflator would be a great strategy, specifically for blowing up the giant balloon that crowns your column.
You could fill only the balloons at the bottom with air and the rest with helium. This way you would not need a click here stable base and a pole, as the balloons will support themselves. Utilize a nylon line to affix the balloon bunches to.
If you need the display only for one event, a helium filled decorations balloon balloon column will do fine. It saves you the trouble of creating a frame and getting an inflator. On the other hand, helium costs much more than air and the life expectancy of the balloon decorations will be much smaller.