Wedding balloon centerpieces are a fun and inexpensive way to create eye-catching decorations and fill a banquet hall with color. They attract attention as well as decorate a table and chairs while keeping the head-level range clear for interaction. They are also a great way to create a color theme without spending too much on other types of items, like colored tablecloths, matching chairs, bunting, or flowers.
Styles
Balloons come in a seemingly endless variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Colors can match or complement your theme and can be matte, metallic or sheer. Standard shapes, long skinny versions that can be molded and even heart shaped balloons are available for you to use. The possibilities of what you can make are endless with a little research and imagination.
The most basic balloon centerpieces for weddings use helium balloons tied to ribbons and anchored with weights placed in the middle of the table. Using different colors, having them personalized with messages or simply stringing them at different heights elaborate on this simple design.
Balloon sculptures bring a bit more creativity to the display. Balloons can be made to look like a wide variety of objects including flowers with leaves, animals, and teddy bears.
Other interesting wedding balloon ideas include filling the sheer balloons in your display with candy or confetti – the visual effect can be stunning. You can also insert colored balloons into sheer balloons for eye-catching dimensional effects. A handful of confetti and sparkles or glitter in between the two not only catches the eye but can be attached to a plastic wand as a cheap toy for the kids to play with during the reception.
Finally, how the wedding balloons are arranged together can create some fascinating displays. From spirals to clusters, loops and hearts, the options are again immense. As you can see, you need not be limited to simple bunches tied with ribbons for your wedding centerpieces.
DIY or use a professional
Because of the time required to create wedding balloon decorations, particularly larger ones, leaving everything to a professional is often the best route to take. Professional balloon services (generally part of a larger party organizing company) will sit down with you to discuss the designs, colors, and types of wedding balloon decorations you want, and then in the days leading up to the ceremony they will blow every balloon and create your decorations to minimize the amount of time between inflation and deflation.
Moreover, there is a surprising amount of work involved in putting together the more complex constructions. A few balloons tied to ribbons anchored to a balloon weight is easy enough to do the morning of the ceremony, but larger helium- or air-filled wedding balloon displays are more challenging.
However, if you are on a budget, wedding balloon displays can be some of the most stunning cheap wedding centerpieces. And with the right help as well as a bit of time and patience you can easily learn how they are made. For $12.95, the Balloon Decor Secrets ebook can teach you everything you need to know to save a heap of money on your table displays. You would pay a professional 5-8 times the cost of the supplies so you can see just how much you will save if you do the work yourself. And you could even put this new found knowledge to good use after your wedding by helping your friends out with theirs or even starting your own little business.
There is something magical about beautiful balloons for weddings and you could make your own. With this simple step-by-step guide you will learn the basic techniques so you can produce professional looking centerpieces as well as columns, arches, clouds, swags and much more. This book jumps straight in so you use your valuable time effectively. You will need to use high quality balloons but even these are cheap compared to other materials for centerpieces. You will then learn special effects as well as how to avoid disasters.
Bring the wow factor to your wedding day on the cheap. Order now to start learning in minutes.
Air v helium
Air-blown balloons do not float, and helium-blown balloons eventually droop. Who wants drooping balloons in the middle of the ceremony or reception? Air requires a sturdier frame to support the weight. We think of air as being light, but an air mass is actually heavy and can collapse a weak frame. The trade-off is that air-filled balloons will last longer and be less expensive. Helium is lighter and thus requires less framework, but helium-filled balloons will only last for about 10-12 hours before they, too, begin to weigh on the frame. Even helium balloons cannot be freestanding. First of all, not using a frame will cause the construct to be distorted by the balloons pulling away from their anchors. Secondly, when the balloons start to lose helium, the construct will then begin to sag.
How many balloons?
Next you need to know how many balloons you will need to complete the construct without making it look sparse. A good rule of thumb is six balloons for every foot of frame for a cluster-style construct, like an arch. If you are doing it yourself, get extras to replace the ones you are likely to pop.
How to use a frame
When you are attaching the balloons to a frame, you should tie them in clusters first, and then secure them to the frame. Tie two balloons together to form what is called a duplet, then grab another duplet and twist them together. When attaching the clusters to the frame, simply twist one of the balloons around the frame to secure the whole cluster. This method is far less tedious, time-consuming, and frustrating than tying the individuals directly to the frame with string or tape.
If you are constructing these wedding balloon decorations yourself because your budget won’t stretch to a professional, request the assistance of your friends and family. Get them together to practice some creations first so that the night before the ceremony you aren’t stressing out over how to assemble columns and arches.
Where to place them
Wedding centerpieces are often found on every table at the reception. But if you are planning on a very elaborate balloon display it may be too big to be placed on each table. In this case, you can achieve a tasteful and balanced look by having your largest display on the head table for the bride and groom and smaller but similar versions on guests tables.
Displays on guest tables should not intrude on conversations, so those with the balloons at least a few feet off the table are best. For kids tables, a wedding balloon centerpiece can be a bad idea! They are unlikely to appreciate the balloon art and the chances of the balloons remaining unpopped for long are slim.
Complementary balloon displays
As well as using balloons for your table centerpieces, you can go balloon mad and use them for much more. From simple bouquets to complex (and intricate) corridors, balloons can be used to decorate your whole reception area. Balloon creations don’t have to be simply gas-filled, either. For balloon arches, you can use sand- or compound-filled balloons to weigh down the bases. Simply poor the sand into the balloon, then finish it by blowing it up as you would normally. With four or eight of these kinds of balloons around the base, they will look like the rest of your balloons, but be heavy enough to prevent the construct from moving.
Balloons can add to your reception in so many ways and are so affordable, you would be crazy not to consider them for your decorative accents.
