A balloon garland is a classic party decor that seems like only a pro could put together. Today I will show you that it isn’t so! Balloon garlands are easy to put together, fun and will bring life to your party decor.
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Hi Everyone! Last week I posted about how to make a rustic grazing table with delicious nuts, berries, and bread. Grazing tables are so gorgeous and dramatic on their own so I knew I wanted the decor to match that intensity.
A fun and energetic balloon garland was the first thing that came to mind. It adds a certain playfulness but still has the presence of a serious piece of decor and adding greenery or flowers makes it even more beautiful.
To be honest, I was initially nervous about making the balloon garland. It seems so professional and I just assumed it was hard to put together. After a little bit of research, I found the secret. Balloon Decorative Strip. This stuff is gold, you guys! Basically, it a plastic strip that has spaced holes to attach the balloons too. Genius! This stuff will make your life so much easier and I will never make a balloon garland without it.
Okay, so before we get started to decide where you want the balloon garland to live. I chose to make mine into a perfect arch and I wanted it in an open space so I used rebar pounded into the ground and PVC pipe to create the arch. If you plan to attach it to a wall, you won’t need the PVC pipe. Instead, you can use tacks, tape or command hooks to attach it to the wall or string to hang it from the ceiling.
What you’ll need
- Balloon Decorative Strip
- Balloons (I used about 50)
- Greenery or Flowers (fresh or faux)
- Jewelry Wire
- PVC Pipe (optional)
Make the Balloon Garland Base
Start by measuring the area where your balloon garland will go and cut the PVC pipe and balloon strip to length. If you are creating an arch there is a formula to measure how long the PVC pipe needs to be, but I am terible at math so I eyeballed it.
My basic rule of thumb is to get a piece of PVC pipe that is double the width and height combined. My table was 5 feet by 5 feet so I used a 20′ piece of PVC and cut it down if needed. If you are attaching to a wall, simply measure the length.
To create a garland that has some movement, thread the jewelry wire through the small holes on the balloon strip. This is especially nice if you are attaching it to a wall and you want to change up the shape or prevent sagging.
Attached the balloon strip onto the PVC pipe using small pieces of the wire wrapped around spacing them about every foot.
Note: Make sure to cut, bend or put a piece of tape over the tails of the wire so it doesn’t pop any of your balloons.
Attach the Balloons
Once the balloon strip is secured to the PVC pipe you can start attaching the balloons. If you are attaching the garland to a wall or hanging, I would make the balloon garland first and then set it up.
Blow up the balloons and attach them to the balloon strip by putting the tail of the balloon through the hole. I did not use a balloon pump and I didn’t feel like I needed one for my size of garland. Plus, I had a helper (that’s what husbands are for, right?) If you are going to make a really large garland, save your breath (literally) and get a balloon pump.
It was a little difficult to get the balloon tail through the hole especially with more and more balloons being added. Next time I do this, I will use something like tweezers to grab the balloon tail because using just my fingers was a bit difficult.
Attach as many balloons as you can through the holes on the balloons strip. Use different sizes of balloons and if using more than one color, be sure to mix the colors evenly.
Once you have attached as many balloons as you can, step back and look at your garland. If you see any spaces that show the balloon strip use double-sided tape and a few smaller balloons to fill in any spaces.
Add the greenery or flowers
Lastly, slide the greenery or flowers into the balloon garland evenly throughout. I simply slid mine in between the balloons and they stayed just fine, I didn’t need to tape them in place.
That’s it! Not only is it easy to make but it is actually pretty sturdy. Mine sat outside for a few hours and did just fine in the wind. Be sure to check out how to put together a rustic grazing table which was the whole reason I made this balloon garland. They look so elegant and fun over a party bar, buffet or a present table
VERY COOL!!!!!