How to Make a DIY Balloon Arch
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Balloon Prep
Here’s what you need:
There are two different ways that I’ve made balloon arches. One involves ordering a “balloon arch kit” where it has everything you need to make the arch, including the special balloon tape strip (that you attach the balloons to), glue dots, and a roll of string. You will just need to gather the command hooks for hanging and the balloon pump for blowing them up. The other way involves ordering the items separately. The nice thing about this option is that once you order some of these items, you can use them over and over again. The balloon tape strip will last a while, along with the glue dots. You can also personalize the colors that you’d like to use in the balloon arch. If you’re ordering separately, you’ll need: plain balloons in your color scheme (at least 3 different coordinating colors), glue dots, balloon tape strip, command hooks for hanging, and the balloon pump.
Balloon Assembly
In general, I would recommend doing much of the party prep the weeks and the days before the party. The day of the party tends to be chaotic and there is so much to do! From preparing the food, hanging decorations, cleaning up, and not to mention taking care of the kids, the day of the party is busy! Try to do as much as possible ahead of time. That being said, balloons are best to be blown up the day of. This process can take a bit of time, especially if you’re new to this, so carve out (at least) a good hour to get this arch completed.
First things first, blow up your balloons. I love this double electric balloon pump. This is a game changer in the balloon world! You’ll use it over and over again and it will save you so much time and air! ;) Blow up 10-15 balloons of each color. Corral them into a corner of a room so it's easier to grab when you need them.
Next, get your balloon strip tape ready. This is not actually tape, it is a plastic “strip” that has holes where the balloons go into. Leave about 6 inches on the edge; we need this for hanging the arch up. Start pushing the balloon knots into the holes in the balloon tape. Stager your colors using your best judgment. I like to skip some holes along the tape just to create some space. About every 2-3 balloons, skip a hole and move onto the next. Keep going until you’ve used all of the balloons. Cut the balloon tape with another 6 inches left on the edge.
Hanging the Balloon Arch
There’s a lot of ways that you can hang a balloon arch, especially depending on where you plan to hang it. Here’s an easy way to do it. Grab your command hooks and place them on the wall that you’d like the balloon arch. You can use your 6 inches of tape on each side to hang them to the command hooks. If you’re balloon arch is sagging in the middle or you need help structuring it to your liking, you can simply take a string (the balloon kits will have these included), tie it to the balloon tape in the area you’d like to fix the sagging and then use another command hook to hang this. Another option is to use glue dots to help structure the balloon arch. Use them on the back of the balloon and secure them to the wall. You can also use the glue dots in between the balloons itself if you have one that is sticking out or not laying nicely.
Here you have it! You have an easy but professional looking balloon arch surely to impress your party guests. Happy party planning friends!