Oh my goodness, 2020 was such a doozie. Last year, my oldest graduated from Pre-K. Like everyone else, Covid had stolen his birthday party, his final school performance, his last days of school with his friends, and his pre-k graduation. I knew that so many mamas were feeling as sad as I was, so I decided to take a little action as a Frisco photographer. I hosted a full morning of Pre-K and Kindergarten Graduation Portraits that were truly precious! More importantly, it brought joy to so many kids and that was all I wanted! I know that kiddos love balloons and they’re so hip right now, that I knew a balloon garland would make the perfect background for my photos.
However, when I photographed these sweet babies, I told you guys that I would also share how to easily make a balloon arch. It’s finally here! I apologize that it took forever, but my job as your full time Frisco Photographer, a major move (twice!) plus a pandemic just totally took up all of my free time! Now that we’re in and settled, I’m making it happen!
How to Make a Balloon Arch
If you have purchased a balloon arch or garland kit recently, you know that they come with a set of directions and sometimes a roll of what I call “balloon tape”. The balloons constantly pop out and it is just super hard to work with. This method solves that issue by ensuring that your balloon arch is full, strong, and easy to hang!
Gather all the supplies you need, by clicking on this link! When you click, you will find the picture above with a few product links. Be sure to grab each of those items for a successful balloon arch!
Step ONE: Balloon Prep
Fill all of your balloons to get them ready for some fun! Be sure to have 3-4 different sizes to give your arch a little oomph. This particular set was purchased as a prepared set from Etsy! I love the easy of prepackaged colors, but it would definitely be cheaper to purchase your own colors.
Step Two: Thread your Needle
I find that fishing line has just the right amount of strength & stretch to create your balloon arch. If you want to cut your line, cut the length you need for your garland plus about 3-5 feet just to be safe. The garland shown in the pictures shown here about was 15 feet long.
Step Three: Add your Balloons
Let’s add those balloons! There seriously is not method to this, just be sure to vary your patterns and sizes often. You don’t want to add all of your small balloons and then all of your large balloons, same with colors. Be sure to mix it up and you can’t go wrong! As you are adding balloons, be sure to push them all the way down as close as you can to the previous balloon. This will give you volume and variation without any gaps in your line.
Step Four: Tie it Off
When you reach your desired length, tie your balloons to keep any from falling off the fishing line. I find it very helpful when I tie and then twist the end balloons together to hold them still.
Step Five: Hang it up!
The Command Hooks linked here are the absolute best for balloon arches, because the hook “moves” with the line! I typically use 2 of these at each spot where I am handing. So in the photos below, there are two command hooks in every place that holds weight.
Voila! You’re ready to Party!
No post would be complete without an overshare of photographs, but this time, you get to see my oldest mini! Also, it’s rare that you see any red around here. It’s typically a lot of gorgeous neutrals. Just know that he’s EXTRA special because his mama let him wear his fav color…. red!
Aimee Hamilton is a Frisco Photographer offering many different types of portraits for kids. AHP believes that all milestones are a reason to celebrate and would be honored to share in your family’s joy! If you are interested in booking your own session, let’s chat! Just fill out the form here to get to it!
