The weather on Mother’s Day was far from picture-perfect. But once this baby shower balloon garland went up, things definitely started looking brighter!
Our client was planning a baby shower, and aptly chose the day before Mother’s Day for the big party. A covered patio at Carlucci’s Waterfront in Mt. Laurel was selected as the venue, which promised gorgeous beautiful views of the Rancocas Creek. Since the tent was decorated by the venue with hanging green vines, a sage green and gold color scheme was chosen, and a request for a balloon garland and two balloon trees was made. We had never done balloon trees before, and we were excited to create the new look for our client.
As the big day drew near, it became very clear that the weather was not going to cooperate with us! We inflated our balloons, assembled the spine of the garland, and tied the balloons up extra tight in extra-large plastic bags to protect them from the elements during transport.
Not Ideal Weather!
The Great Inflator arrived at Carlucci’s early to see what accommodations to make for the weather. A storm had blown in, bringing lots of rain and extremely strong winds. Definitely not ideal weather for setting up a baby shower balloon garland!
The staff lowered the walls of the tent and set up space heaters to keep the patio warm. Naturally, these would become hazardous as we made our way around the space with bags of latex balloons. We were extremely careful to not let them get too close to the heat source. The last thing we needed was a mess of popped balloons!
We also noticed that we were setting up on the opposite side of the tent from what we originally planned. As the clients discussed the change with the venue manager, we set to work assembling the balloon trees. The client wanted to use the balloons as a way to separate their side of the covered patio, which was being shared with two other parties.
Giant bags keep our balloons safe as we scope out the venue and prepare to assemble the garland.
Setting up the Garland
The trees did an excellent job breaking up the patio space. It looked like we had a separate room! The client and their guests were happy to have some privacy.
Next, we shifted our focus to the garland. The client wanted to set it up over the cake and gifts table, but strong winds were causing the tent walls to blow in and out. No matter how we hung the garland along the side of the tent, we knew it would be tricky. It was only a matter of time before it ripped from its mount, or blown into a gift – or the cake! – knocking it right off the table.
Quick Solutions
It was time to think fast, and we finally came up with the perfect solution. We attached the garland to a sturdy vertical post just over the cake and gift table. We then created a mini half-arch, placing the base at the front corner of the table. A water balloon helped weigh it down.
We tied fishing line to the horizontal post above the table, then wove it around the garland to keep the wind from pushing it outward.
Our team discreetly tucked the fishing line behind the garland and tied it to the leg of the table. This would keep the gusty wind from sucking the garland backwards and pulling it off the table.
With the garland secured, we were able to get to work adding our mini clusters and larger accent balloons. These additions are always added on-site, and give our organic garlands the whimsical look our clients love.
We gave the fishing line a final tug to make sure it would hold fast, positioned the balloon trees so the wind wouldn’t knock them over, and stepped back to admire the finished product while the client placed stunning, locally sourced floral arrangements and party favor bags on the tables.
Brightening the Day!
The client was extremely happy with the balloon trees and baby shower balloon garland. The colors went perfectly with the rest of the décor, and we were confident our setup would stand up against anything Mother Nature could throw at it.
