1. There are no guarantees when you take balloons outdoors!  This is the first thing that I explain to my customers and should be the first thing you are told by any trained Balloon Decorator.  Am I trying to put you off?  Not at all!  I just want you to understand that balloons placed outside are unlikely to last as long as balloons you have kept inside.
2. Balloons are not made to be outdoors.  Let me explain, I promise I am not trying to change your mind about this!  Balloons are hugely affected by weather.  Heat from the sun can cause balloons to expand and burst.  Rain can cause balloons to stick together and then any movement or expansion can cause bursting.  Wind blowing the balloons around can, I’m sure you can guess this, cause balloons to burst.  Given the unpredictable UK weather this is important to keep in mind.
3. Where will the balloons be placed?  If possible, keep balloons out of direct sunlight.  For example, if you are planning on a balloon garland to decorate a teepee tent, can this be turned around so that the entrance with the garland is not in direct sunlight?  Alternatively, if you are planning on a having gazebo or marque, then placing balloons inside provides them with some shelter from wind and rain, compared to having balloons on the outside of the structure.  If you want to attach balloons to a structure already in the garden, consider what this structure is made from. Metal can get very hot or cold which can burst any balloons in direct contact.  Can you attach the balloons elsewhere, or can the metal be temporarily be covered before the balloons are attached?
4. What colours will you choose?  A Balloon Decorator will always recommend light and pastel colours for outdoors.  Lighter colours mean that the balloons will absorb less heat in warm weather and stand a better chance of lasting.
5. What style of balloon decoration will you choose?  Modern organic styles are a good choice for outdoor decoration.  If a few balloons pop here or there it will not be immediately obvious compared to a traditional design where one missing balloon can stand out.
6. Always let your Balloon Decorator know that the balloons will be outdoors.  I know this seems obvious… but often people just ask for balloons and don’t think to let us know this!  There are a few tricks that can be used by your Balloon Decorator when assembling the balloons to further help them survive outside, but only if we know this is needed.

Finally, relax and enjoy your celebration! With a little thought and pre-planning your balloons should last the duration of your event, so you can relax and enjoy your party.

Claire

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex.

I want to start with a thank you to everyone who has supported Balloon Base Essex this year. Every like, comment or repost on social media, each purchase, and every time you recommend us is appreciated much more than I can say.

The blog has been quiet over the year as I havn't really known what to write. The stories of postponed weddings, cancelled baby showers, and uncelebrated milestone birthdays have been heartbreaking. Personally, my daughter left primary school with no celebration and no way of saying goodbye to everyone she had spent so many years with. These may not be the worst things faced by many in 2020 but can make coping day to day that bit more difficult. I hope that our balloons have helped bring some light to your special days this year, no matter how small the celebration.

Looking to the year ahead brings hope which was in short supply in 2020. I look forward to seeing you celebrate your birthdays, new babies, and special days again!

Wishing you a very happy New Year.

Claire

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex.

First, every design is bespoke for you. We must purchase the parts chosen by you (which is also why we require a deposit). This generally involves purchasing your balloons, but may also include ribbon, tulle, confetti, feathers, card, vinyl, glue, or lights, and batteries.

Second, all balloons are inflated in advance to check, as far as possible, they are not faulty. Depending on the type of balloon this can be up to five days before the date you want them.  What happens if any balloons are faulty? We replace the faulty balloon (checking that the replacement is ok) before you receive your order. Therefore, you will never even know there was a problem! We want your balloons to look as good and last for as long as possible.

You have probably seen balloon displays which look lovely but have a foil weight stuck on the end that does not match. Usually the shades are different, sometimes the weight is a different colour entirely. Well not for our balloons! We make all weights and bases to ensure they match the balloons. Again, we need some time to purchase materials and put the weights and bases together.

Most of our designs have a message added. What better way to make it extra special and personal for the recipient? But yes, this also adds time to the process too!

As we said earlier, we probably cannot have your balloons ready for tomorrow. However, for personalised, bespoke balloons that last for as long as possible, we think that it is not something you should want either! So when should you order? Well, as early as possible! This is especially true if there are certain balloons you want as they can go out of stock. For the best result, the order (and deposit) needs to be received a minimum of a couple of weeks before the date they are needed*. After all, we think your balloons should be special for the person or event you are celebrating!

Claire

* check our 'Lastest News' page for updates due to COVID-19

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex.

Wishing you a Happy New year and looking forward to all your celebrations in 2020!

Claire

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex.

An eye catching photo and short caption on Social Media don't always explain the stories behind the posts you see. Read on to find out a little bit more about our most popular posts of 2018.

Bubbles

Starting with this post from August which didn't feature even a single balloon! Not quite what I expected, though I'm happy to find this is one of our most popular posts. Let me explain...

First there are the spectacular bubbles unlike anything I have ever seen before! 

Also this post was from a summer day with my favourite little people in the world, my children.  Seeing them running after the bubbles, getting covered in the mixture, then attempting to recreate some huge bubbles of their own is among one of our best memories from last summer.

Organic "love" demi arch

Being fortunate enough to attend a course by the fabulous Stuart Davies (Beyond Balloons) and Matthew Lewis (Matthew Lewis Displays) was an amazing opportunity to improve my skills. The design we all helped to create on the day was stunning!

Honing skills, keeping up with new trends and practicing new designs is vital to provide the best quality and is something I am committed to!

Message

Organised by her school this is a message by my daughter from a previous Mother's Day, I rediscovered this several hours into some home de-cluttering. You know the point where everything is a mess and you are wondering why you ever thought it was a good idea?! A lovely reminder and it certainly gave me a boost to help finish the de-cluttering.

Organic unicorn balloon frame

So much loveliness in this design (the first following the organic course described above). This was created as a surprise for a unicorn mad little girl's birthday.  The girl was amazed with the balloons and super excited to show them off to friends and family at her birthday party. That is the reaction we aim for in all our designs!

Ruby wedding anniversary bubble

This was another surprise balloon for a couple's 40th wedding anniversary. Red heart confetti was the perfect filling for this personalised balloon. The couple chose to celebrate with lots of family members at a restaurant and I hope they enjoyed making fabulous memories of their celebration.

Giant balloons

I was not surprised to find this post among our most popular. The request for these balloons was something glamorous, and I think our giant balloons with gold tassels fit that completely!

Happy dance

This post was actually a repost from Mum's Guide to Romford (https://www.mumsguideto.co.uk/romford)*.  I do not repost very often but had to as this post sums up owning a small business so well. Every purchase is genuinely appreciated so much! There is a lot of competition out there and we always do our best to give you the best balloons and experience. Having planned birthday parties, weddings and baby showers for my own family and friends I understand how important and unique every celebration is.

Unicorns

Two photos actually tied for 8th place but they both had a common theme - unicorns! This was a much requested theme for us last year for many excited girls, and works well for so many celebrations.

This particular request was for a pink and gold theme. I hope this, like all of our unicorn designs, bought lots of happiness and a little bit of magic to the birthday girl and her party.

New website

Combining the two 8th place posts meant this one was able to sneak into the top nine. Starting up in February and working hard to build this business meant that creating the website was a personal milestone for me. It is something I had no experience of and needless to say it was not a simple task!

So now you know a little bit more about our posts, which is your favourite?  Let us know below.

A huge thank you to everyone who has support Balloon Base Essex in 2018 through ordering balloons, supporting our Social Media and of course reading this blog! I wait excitedly to see what 2019 with bring and look forward to playing a part in your upcoming birthdays, parties and celebrations.

Happy New Year!

Claire

*find us listed on Mum's Guide to Romford at:

www.mumsguideto.co.uk/romford/listing.php?name=Balloon-Base-Essex&listingid=524&subcatid=34

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex, providing balloons for all occasions.

These chocolates were given to us recently from a happy customer. You may not know this but we love chocolate almost as much as we love balloons! This lovely gesture got us thinking about what we do and why. 

Our aim is always to provide the best service and the best balloons. We want your special occasion to go without a hitch, during the planning and on the day, so you can focus on enjoying the time and making special memories. 

We are overjoyed that our customer was pleased with our balloons and always love to hear feedback.  You do not need to bring us chocolates, but we won't say no if you do :)

Claire

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex, providing balloons for all occasions. 

The nights are drawing in, the mornings are foggy and there is a chill in the air.  All signs that it is time to start thinking about your Halloween decoration.  Whether you are planning a Halloween party, want to delight trick-or-treaters or planning to enjoy the celebration at home a little bit of planning can make a huge impact.

Theme

Does your decor need to be child friendly?  Children bursting into tears at the sight of your decor can ruin a party before it's even begun, and sending trick-or-treaters screaming from your home probably won't make you popular with the neighbours! There are however, lots of decorations featuring cute and friendly Halloween characters.  From hanging decorations, light up ornaments and balloons, these are perfect for creating a spooky atmosphere that little ones can get involved in. 

Looking to scare your (adult!) guests? There are many scary and gruesome decorations on the high street if that is your aim.  A few of these decorations mixed in with some of the more neutral ones gives an ideal balance.  Do keep in mind your guest list though, you don't want to offend or frighten your guests as soon as they walk through the door!

Want something more luxurious? A carefully planned colour scheme will still give a Halloween feel without the ghosts and gore.  Deep purple with hints of black is increasingly popular for an elegant take on the Halloween theme.  Combinations of black / orange / green / purple are also used to good effect.  Look for different textures, glitter and lights when choosing decorations.  Our confetti or glitter balloons (available in any colour) are a good addition to this luxury decoration.

Areas to decorate

If you are unsure where to start, or on a small budget, focus on a small area.  Concentrate your decorations in the hallway for an amazing entrance.  A decorated fireplace or food table at a party will make a fantastic focal point in a room.  A few well thought out decorations placed together will look more effective than decorations scattered randomly around.  Use decorations at varying heights (within reason of course!) for a professional feel.  Fake cobwebs are a cheap and easy addition to continue the spooky feel.

Don't forget your lights

Lights always look amazing in a Halloween theme to contrast against the dark colours.  Battery operated candles and tealights are inexpensive, safe and can be used year after year (who doesn't love a little money saving?!).  Cluster them together for a wow factor.  Strings of fairy lights are another easy and inexpensive decoration that are easy to use, and you can find some fun Halloween versions.  Many of our balloons can have LED strings added, just contact us to find out more.

If you do have more space why not consider one of our balloon columns or creations.  These can be created to suit your theme, and will certainly make your event stand out from the rest!

Happy Halloweening!

Claire

About the author

Claire is a trained Balloon Decorator and owner of Balloon Base Essex, providing balloons for all occasions.