Luna Wedding & Event Supplies Blog: Balloon Garland Wedding Ideas and How to Pick the Right Colours

Mar 21, 2023

Balloon Garland Wedding Ideas and How to Pick the Right Colours

Everybody loves balloons. Whether it’s a surprise birthday, you’re hosting a baby shower or announcing good news to your nearest and dearest, balloons are a sure way to bring fun and colour to any celebration.

But that’s not all they’re good for! Balloons can also make for eye-catching, fun and unique decorative elements in the form of balloon garlands. These gorgeous decorations have caught on over the last few years, and today they feature at all kinds of events — including weddings.

To help you figure out whether balloon garlands are the right choice for your big day, we asked events and styling expert, Tarnia Griffin, owner and operator of Willow Days Co, for some decorating tips and ideas on how to make the most of this fun decorative style.

Keep scrolling for some serious balloon garland inspiration as well as hot tips and tricks from an event styling professional.

What is a balloon garland?

Balloon garlands are a simple but eye-catching type of decoration made of inflated balloons tied along a string. Despite being relatively fresh on the scene, balloon garlands are already a popular choice of decor at all kinds of events — from baby showers to birthdays to award nights and weddings.

Different types and styles of balloon garlands

Balloon garlands can be made in a huge variety of styles, shapes and colours thanks to the simple concept behind them. Whether you’re looking for a subtle burst of fun and colour or a gorgeous centrepiece, there are balloon garland sizes and styles that could fit the bill perfectly and bring a light-hearted feel to your event.

Thin, winding garlands

“Since balloon garlands are so customisable, you can use them however you want. A small number of balloons along a long frame can be great for highlighting and framing other decorations like arch-boards or photo walls. This style of garland is also usually more affordable because you only need a handful of balloons to make it work.”

This winding, vine-shaped style of garland has the added benefit of flexibility, so you can easily shape it to fit a variety of different structures at your event. Balloon arches are a popular option, and can make for a great photo backdrop.

Clusters and full-bodied garlands

“On the other hand, if you’re working with a bigger budget and want to make something really spectacular, you can go for a more full-bodied style of balloon garland. Clustering a bunch of smaller balloons around large centrepieces is a great way to incorporate layers into your garlands with heaps of texture.

“This more full-bodied style is also great for bigger events because they bring depth and dimension to even large spaces.”

Using more balloons to form your garlands means you can get creative, making flower-like clusters, mixing colour and patterns, or incorporating different decorative elements, like foliage, blossoms and other accessories.

What balloon garland colours should I choose for my wedding?

It’s not always easy picking out the right colours for your special day, and throwing a multi-coloured balloon garland into the mix might seem like just another thing to sort out. Thankfully, with a professional decorator on hand, choosing the right colour scheme for your event’s balloon garlands doesn’t have to be another chore on the list.

“When I’m arranging balloon garlands for a wedding, I usually start by finding out what the overall colour scheme is. Referencing something important like the invitations or the table colour palettes can be very useful for ensuring the garland matches the overall feel of the event.

Wedding Balloon garlands

“Balloon garlands are a fun, modern decoration at weddings, but people often still like to stick with white balloon garlands, or at least use white as the base of the garland. Gold and black are also quite popular as accents in wedding garlands”.

In addition to matching your balloon garlands with your overall colour scheme, it’s also important to consider what kind of space you’re decorating.

Matte or shiny balloon garlands

“Matte balloon garlands look amazing at outdoor events, especially if you’re going for a boho-chic look. If you’re looking to brighten up your decor, you can also spray your balloons with a specialised coating to make them shine”.

While balloon garlands are always going to be a statement piece, there’s plenty you can do to make them fit into your overall decor scheme rather than dominate it. Unless, of course, you’re after something eye-popping, in which case a rainbow balloon garland will do the trick.

Engagement party balloon garlands

“If you’re going for a more sophisticated, garden-party look, I generally take the less-is-more approach and only use a couple of tones in a garland.

“For example, when I put together a cluster in a garland, I would surround large balloons with layers of smaller balloons of the same tone. This helps the garland look chic and attention-grabbing, without being too loud. One colour scheme that has become especially popular lately is white, gold and eucalyptus”

Why choose balloon garlands over traditional decorations?

If you’re a sucker for IG weddings, you’ll probably have noticed balloon garlands are showing up on our feeds more and more these days. But why is this whimsically modern decoration having its moment right now?

“I think because balloon garlands are quite different to traditional decorations, they bring a different feel to an event but aren’t overdone at this stage. I think many people love to have one or two unique, outside-the-box elements at their wedding, and lots of people are choosing balloon garlands for that.

“On top of that, compared to traditional decorations like flowers, you can a lot further on the same budget if you opt for balloon garlands instead”.

It’s no secret that weddings are often a costly affair, so opting for more affordable decorations could be an effective way to stretch your budget.

“Big flower walls and bold bouquets can cost hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Balloon garlands, on the other hand, tend to make a grand statement without nearly as much cost”.

Expenses aside, there are also a number of good practical reasons to opt for balloon garlands instead of (or even alongside) the more traditional decorative choices.

“Not many people realise this, but the majority of decorative balloons used in high-quality garlands are biodegradable, so you can rest assured that your decorations aren’t going to landfill as soon as you’re done with them.

“If you take good care of them and keep them out of the heat, you can hold onto them and reuse them for around two months”.

While some might not be so keen to hold onto the bits and bobs that adorned their big day, having some gorgeous spare decor items around for any post-wedding celebrations could be a great way to keep the party going how you want to.

Balloon garlands as wedding decorations

Overall, balloon garlands are a gorgeous, eye-catching alternative decoration for your wedding or special event. They can bring a fun, unique look to any event, harmonise with a range of decorative schemes and fill a space with showy bursts of colour wherever you need it.

“They’re just fun! No one is ever sad or serious when they’re looking at balloons. They help to make an event seem more lively to your guests from the moment they arrive, and set the tone for a fun time”.

So, whether you’re planning your next event, or you’re looking for a splash of different to brighten up your big day, a bright and bouncy balloon garland might be just the thing you need.

‘Til next month XX

Tarnia Griffin is a professional event stylist and balloon garland pro. She owns and operates Willow Days Co Events & Styling and has decorated events all over New South Wales.