Balloon Decoration Ideas: Garlands, Arches & Centrepieces

Written by the Let's Party team, Australia's online party supplies specialist. Last updated: July 2026.

For less than the price of a cup of coffee, balloons continue to be by far and away the best-value party decoration around. You can create a beautiful balloon garland that takes less than an hour to turn an empty wall into a photo backdrop, and very few people could do what you are capable of doing. Step-By-Step Guide on Different Balloon Decoration Styles This guide covers three styles of balloon decoration — garlands, arches and centrepieces — step by practical step.

Why Balloons Are the Best Party Decoration After All

When it comes to getting the biggest bang for our buck and brains, balloons outdo florals, fabric backdrops or custom signage any day. A garland kit is $25–$60 and takes 1–2 hours to put together. The same visual impact with a backdrop built by St. Paul florist would run several hundred dollars.

Balloons can also be scaled to fit any budget and any size — a little cluster works on an intimate dinner table, while a full garland wall is great for celebrating with 50 guests. Plus given they come in basically every colour you can match them to your party's theme with ease.

Balloon Garlands: Step-by-Step

An organic cluster of balloon garland usually hung on a wall, edge or staircase. What distinguishes a homemade garland from the stiff, uniform look is that "organic" appearance — ever-so-slightly irregular; not an exact same size.

What you'll need

This list is based on what works every time our clients build garlands at home:

• Three sizes of balloons: 5, 11 and maybe one or two in the center at the top (the18-inch balloon)
• Balloon decorating strip (a long plastic piece with holes cut every 6") or fishing line
• A hand pump — saves a lot of time and effort over mouth-inflating
• Glue Dots or Balloon Tape to stick them on walls
• Command hooks (if you want to hang it on a wall that may not be easily replaceable)

Steps

1. Inflate balloons to varied sizes. Avoid blowing-up every balloon a full 100% — simply varying size by only 20–30% between balloons that are the same nominal size gives it an organic appearance.
2. Group into clusters of 4. Twist four balloons together in a group, then connect onto the strip — this gives a bigger appearance than just having one balloon per section connected to_string.
3. Add the clusters on to strip — alternate colours. Do not put two same colour balloon side by side.
4. Add focal balloons last. Randomly placed larger 18-inch balloons establish visual rhythm, not a flat uniform pattern.
5. Mount and shape. When secured to the wall or edge of a table, gently tug clusters so they rest properly without stretching and move them as needed into any gaps. A garland should appear nicely rounded without seeing flat spots or large gaps.

A 2-metre-sized garland usually takes from one to two hours on the first attempt, but definitely less as you gain practice.

Common garland mistakes to avoid

• Balloon size — the single biggest cause of a flat, boring garland
• When you over-inflate and throw every balloon at the same size — it ruins an organic look
• Too even spacing between clusters, irregular spaced looks more natural than a perfect grid.
• Mistaking 5inch for bigger balloons — these fill gaps and are key to a nice full look

All That You Should Know About Balloon Arches

Balloon arch is a balloon-covered frame (typically made of metal or PVC) that is used as an entrance, background for photographs and front of stage.

Arch frame options

Unlike frame arch stands, these are reusable and usually available in widths ranging from 1.5m to about 3m (typical for private home parties). They come together in minutes, break down for easy storage.

DIY arch frames from PVC pipe are cheaper than a purpose-built stand but take longer to set up and aren't as adjustable.

For smaller arches, another amazing tool (and the one that I used to support my 90-Balloon arch) is Balloon Arch Tape — a strip of clear tape with circles cut out in various hole sizes and where balloons fit right into. This is effective for arches up to approximately 1.5 metres in height.

How many balloons does it need for an arch?

For any industry standard 2-metre arch that utilises a mixture of 11-inch &5 inch balloons, you can expect to use anywhere from80–120balloons depending one how dense. Fit not visible gaps between balloons) require the more — budget on higher if you want a full look.

Setting up an arch

1. First, put together the complete frame before attaching any balloons; once you have already placed in some balloons it is hard to change width of your frame.
2. Work from bottom to top of one side and up and over, then down the other attaching clusters at a time – 3–4 balloons with ribbon attached.
3. Hot tip: Use balloon glue dots between balloons to stop them sliding around, this is especially important if your arch needs to set for many hours.
4. Most pictures here will have the top of this arch as their focal point, so reserve your brightest or darkest colour for there.

Balloon Centrepieces for Tables

You don't need a frame for centrepieces — just find something to weigh down the bottom of the stand and attach some smaller balloons, plus they're also hands-down one of the fastest balloon decorations there are.

Simple centrepiece options

• Balloon bunch on a stick — 3–5 balloons tied together and put into an anchored holder (a small bucket with sand or rice will do)
• Balloon and foliage mix — pair two to three balloons with eucalyptus or faux greenery for a more delicate and refined aesthetic
• Floating helium clusters — 3 helium balloons tied at slightly different string lengths and attached to a centrepiece weight produce height variation across the table

Sizing centrepieces correctly

Limit centrepiece height to 35cm for a standard round table (seating up to 8) so guests can see and talk over it – taller arrangements are better saved for cocktail tables as sightlines aren't an issue when seated.

Helium vs Air-Filled: Which Is Best for the Type of Decoration

All garlands & arches must always be inflated air. Helium balloons already do not stay in a fixed configuration because they float, and helium-filled latex balloons will last 8–12 hours at best anyway — hardly ideal for something you have spent several hours constructing.

One can use either for centrepieces — it would depend on the impact. Generally, air-filled centrepieces like those on a stick are more stable and last for days; helium arrangements create height and movement but must be prepared closer to the start of your event.

The only time helium truly makes sense on its own (ie, not part of an actual arrangement) is for standalone floating balloons — bouquets tied to chairs or bobbing near the ceiling.

Colour Combinations That Work

If you are unsure about colour picking, these combinations tend to photograph exceptionally well:

• Blush pink, cream and rose gold — soft works for most adult celebrations
• Teal, white and gold — versatility at its finest – Good for kids parties as well as adult events
• Sage green, terracotta & cream: The current boho-neutral darling
• Hot pink, orange and yellow — super bright, perfect for kids parties or tropical themes.
• Navy, silver and white — formal events such as milestone birthdays or engagement parties

Rule of thumb: Use one primary colour (60% balloons), one secondary color (30%) and finally an accent colour for your 10%, therefore do not equally distribute across three or more colours.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much time does it take for you to put together a balloon garland?

This takes 1–2 hours to DIY for the first time, but faster next with practice (for a 2-metre garland). Give yourself a bit of extra time if you plan to blow up balloons by mouth versus using a pump.

Balloon garlands, how many balloons do I use?

How to make a balloon garland 2-metre: Prepare around 80–100 balloons in various sizes (5inch, 11inch & some focal point-18 inch and/or mylar centrepieces).

Excuse me: Can I make a balloon arch that is freestanding?

Correct — you can use balloon arch tape (a strip with holes already punched) to create arches without a frame of 1.5 metres or so by attaching it to the wall / doorway in an arched shape

Is it necessary to make balloon garlands for a party the day of?

You can prepare air-filled garlands even 2–3 days before the event if you keep them in a cool location away from direct sunlight. An exception is using helium elements, which must be added the same day (helium balloons lose lift in hours).

How to decorate balloons without spending a fortune?

DIY garlands made out of a decorating strip and balloons in various sizes are the cheapest option — usually AUD 25– AUD 60 for a 2 metre garland, compared to at least double that (AUD 150+) if hiring someone else to install them (they can be quite fiddly).

The Bottom Line

Definitely the best bang for your buck is balloon decorations still everytime when it comes to party. Garlands look lovely on walls and tables, arches provide area that can be anchored with an entranceway or photo spot, centrepieces tie it all together around the table but do not overpower. Set the colour ratio then begin mixing your ball sizes and construct in groups instead of one balloon at a time, this is where you can see movement from something flat to professional looking styling!

We stock a range of balloon garland makers, arch stands and helium balloons — all you need to create your own setup at home so as soon as the invites are sent out head on over to Let's Party.