A balloon arch is the thing guests photograph before they have taken their coats off. We build hoop arches, sailboard arches, full and demi arches and fully styled photo backdrops for entrances, ceremonies, cake tables, stage areas and photo corners, all handmade to your colours and installed by us, from a front room in Penn to a venue in Birmingham.
The five kinds of arch, and when each one works
- Hoop (circle) arch. A gold or white hoop dressed with an organic garland and silk florals, around 2 m tall. The boho favourite for ceremonies, baby showers and engagement photos. It works as a backdrop afterwards, so you get two things for one.
- Sailboard arch. A curved white board with a garland sweeping up one or both sides, 1.8 to 2 m, with optional personalised vinyl carrying a name, an age or a message. The most popular choice for milestone birthdays, because it photographs as a complete set.
- Full arch. A freestanding arch you walk through, built to fit your doorway, entrance or stage. Tell us the width and the height and we size it to the opening.
- Demi arch. A sweep up and over one side rather than a full circle. The right answer when a doorway has to stay usable, or when the display is going against a wall.
- Styled backdrop. A shimmer wall or sailboard, plinths and garlands combined into one photo-ready corner. Our shimmer panels are 30 cm by 30 cm and we can build a wall of up to 36 panels, in black or silver.
How big should it be?
Tell us the space and we will size it. The two measurements that matter are the width of the opening or wall and the ceiling height. A 2 m hoop in a room with a 2.1 m ceiling looks cramped, and the same hoop outdoors can look lost. Send a photo with something recognisable in it for scale and we will tell you honestly what will work.
Indoors or outdoors?
Both, but they are different jobs.
Indoors, our arches are air-filled rather than helium, so nothing sinks overnight. Away from radiators and direct sun, an arch stays full and glossy for two to four weeks, often longer. That means we can usually install a day or two ahead if your venue allows, with no loss of quality on the day.
Outdoors, plan for the day itself. Three things shorten a balloon’s life outside: sun, which makes latex go cloudy within hours in bright light; heat, which expands the air inside and pops the tighter balloons; and wind, which rubs balloons against each other and the frame. So for outdoor events we install on the day, pick a shaded spot where we can, and use weighted bases with extra anchoring in exposed places. Treat a conservatory or a marquee in July as outdoors, because glass magnifies both sun and heat.
The finish matters too. Chrome balloons hold their shine beautifully indoors but oxidise fastest in sun. Matte and pastel are more forgiving outside. Foil numbers and letters last for weeks either way. There is more on this in our guide to how long balloon garlands last, and if you are torn between the two, an arch and a garland compared.
What is included
- Design and colour matching to your theme
- Frames, hoops, sailboards, plinths and weighted bases, all supplied by us
- Delivery, installation and styling at your home or venue
- Takedown afterwards at no extra cost: we come back and clear it away
- Optional personalised vinyl, silk florals and foil numbers
We do not stock light-up numbers. If you have hired some separately, we will happily design around them.
Balloons and the environment
We use professional-grade latex, which is a natural material. We ask guests never to release balloons, and our frames, hoops, sailboards and plinths are reused job after job rather than thrown away. Takedown being included is part of that: the balloons come back to us.
Perfect for
Weddings and engagement parties, baby showers and gender reveals, milestone birthdays, christenings, proms, graduations and store openings and brand launches.
Not sure which colours to ask for? Our free balloon colour guide has twelve palettes from real jobs, with the photo and the honest reason each one works.
Frequently asked questions
How big is a balloon arch?
Hoop arches are around 2 m tall and sailboards 1.8 to 2 m. Full arches are built to the opening, so tell us the width and the ceiling height and we will size it properly.
Can a balloon arch go outside?
Yes. We use weighted bases and extra anchoring in windy spots, and we install on the day so it is at its best when your guests arrive. A conservatory or a summer marquee counts as outdoors.
How long will a balloon arch last?
Indoors, two to four weeks and often longer, because our arches are air-filled rather than helium. Outdoors, plan for the day itself: sun, heat and wind are what shorten it.
Do you hire out the frames and sailboards?
The frames, hoops and sailboards are ours, and collecting them is part of the takedown that is already included in your price. Nothing extra to arrange and nothing extra to pay.
Can you install the morning of the event?
Yes. We work around your venue’s access window and are normally finished well before guests arrive.
How far in advance should I book?
The more notice you can give us the better. We take a limited number of bookings so each one gets proper attention, and weekend dates in peak season go first. That said, we do take last-minute bookings and can often turn something around in the same week, so it is genuinely worth asking. Send us your date and we will tell you straight away whether we can fit you in.
Get a quote for a balloon arch or backdrop
Tell us the date, the venue and your colours and we will come back with ideas and a quote.
