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14 October | 2022 Feature According to a spokesperson with Anagram, a leading balloon manufacturer in Eden Prairie, Minn., balloons are always in style and can be used interchangeably with the various holidays and milestones celebrated throughout the year. A continuing trend, the spokesperson notes, is that consumers are creating over- the-top backdrops for their celebrations and Instagram posts with colorful balloon arches, walls and garlands, as well as various shapes and sizes of air-fi lled balloons. "We have an endless amount of color products to perfectly complement any themed party or celebration from birthdays to bridal showers and bachelorette parties, to school celebrations and more," the Anagram spokesperson confi rms. " e hottest trending color line is currently white/gold, and it is incorporated to several everyday and seasonal off erings, in addition to Anagram's full decorator line." Floral designers around the world are also incorporating both live and permanent botanicals into their designs, to create unique, showstopping décor. An arrangement botanicals and infl atables will instantly attract attention at any event. Mauricio Vargas, owner of Today's Balloons, a balloon event décor services company in Fort Wort, Texas, shares, "We specialize in balloon décor for all occasions, and, of course, adding fl owers boosts our designs even more. A popular choice today is boho- themed décor." Air Versus Helium Florists and other event décor designers can fi ll balloons with helium or air ; typically, balloons fi lled with helium will not last as long as those fi lled with air (10 to 12 hours versus several weeks), and helium-fi lled balloons are, obviously, more expensive than those fi lled with air. According to ACS, a nonprofi t scientifi c organization based in Washington, D.C., the cost of helium has Tips for Working wi th Balloons We spoke to Jessica Crawley, co- owner of Bespoke Events and Décor Boutique in Brackley, Northamptonshire, England. Bespoke uses lots of balloons to decorate its clients' event spaces, and Crawley shares tips for working with balloons. "Purchase only the highest- quality natural latex balloons; they are 100 percent biodegradable and, therefore, kinder to the environment," she advises. "Also, remember that for clients needing longer-lasting displays, indoor balloon installations can last up to two months or more as opposed to only a couple of days outdoors. If you do design balloon décor for outdoor events, try to keep the balloons out of direct sunlight because they can expand and burst. Remember also that darker- colored balloons will absorb more heat and burst more quickly." Balloon pros also recommend investing in a manual or electric balloon pump(s), to infl ate of a large quantity of latex balloons with air quickly and easily. Infl ation is the most critical part of working with latex balloons, and infl ating them to the same sizes is the key to a professional appearance, so also invest in a balloon sizer box. Jessica Crawley / Bespoke Events and Décor Boutique Jessica Crawley / Bespoke Events and Décor Boutique

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