Written by Lizzie Macaulay
My job never stops being excellent.
To learn this month that I was going to be learning how to make beautiful balloon arrangements, I couldn’t help but marvel at the incredible variety I experience for this column.
(Just don’t ask me to skydive or play with spiders!)
I’ve been aware of The Pop-Up Party Co. since its arrival at the Junction on Truro in Torquay a couple of years ago.
Being a lazy parent with tiny tots, I’m yet to have my first foray into a beautifully decorated, themed event – partly because I believed it was going to be painful to bring together.
For my column this month, I was about to discover how incredibly easy it can be.
Arriving into the store, you’re immediately soothed by the delicate palette and incredibly ordered space.
Jars of balloons every colour of the rainbow line the custom-crafted powder pink shelving.
This is absolutely my personal version of ASMR.
Owner Bec Albouze greeted us as warmly as if we were old friends, and the tone was set from the get-go.
Looking around, and taking in the gorgeous aesthetic, it’s clear every detail has been meticulously tended to.
From the glorious packaging to the custom neon sign and signature Hey Posy blooms, the shop is a complete delight.
As Bec puts it, the party starts from the moment you enter – or when your parcel arrives.
You see, the vast majority of the orders that Bec and the team field are from interstate customers. Not everyone has the opportunity to come in-person to what has to be the most beautiful shop in Hervey Bay.
What I loved the most is that Bec’s intentions for her customers and business practices are so pure – to take the stress off customers in the midst of event organising chaos, and do it in a top-quality ethical, environmentally conscious way.
Add to that the fact that each customer is able to get creative – with or without the kiddos – and feel that sense of achievement that they built something beautiful.
As you’ll know by now, my artistic skills leave a whole lot to be desired, so I was interested to see how much skill would be required to become a ‘balloon engineer’.
As it happens, I was in safe hands. Of course I was.
Bec and her team took me through a crash course in assembling the contents of their signature kits.
It sounded simple enough to bring together (especially as random order was the aim of the day).
I was surprised by the ease and simplicity, considering the net result was something truly spectacular.
Each balloon kit includes a custom pump that inflates the balloons no matter which way you use it. Speed and efficiency are strong areas of focus – again, handy for someone who has a massive party to organise, and not time to do it in.
We had 35 or so balloons to inflate, which didn’t sound like a lot until you saw them all sprawled across the shop floor.
I felt almost guilty for disrupting the serenity of the shop’s orderly nature.
With the balloons all prepared, the next stage was assembly.
Bec showed me her secret weapon that made the whole job both transportable across the country AND accessible for almost anyone to create their garland with very little assistance…
Balloon tape.
Naturally, I’d never heard of it, but I soon understood its value when I started to see our creation coming together.
A green one here, a metallic one there.
Just stunning.
Then, to complete the look, we got to stick on some teeny tiny mini balloons that not only fill in any gaps, but are just too cute in their own right.
Stepping back to admire our handiwork, I couldn’t believe that you could create something this spectacular for less than $50.
Getting it into the car was going to be an interesting undertaking, but for the moment, that was future me’s problem.
I loved hearing Bec recount all the different ways her customers approach balloons – from cake matching to outfit matching.
It was truly a new world that I was entering, and very happy to linger in.
As always, however, these things must come to an end, and my time in-store with Bec and her team was winding up.
I thought of all the ways I could use her products in the future, and how I was likely out of excuses for holding off hosting a grande soiree for my girls in the near future – but that’s totally OK, because Bec has thought of everything.
Since dropping by, I’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time salivating over her arrangements through her Instagram feed and on her website.
The bar for parties has well and truly been raised, and I’m so on board!
With enormous thanks to Bec and the team at The Pop-Up Party Co. for your generosity and patience! You can nab your own amazing balloon garland kits by dropping in to the store at: 6/16 Bideford Street, Torquay or heading to thepopuppartyco.com.au.
Follow along for inspiration on social media at:
IG @the_pop_up_party_co
or FB: facebook.com/thepopuppartyco