TERMS & CONDITIONS

Effective as of November 1, 2024

Razzle Dazzle Balloons

Razzle Dazzle Balloons will sometimes be referred to as RDB in this document. RDB started in 2021, but we have been in the entertainment and balloon business long before starting RDB. Razzle Dazzle Balloons is a small local business located in eastern York County. We mostly do business in York and the surrounding counties: Lancaster, Dauphin, Adams, Harford, and Baltimore. We also do business as far away as Penn State, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Pittsburgh, Erie, and even Indianapolis Indiana. We are a mom-and-pop family-owned business operated by the four members of the Pauling family. RDB is also owned by a Veteran. Our prices tend to be low to fair value for our area. By choosing us, you are supporting the local economy.

The Nature of Balloons

Impermanent Art _ Balloons are an impermanent art form. It is not uncommon for some of the balloons to pop in transit or during the setup process. We strive to use the best quality balloons & materials to ensure they look amazing at set-up, but we cannot guarantee their condition after we have left. If the design is to remain for more than a few days, please let us know.

Arch-Nemesis _ The enemies of balloons are heat, direct sunlight, high winds, and sharp objects. However, none of these factors compare to the inherent challenge that grass poses. When it is grass versus a balloon, the EVIL grass will win every time. We can offer suggestions on balloon placement to mitigate these factors, but ultimate responsibility rests with the customer.

Pop! - Our helium balloon bouquets are inflated at our studio and carefully transported to your event. One or more balloons may occasionally pop in transit. As it is unfeasible to travel with extra helium tanks or return for individual balloons, please accept our apologies if a small but manageable number of balloons pop during transit. If balloons larger than 16″ or custom vinyl-printed balloons pop, they will be replaced or refunded.

Floating _ According to available literature, standard helium balloons float for up to 12 hours (not guaranteed due to the impermanent nature of balloons). We use products to treat our helium balloons, which can make them last up to 10 times longer. You must inform us if there are specific requirements for how long the balloons need to last.

Nature Knows Best _ Latex balloons are biodegradable, yea! It still takes a while, so please clean up any broken balloon bits. Please keep the balloons (whole or parts, string, monofilament line, and other such things) away from young children, birds, small animal, and that crazy uncle no one likes to talk; you know the one. We do NOT sell helium balloons to customers with the intent of releasing them. Mother Nature said she does not like it, and neither do the birds.

Mix and Match _ There are frequent shortages of some colors, brands, and sizes of balloons. If we are unable to match a color, we may need to substitute a similar color or adjust the placement of different sizes within the décor. If we need to remove a color or are not able to find a close substitute, we will ask the customer for their input before construction.

Orders and Payments

First, to ensure security, all new customers are required to verify their identity via a phone call. RDB receives 20 spam & scam emails and calls per day. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.
Any orders made within 3 days of the event must call us prior to submitting an online order to check for availability and are subject to a Rush Order Fee. See Rush Order Fees section for more information.
An order has been submitted through the RDB website, email, phone call, text, or one of the other message services RDB uses.
The RDB sales team contacts the client to review their order.
Usually an estimate, or quote is sent to the customer through email.
1. On rare occasions other forms of communication are used to communicate.
2. This step may be bypassed.
The client accepts or modifies the order. A new quote is generated if needed.
The client accepts the quote and an estimate is generated.
The client accepts the invoice and electronically signs the contract.
A deposit is made.
1. A spot on the calendar is not reserved until the deposit is received.
2. Or, for organizations, a confirmation and agreement of payment date is made.
3. More on deposits in Section V: Payment.
Confirmation of the booking is sent and that the order is placed on the RDB calendar.

Rush Order Fees

All orders must be solidified three days prior to the event. If any changes are made to an existing order or are submitted within 3 days of the event, customers are subject to the following Rush Order Fees:

Orders/changes submitted 3 days before the event will be charged a 10% fee plus any ordering fees Razzle Dazzle may incur as a result.
Orders/changes submitted 2 days before the event will be charged a 15% fee plus any ordering fees Razzle Dazzle may incur as a result.
Orders/changes submitted 1 day before the event will be charged a 20% fee plus any ordering fees Razzle Dazzle may incur as a result.
Orders/changes submitted the same day as the event will be charged a 25% fee plus any fees Razzle Dazzle may incur as a result.

Cancellations and Credits

As events book, we adjust our availability and sometimes turn down events when we do not have the crew or capacity to accommodate everyone.

RDB often books entertainment gigs well in advance, turning down other bookings for the same date and time. RDB frequently books artists to fill the gig order in advance as well. RDB may incur costs for staff even if the event is canceled, necessitating this cancellation policy. Frequently, the artists turn down other gigs when booked by RDB and lose money when events are cancelled. For these reasons, cancellations of entertainment are non-refundable within 30 days of the scheduled event.

We also order our materials in advance to create décor. For these reasons, the following cancellation schedule is in place.

The following is an explanation of our cancellation policy for balloon décor:

For balloon décor cancellation up to 30 days prior to the event we will issue a credit for the entire amount to be used within 9 months.
For balloon décor cancellation up to 7 days prior to the event we will issue a 50% credit to be used within 9 months.
For balloon décor cancellation within 7 days prior to the event no credit will be issued as our team will have started on the order having purchased and used the materials.

Delivery

For décor, we require a minimum of two hours for delivery and installation. We understand third-party venues can make scheduling difficult and we will make accommodations when possible. If the delivery window is less than two hours, the customer must understand that any delays will not result in a refund as we have the two-hour policy to help us provide the best and most accurate service possible.

During the delivery window, a representative for the order must be present at the venue. If we cannot set up due to an incorrect address, lack of a representative, unclear instructions, or an unsafe environment, we reserve the right to charge an additional delivery fee or not complete the setup. In such cases, no refund will be provided.

Similarly, if the order is to be picked up from our studio, a representative must be there at the agreed upon pick-up time. We work under strict time constraints and reserve the right to leave after 30 minutes, in which case no refund will be given.

Installation

We are masters of rigging balloon garlands and large-scale installations. We may use monofilament tied to existing structures, magnets, command hooks, or tape to secure our balloon décor. Our garlands specifically require attachment to something solid enough to hold it up such as a wall or one of our many rentals. It is extremely difficult to attach to brick or porous stone. If it is impossible, or impractical, to rig in a certain location, we will let the customer know why and help them find an alternate location for their décor.

We often use command hooks and monofilament to secure balloon décor to walls. If removed properly (by pulling the tab in a downward motion) they are unlikely to mar surfaces or remove paint. We agree to do our best to be conscientious about not damaging the building, walls, or other structures, however, we do not guarantee against damage. If damage occurs it is the responsibility of the customer rather than the installer.

Teardown

If the design includes reusable materials: bases, poles, pipe/drape, steel frames, magnets, faux floral, curtain or other such materials, plush (like teddy bears), lights, acrylic base and pole, etc that hardware must be returned to RDB. The customer paid for the balloons and may keep those, however the reuseable materials MUST be returned to our studio within 10 days or have a scheduled teardown (strike) service. Teardown services must be scheduled and paid for in advance. If the customer fails to bring our materials back or they are damaged, they will be billed for the replacement value of the materials after 10 days.

Please be advised that even if the booking customer knows the hardware is to be returned their guests may not. For example: a guest walks off with a lighted centerpiece, the booking customer is charged. A simple solution is to have the DJ make an announcement.

Entertainment

The cost of entertainment includes materials, travel within a reasonable distance from York, and of course the entertainment itself. If travel is excessive or there are other fees involved such as parking or shuttles an extra fee may be applied. Gratuity is not expected, but if the entertainer does a great job, feel free to tip after the event.

The members of the Pauling family do many of the gigs themselves and when they are not able to do so they partner with some great local talent to fill the contracts. Some of our colleagues are featured on the Razzle Dazzle Balloons website. If you wish to book a particular artist, please let us know when submitting your form and we will try to accommodate the request.

All bookings are “rain or shine”. Please have a rain location available in case of inclement weather. Cancellations due to weather are non-refundable and must be paid for in full.

If the event is outdoors, please provide a shaded place for the entertainer. This is for the comfort of the guests and entertainers, as well as keeping the balloons from overheating and popping. It is more difficult to twist balloons in the wind, when possible, entertainers should be located so they are sheltered from the wind. If the event includes a DJ, please consider placing the entertainment as far away as possible. Our ability to joke around and engage the crowd while entertaining is part of the experience and is one of the things that sets us apart from other balloon entertainers. If it’s too loud for us to hear the guests or them us, they won’t have as much fun.

We try to provide a balloon for each guest and treat each guest with courtesy. When there are fewer guests, we will make larger designs; when there are more guests, we may make smaller, quicker designs or a surprise balloon for each guest to keep the line moving. If there is a significant line near the end of our booked time, we will likely attempt to make a simple sword for everyone in line so every child can have a balloon.

When possible, the client should provide a volunteer to manage the line during the last 30 minutes of the event. The entertainers are focused on the child in front of them and their craft. The artist should not be required to moderate line disputes.

Razzle Dazzle strives for positive guest interactions. Razzle Dazzle Staff and their entertainment partners are not responsible for handling angry, rude, verbally abusive, entitled, or indecisive guests. When this occurs, it makes for an uncomfortable situation for the entertainer, other guests, and the hiring party. Razzle Dazzle reserves the right to ask guests to step out of line, suspend or stop services. The entertainer will attempt contact the designated customer “point of contact” (POC) to address the issue. If services are suspended or stopped no additional time will be added unless the entertainer agrees to do so; full payment will still be required.

When the allotted time is up, we may need to leave quickly for our next event. Any extra time is at the discretion of the performer. Additional payment must be rendered to Razzle Dazzle Balloon. The rate is set at $75 per half hour per entertainer.

If the event location has changed without notice, changed without acknowledgement of Razzle Dazzle Balloons, the supplied address is incorrect or insufficient, or the location is deemed unsafe, then entertainment will be canceled, and payment will still be due in full.

Liability and Insurance

We carry a $2M insurance policy. A Certificate of Insurance (COI) can be provided at a fee of $10 for a standard COI or $25 if your organization needs to be named as an additional insured.

Acknowledgement

We would like to extend our gratitude to Brian and Christina Getz, owners of Banzi Balloons and Event Services and Pretty Funny Balloons; henceforth referred to as Banzi Balloons. And of course, a big thank you to their fabulous team as well. Brian and Christina are wonderful balloon artists who have worked on some truly magnificent projects earning accolades both domestically and internationally.

They have built Bansi Balloons into the largest balloon décor and balloon entertainment company in Indiana. Brian and Christina provided a lot of guidance when launching Razzle Dazzle Balloons. And, Razzle Dazzle Balloons has partnered with Bansi Balloons on several projects. Much of the language in this terms & service agreement was provided courtesy of Bansi Balloons. Some images on this site have also been used courtesy Bansi Balloons; images are credited where applicable.