Sweet Dreams are Made of This
/One Sweet Soirée’s Mikayla Langford hones her creative side by designing and building balloon arches
By Kelsey Rankin
Mikayla Langford, owner of One Sweet Soirée, is known locally as “The Balloon Girl.” After moving around the country from Missouri to Nashville to Pennsylvania and beyond, Mikayla and her husband, whom she met in high school, moved back to East Texas. Mikayla described herself as a “hustler,” having worked three jobs in high school and two jobs in college. As a stay-at-home mom to her son, Christian, Mikayla dreamed of starting her own party-planning business. In 2019, One Sweet Soirée was born.
When a client asked if she could make a balloon arch, Mikayla was hesitant; she does not identify as a crafty person. But she accepted the challenge, creating her first arch, and the client was thrilled with her work. From there, the balloon business “just took off,” she said, as she was the only person locally doing balloon arches. Due to demand, she transitioned out of party planning entirely and now only brings the balloons, and she is so happy with this creative move.
“Wildflower” was the theme of this baby shower installment. Mikayla wanted the balloon arrangement to be organic in its shape to complement the natural theme.
Mikayla’s penchant for celebrations stems from her mother, who threw special parties for her throughout her life, creating such special memories that Mikayla wanted to replicate them for others. Mikayla once had a cake shaped like an actual caterpillar, “back before people were making extravagant cakes,” she said. As a mom herself, Mikayla really gets to push her own creative boundaries when planning parties for her eight-year-old son, Christian. One of the more memorable of Christian’s parties was the “Nerf War,” complete with obstacles. She loves that she can design events for her son that she’s never seen elsewhere.
“Party Animal” was the theme of the party where Mikayla created this balloon installment. She used bright colors and different shapes to make the installment eye-catching and multidimensional.
Mikayla does not see herself as an artist; she feels that word is too big to describe what she does. She views herself more as a problem-solver, delicately placing balloons of all shapes and sizes into a piece with balance and eye appeal. She meticulously plans and orders balloons based on client needs, and while it may look like she fits everything together in mere minutes, the behind-the-scenes work is huge. Over the three years she has been in business, she has continuously learned new skills and tricks of the trade. Learning from more seasoned arch-makers online has been invaluable, but there is no substitute for experience. After countless hours of crafting, Mikayla has her own way of doing things.
This mermaid-themed installment started simple and small but grew into something larger while Mikayla was building it—which Mikayla admits happens often.
In addition to the balloon arches, she recently purchased a photo booth and started a second business, One Sweet Photobooth. She also has a cotton candy machine that has been booked for weddings this year.
Mikayla is most proud of the relationships that she has grown with the business. Even though she identifies as an introvert who might rather be reading than chatting, through her business, she has developed her ability to connect with all types of people, solving their problems and bringing their celebration imaginings to life.“It is so rewarding seeing a client’s face light up, being able to give a kid a balloon, and making a dream come true for a special party,” she said.
Mikayla’s son, Christian Hunt, and husband, Zack Langford, have always been supportive of her business ventures. (Photo by Kodee Roraback Photography)
Mikayla celebrated One Sweet Soirée’s third birthday with a balloon arch and photo shoot for herself. Celebrating others is such a big part of her life that she often forgets to celebrate herself, and the photos serve as a commemoration of how her sweet dream of being a small business owner turned into so many sweet memories for those who have enjoyed her balloons.