5 Things To Consider When Booking Your Photo Booth
Everyone knows planning a wedding is a lot of work. Finding a DJ that is going to keep the party going, finding a photographer that knows how to best capture the emotion of the night and finding a venue that fits your vision are things couples spend hours obsessing about. But what about the photo booth? Do you know what questions to ask? Do you know what options are available? Did you even know that there are options?
Photo booths have been around for over a century and everyone has tried the booths in the malls and amusement parks. But photo booths have really only become a staple of wedding entertainment over the last decade. When your parents’ generation were getting wed, they likely had a DJ/band, photographer and caterer, but they surely didn’t have a photo booth. So naturally, when it comes time to book a photo booth all you think about are getting those cute photo strips and fun memories. But, there is a lot more to this seemingly small detail.
As with any new industry, the photo booth market has exploded and thousands of new photo booth providers are emerging every single year. As a result, a level of innovation and growth has occurred incomparable to really any other component of a wedding. This creates an incredible opportunity for today’s couples to explore, but it also made this once straightforward piece of the wedding a bit more work.
Here are 5 things to consider before booking your photo booth.
1. “What does the booth look like?”
Although a camera mounted to a light stand with an inkjet printer technically constitutes a photo booth, that’s likely not the aesthetic you want for your wedding. You should know if you’re getting a DIY photo booth vs a manufactured photo booth. Whether it will be set up as an Open Air style booth or a 2-person sit down style booth. This question will help eliminate any surprises or embarrassment on the day of your wedding.
2. “Do we really care about the photo strips?”
Photo strips make for great party favors, especially if you have frames to put them in. They also go great in a guestbook. However, this is where you have most options. Social booths can offer your guests the ability to create Boomerang videos, animated GIFs and video messaging in addition to printed photo strips. Glam Booths create stunning, high contrast black and white images with built in skin softening with full size printouts that are perfect for a classic upscale experience. The 360 video booth has become increasingly popular for couples wanting something more modern for their wedding entertainment. Or if you know your guests will be packed on the dance floor all night, perhaps a roaming photo booth taking photos and boomerang videos with texting abilities would be the best fit. Spending time considering the experience you want for your wedding will have a direct impact on the memories you make.
Photo by @PepperNix
3. “How can we personalize the experience?”
You don’t want the booth to just be something to do at the wedding, you want it to be part of the wedding. The most common way to personalize the experience is through doing a custom photo strip design. Maybe you want to take it a step further though. A boxwood hedge background can be dressed with floral or a custom made neon sign to create a more fitting photo op. If you are planning a themed wedding you likely would benefit from having themed props as well. There are limitless options and these details go a long way to enhance the experience and tie everything together.
4. “Are we including everyone?”
The last thing you want is for someone to feel left out at your wedding. Perhaps you’re blending two different cultures at your wedding. If you have guests who predominantly speak different languages, having dual language sign props is a fun and easy way to make sure everyone feels included. If you will have guests attending with physical limitations, there are booth options suitable for people of all abilities. Take some time to think about your guest list and ask what options are available specific to your group.
5. “Do we need the booth to be open the whole night?”
The short answer is probably not. Idle time, where the booth is closed, is a great way to save money and limit distractions during periods of time you know no one will be using the booth anyway. Scheduling idle time during dinner, toasts or presentations will help the flow for the entire evening.
My hope is that by asking yourself these questions, you can have deeper conversations with potential vendors and a photo entertainment experience that truly enhances your wedding with all those fun and amazing memories we crave.
