- How many hours can you rent the photo booth and how long will you really need it?
- Does the company offer unlimited prints or what are your printing options?
- Will there be a knowledgeable attendant from the company present at all times to help?
- Are there any graphics or personal messages you can add to the photos?
- Can you change the backgrounds or have props for your guests to use?
- Does the company offer a web gallery to post the pics on so you and your guests can view them past the wedding date?
- Does the company give you a disc of all the pictures taken?
- Does the company offer a scrapbook/photo guest book for your guests to write something under their pictures?
- How does the company deliver, setup and tear down the photo booth?
- Does the company have any references and have the appropriate licenses?
- Does the company charge for travel time or charge extra for any distance traveled?
A photo booth could cost you anywhere from $1,000 to $2,500 depending on location, time, package, company, etc. Make sure you shop around and get a package that serves all your needs and budget.
Also, make sure you have space at your venue to put the photo booth. It needs to be out of the way from all the guest and service traffic, yet a popular place so that your guests will be able to find it. You also want to be sure the booth is out of the background of any of your professional pictures (like the dance floor, cutting the cake, etc).
Here are a few companies in Texas that specialize in photo booth rentals:
I realize that having a photo booth may seem like too big of a splurge for a one time event, but there are other, more affordable options:
Do-it-yourself!
Making your own photo booth is really simple. Find a space for your booth and hang some sort of curtains marking off the area for your guests. Make sure to hang a sign that lets them know its a photo booth. You can coordinate the background to match your themed colors and props are always fun to have on hand (like silly glasses, wigs, hats, a dry erase board they can write messages on, etc--be creative!) Setup a tripod with a camera, checking to be sure the camera is the right height and distance from the designated spot. If you don't have a remote for your camera or automatic timer, you could always put someone in charge to take these pictures (or sign up good friends or family in shifts). You may have a laptop that is capable of taking pictures as well. I think Mac users even have a program called Photobooth- PC users can get a program called SeeMonkey, which is just about the same type thing. You can opt to have a printer there to print out pictures for your guests immediately or just email/mail the pictures out at a later date (be sure to have a sign up sheet for your guests to leave their email/addresses).
Another option is to hire a photographer to take photo booth type pictures. A lot of photographers are jumping on this new trend and offering their own take on the photo booth. Basically they can set up in a room (or if a room is not available designate a more private area of the venue for them). They usually put up a simple background, like all white, all black, or a solid color of your choice and guests pose just like they would in a photo booth- silly, candid, and comfortable (but more than likely standing unless you have chairs or other props). These photos turn out adorable as well, sometimes better than what you would get if the photographer were out and about at the wedding.
Photo booths add a great 'wow' factor to your event. Your guests will have fun with it and have the photos as lasting memories. Its always fun to look at all the photos as well to see how your crazy guests posed and used their creativity. Some of the best shots I have of myself came from a photo booth!
If you have any photos from a photo booth party, please share them!
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