Wedding Photobooths
Rented vs. DIY
By Sara Doerrier
October 24, 2011
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of photobooths? Carnivals? Malls? Funny faces? Well, how about weddings? You know photobooths, they are the vending machines of photos; there is a bench inside that is designed to seat two people, it is also automated, with a camera and film processor and within 2-4 minutes your pictures are developed and it spits out the strip of 4-5 pictures.
Photobooths are great way to entertain guests and capture priceless memories. You’ll get a cool behind-the-scenes look at your wedding. You can even use the pictures as wedding favors that your guests can take home.
There are two options if you want to incorporate a photobooth into your day. Either you can rent a portable one or you can set up a DIY photobooth that your guests can operate themselves.
Rental Photobooth
Renting is an easy way to go. They are portable and when you rent, the company in which you rent through usually sends someone to drop off and pick, therefore any time spent lugging this heavy booth is on the company. Don’t forget to ask the rental company if there are any limitations on how long you can have the booth and how many pictures can be taken by your guests. This is sure to be a big hit at the wedding, almost all of your guests will take their picture, individually, within a group and/or a couple, let the company know how many guests will be attending. Your photobooth should be in an accessible place but it should not interfere with the other events. And you don’t want it in the background of your professional pictures.
DIY Photobooth
If renting a photobooth is too expensive for your budget, consider setting up your own. You will need to first string up a white or black piece of cloth (traditionally photobooths have black and white backgrounds but you can choose any color to match your wedding theme) to a wall, trees, or poles. Set up a tripod 8 to 10 feet away with a digital camera attached to it (choose a camera that has a high quality flash). You want your guests to be uninhibited as possible, so make this self-serve and attach a remote control cord. Hook up a printer nearby and let your guests take their picture memories home with them. Unlike the rented photobooth, you can keep all the images on a SIM card and cherish for many years to come. Have fun with this, add a curtain to the area for added privacy and set up a table of wigs, sunglasses, hats, gloves, feather boas and any other accessories that your guests can dress up in.
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