Tips for Using Photo Booths at Your Wedding
Photo courtesy of the DangerBooth
Selfies are great, but unless you have a super-long selfie stick under that Vera Wang, it’ll be tough to get all your loved ones into one shot. Enter the photo booth.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in popularity for photo booths and are starting to see people think of them as a must-have rather than an afterthought,” says Zac Wolf, co-owner of The Danger Booth, a Boston-based open-air photo booth business that books two weddings every weekend during the May-October nuptial season.
Whether it’s a straight-up smile or one that’s covered with a mustache and wrapped in a purple boa, no one can argue the fun found inside a photo booth.
“People tend to act more candidly when they can see themselves and when there’s not a physical photographer pointing a camera at them,” Wolf says. Here’s what else this expert had to say about thinking outside the box with a reception photo booth.
What does having a photo booth bring to a wedding?
For the couple, a photo booth brings a ton of additional, more candid images that the wedding photographer would likely not have been able to capture otherwise. As a guest, a photo booth brings another activity besides dancing, and, if prints are involved, doubles as their party favor.
How should someone choose their props?
We purposely don’t offer props so that each wedding can take advantage of their own individual style or theme. No matter if you get sailor hats for a nautical Cape wedding or flowing feather boas for a Great Gatsby feel in downtown Boston, make the props your own. Our favorites include creating a cut out of your pet’s head and confetti! We mostly recommend online prop sources or DIY ideas, but we also suggest Paper Source, Party City, iParty, and the Garment District.
What should a couple consider when choosing a background “theme”?
Couples should take into account their color scheme and the location of their venue. For example, at many of our more rustic weddings, couples use the natural aesthetic of a wooden venue wall.
How much info should they put on the photo prints?
We recommend prints include the couple’s name and wedding date. When creating your print out, keep in mind complex designs can distract from the photos, so sometimes simple is best.
What is the best place for the photo booth?
Couples should put their photo booth in the same room as the dancing, but far enough away from the DJ’s speakers that guests can still hear each other to coordinate poses. Try not to put your photo booth in an area that’s only busy during cocktail hour. Your guests may not remember to go back for it once the party starts.
Any other expert tips for a great photo finish?
- If you work with a stationery designer for your wedding, they’re great people to ask to design your photo booth prints for a consistent theme.
- A standard shower curtain with a sleeve sewn into the top makes for a quick and budget-friendly photo booth backdrop.
- Turn any photo (pet head or otherwise) into a photo booth prop with the use of a piece of foam core, an X-acto knife, some spray adhesive, and a wooden dowel.
- Tell your DJ to make an announcement 15 minutes before your photo booth coverage ends to ensure everyone gets their last shots in!
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