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Are photobooths more of a distraction than actual fun?

margaretnguyenmargaretnguyen
in Favors
One of the big cons that just came up with having a photo booth at our reception is the distraction that it might cause.  I don't want people swarming the photo booth while the best man is making his toast or while we're having our first dance.  I know everyone who's had a photo booth at their wedding absolutely loved it, but does anyone think it causes more of a distraction?

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Re: Are photobooths more of a distraction than actual fun?

  • MobKazMobKaz member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Our photobooth will be open during the cocktail hour, but will close during dinner....which is presumably when toasts will be made.  The booth will re-open after dinner.  Anyone at the wedding with a sincere interest in watching the first dance, or any other scripted moment, will make a point to be there.  In the case of others, especially teens, or casual guests, it might be best for them to be out of the room, lest THEY be the ones making the distraction during such moments.
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  • melissamc2melissamc2 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Our photobooth area will only be open after dinner/toasts/entertainment/important events are done.  Dancing and photobooth will be simultaneous - hopefully preventing overcrowding of both/either.
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  • tldhtldh member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The wedding I was at that had one of these, placed it outside the ballroom so there was no disctraction.
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  • tldhtldh member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    ALso, please create a new screen name.  It is never smart to use your real name. 
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  • Beachy730Beachy730 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We had a photobooth at our wedding and it wasn't a distraction at all.  As a PP said, those who want to watch the dances and speeches will, no matter what.  You are more likely to have people leave the room to use the bathroom during that than to be in the photobooth.  And truthfully, its a little vein to try and have your guests focused on you the entire night. 

    We had ours setup in the corner of our ballroom.  I didn't want it in the hallway because I didn't want a line of people waiting not in the room.  I actually had our "set-up" time to start at 7, which was when our cocktail hour ended.  Do I know if anyone was at the photobooth during our first dance or speeches?  No.  But I also don't know if anyone was in the bathroom.  Trust me when I see you will be in such a daze at the time you won't even notice if your new H is next to you.  (exaggerating, but you get it).  I wouldn't let that deter you from having one.  They are a great time and we are so glad we had it.  If anything you can have someone, whether you have a booth attendant, or maybe someone who works at your venue, stand at the booth during the dances and speeches to say its closed. 
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  • KaylaSue19KaylaSue19
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We had ours open the whole night and I don't think it was a distraction to anyone but the kiddos. We were on a stationary boat so we had the PB as you walked in on the first level. Dinner and the dance were upstairs. Most of the adults took at least one picture with the photobooth but for the most part it kept my younger cousins busy, which wasn't such a horrible thing. :)
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  • goetzr19goetzr19
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think the kids at our reception will love it.  My biggest worry would be people wanting to drag me or FI into the booth.  It wouldn't be awful, but trying to cram my ENORMOUS ballgown dress into it over and over would be a pain. 
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  • tldhtldh member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_photobooths-of-distraction-actual-fun?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:27Discussion:3c6a95e9-afcd-4d2c-ba61-83b45f26dbe4Post:4a9781ef-fecd-42b4-b638-e1b0958cde05">Re: Are photobooths more of a distraction than actual fun?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I think the kids at our reception will love it.  My biggest worry would be people wanting to drag me or FI into the booth.  It wouldn't be awful, but trying to cram my ENORMOUS ballgown dress into it over and over would be a pain. 
    Posted by goetzr19[/QUOTE]

    Make it the guest book and nobody will do this.  Two copies of the pics print out.  One for the people to take home and one that gets pasted into a guest book right there and you can sign around it.
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  • littlemoments324littlemoments324 member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    We're opening the photobooth at 530.  Then it will be closed during dinner (which is supposed to start at 6pm) Then it will be open the rest of the night.

    This is the thing I'm the most excited about for the reception! 
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  • hlq2011hlq2011
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_photobooths-of-distraction-actual-fun?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:27Discussion:3c6a95e9-afcd-4d2c-ba61-83b45f26dbe4Post:c07ca417-6677-4ee4-aac2-191586eacb95">Re: Are photobooths more of a distraction than actual fun?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Are photobooths more of a distraction than actual fun? : Make it the guest book and nobody will do this.  Two copies of the pics print out.  One for the people to take home and one that gets pasted into a guest book right there and you can sign around it.
    Posted by tldh[/QUOTE]

    Friends of ours had a photobooth outside the ballroom, as the guest book, and I know the bride got dragged in by her friends a bunch of times, so having it as the guest book won't necessarily prevent that from happening.
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  • graysquirrelgraysquirrel member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    PPs are right. If you have it closed during the speeches and important events, it wont cause a problem. Have it outside the ballroom and you're good to go!
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  • KaylaSue19KaylaSue19
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_favors_photobooths-of-distraction-actual-fun?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:27Discussion:3c6a95e9-afcd-4d2c-ba61-83b45f26dbe4Post:4a9781ef-fecd-42b4-b638-e1b0958cde05">Re: Are photobooths more of a distraction than actual fun?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I think the kids at our reception will love it.  My biggest worry would be people wanting to drag me or FI into the booth.  It wouldn't be awful, but trying to cram my ENORMOUS ballgown dress into it over and over would be a pain. 
    Posted by goetzr19[/QUOTE]

    We did a "photo station" instead of booth. Basically a big white sheet background with a photog taking the pics. I too had worries regarding my poofy dress. I liked that it would allow more than 2-3 ppl in pics too.
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  • MobKazMobKaz member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    An additional random aside.....

    We are having a photobooth but did not opt for the "prop" addition....moreso because of germaphobe issues rather than an "anti-prop" person......to that end, as an FYI.....what we are doing is taking advantage of clearance sales after Halloween and New Year's, as well as checking the dollar spot at Target on frequent trips.....and providing our own box-o-props.
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  • anne.azanoanne.azano
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We had a photobooth at ours and loved it!  No, I don't think it was a distraction.  It was on during dinner too and people were polite and sat down.  Our speeches came right after dinner and people certainly weren't going to and fro.  As PPs said, you won't notice if anyone isn't there when you're having your first dance.  Our photobooth was our guest book as well and I really don't regret it.  And, I have such a great memory from the guest book that they gave me at the end of the night.

    However, there was one moment when the dancing was supposed to start and the DJ played this song that I thought would get everyone on the dance floor, but people were still having fun with the photobooth.  And cupcakes had just been served, so there was kind of too much going on at the same time, and I wanted people to dance.  And I was kinda like, oh no, we wasted this song by playing it too early!  But, the photobooth closed by 10, everyone had had their cupcakes, and then everyone got into the dancing.  Aside from that one moment, It really added to the night and everyone loved it.
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  • KyKel85KyKel85
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am considering a photo booth at my reception as well. Rather than creating another post, I thought I'd hop on this discussion.

    The booth I found is reasonable in price compared to what I've seen. I get a lot of extras with the package. 2 of the best add ons is: they will create photobooth save the dates for us AND all of the guests photos have a magnetic strip so they become magnets to take home.

    Question: Is it dumb to have the photobooth be the main favor (put a sign of some sort at the table encouraging guests to use it and take them home) or is that tacky?

    Any advice is appreciated!
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  • MobKazMobKaz member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    **KyKel......one of the things we may use to do "double duty" is this.....

    http://www.photoboothframes.com/

    We will use the frames initially to hold our escort cards....but because they are double sided, the guests can then place their photostrip onto the other side to take as their favor as well. 

    We also plan on "delicately" decorating the frame----probably at the base...with either s simple ribbon, or a few embellishments glued at the base......

    Just a suggestion!
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  • juliecnycjuliecnyc
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    A friend of mine had one (an actual booth with black and white film strips!) at a wedding and I loved it. I don't think there was any conflict at all with other important events.

    I really wanted one for my wedding this summer, but we had such a small wedding (25) and it was in the middle of the day. So we had one (a station type not a booth) at our engagement party instead. It was great fun and no worries about anyone missing out on food or cake! Plus I was free to have lots of drinks and take silly pics without worrying about the wedding dress. :)
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  • anne.azanoanne.azano
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    we used our photo strips as favors.  I don't think anyone noticed that they didn't get some silly bag of almonds.  If they did, I don't really care!
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  • cathyandjustyncathyandjustyn member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We plan to have a photo booth also! Since they're gonna print 2 sets of pics, one is gonna be taken home as a favor and the other will be put into a scrapbook for us. We've been to a couple weddings with them and haven't seen it be much of an issue. I think it's a great idea and an awesome way to capture your guests through the night!
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  • dmegandmegan member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think it's a great idea. I plan on doing that as well for favors. If you think about it, if you get something like a candle, candy, or something on the lines of that. Some people will just throw them out or they last a whole 20 minutes. Why not get something that lasts forever. Why not get a scrapbook or photo album, and have people take one strip and put it in the book and write something for your wedding day insead of a guest book as well. And the other strip would be their favors. I have gone to a wedding where they did the photobooth and had props, and it was a great turn out!!!! Good luck.
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