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Photo Booth Ideas

thesummerskythesummersky member
Third Anniversary 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
in Wedding Reception Forum
Hey knotties,

What do you think about photo booths at weddings? If you've been to a wedding that had one (or had one at your wedding), how did you do it? Photo booth rental, make your own with a Polaroid camera, digital camera connected to photo printer? 

Thanks!
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Re: Photo Booth Ideas

  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    thesummersky said:
    Hey knotties,

    What do you think about photo booths at weddings? If you've been to a wedding that had one (or had one at your wedding), how did you do it? Photo booth rental, make your own with a Polaroid camera, digital camera connected to photo printer? 

    Thanks!
    I think the popularity of photobooth rentals means you either have a "real" photobooth or you don't have anything.  Trying to rig something up because you want the idea but can't afford the real deal looks weird to me.  Especially when it's not a requirement for a wedding.
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  • emmyg65emmyg65 member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers First Anniversary
    I love photo booths. We got one for our wedding through our photographer. Otherwise, we were planning to rent one. They're super easy to DIY though. We used these instructions to do one for our Christmas party.
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  • tcnobletcnoble member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    We booked Shutterbooth for our wedding. They provide a host, props, guests get prints, and we are going with an option that has guests using the photo strips to create our guest book! We think it will be a lot of fun. I agree with PPs, go with the "real deal" if you're going to have one.
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  • wabanziwabanzi member
    Knottie Warrior 500 Comments 250 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited February 2014
    I disagree with the concept that it has to be an all or nothing proposition. 

     My daughter had the entire deal.  Props, message boards, markers, theatrics. Everyone had fun with it.  They ended the night with a great guestbook as a result of pairing the pictures with sentiments and signatures.  The book had a fun feel to it.

    My son had a polaroid station set up.  There were no props.  It was simply done.  Everyone still had fun with it.  They also ended their night with a great guestbook.  It had nothing to do with affordability.  They are quieter, less dramatic people.  They wanted a different look/feel to their guestbook.  Their intent was not to have a more affordable photobooth, or a variation of it.  They simply wanted a meaningful guestbook and this was their way to achieve it.

    --------

    ^This. The DIY ones are a blast with custom backdrop, props, etc. Most of the pre-packaged booths are so tiny, may 3 people can get in there... maybe.
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  • thesummerskythesummersky member
    Third Anniversary 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    @mobkaz it sounds like my vision is similar to what would be at your son's wedding. Love the idea of incorporating it into the guestbook!

    @emmyg65 thanks for the link!

    @wabanzi I also agree that a traditional photo-booth can get uncomfortably cramped, and I see a DIY booth having more opportunities for different poses, backdrops, lighting and etc.

    I'd love to use some or all of these photos (along with photos that friends and our photographer take) in a collage to use as the design for my 'thank you' cards after the wedding. What do you think of that idea, friends?
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  • MobKazMobKaz member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    @thesummersky, my son and DIL did not want to reinvent a photobooth or do it cheaply.  They were merely looking for a way to incorporate photos of the guests with their sentiments of the evening and for the couple.  They purchased a beautiful, leather bound journal looking photobook. They had a simple, discreet table set up in the cocktail area.  There was a simple framed sign encouraging guests to take a self portrait, glue it into the journal, and write a simple note.  It looks awesome.  In almost every case, one guest was more than willing to take the photo for another.  

    As far as thank you cards, the idea is nice.  However, let your photographer know you intend on using a few photos for thank you cards.  Or have your friends and family take photos you intend to use for the cards.  While I like the idea behind the concept, I do not like when "waiting for photos from the photographer" is used as an excuse as to why thank you cards are sent out months after the wedding.  Please consider sending out your cards in a timely manner, and plan accordingly with the photos you intend on using. (**steps down from soapbox.....)
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  • thesummerskythesummersky member
    Third Anniversary 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    @mobkaz I considered the timeline as well after posting that. What do you think then of using a app for people to upload photos they take themselves with their phones and cameras, perhaps with a couple roughly edited photos taken by the photographer (assuming she's cool with that of course)? If I do that, should I put that information on a sign at the guestbook table or should I include it in the invitation info, so they can download the app while they're at home?
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  • thesummerskythesummersky member
    Third Anniversary 100 Love Its 100 Comments Name Dropper
    This was my inspiration for the idea, to give you a better sense of what I'm thinking (link!).
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  • MobKazMobKaz member
    Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    edited February 2014
    thesummersky said:
    @mobkaz I considered the timeline as well after posting that. What do you think then of using a app for people to upload photos they take themselves with their phones and cameras, perhaps with a couple roughly edited photos taken by the photographer (assuming she's cool with that of course)? If I do that, should I put that information on a sign at the guestbook table or should I include it in the invitation info, so they can download the app while they're at home?
    All of the above would work.  I believe my daughter included a small and separate strip in her invitations.  I know for certain she placed the same strip (smaller than a business card) at each place setting, so that guests could slip it into their pocket/purse as a reminder once they returned home.

    ETA......if you have a wedding website, you could place it there as well.
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  • abbyj700abbyj700 member
    500 Love Its 500 Comments First Anniversary First Answer
    Love Love Love a Photo Booth at a party/wedding and I'm thinking we are going to do a DIY at ours. This is a great article with a great link to software that makes it seamless and easy for guests to take pictures, print them and save them all to your computer hard drive. 
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  • MandyMostMandyMost member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    I'm pretty over the whole photobooth thing. It was a novel idea at first, but now it's EVERYWHERE and I personally feel like it's just overdone. Remember when everyone put disposable cameras on the tables at weddings in the 90's? In 20 years we're going to be saying "remember when everyone had photobooths at weddings? How random was that?!". Also, I've seen it so much that it feels forced to me now. I've taken enough silly pics to last a lifetime. 

    And finally, there's just something that feels a little vain and selfish about it to me, for some reason. I can't quite put my finger on it. Almost like the sentiment that you're not having fun unless you're getting attention or something. I'd rather my wedding be more focused on being together and experiencing each other's company, rather than showing off in a photobooth. 
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  • MollyandDMollyandD member
    500 Love Its 500 Comments Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    My friend rented a photo booth station for her wedding, and it was the most fun part of the reception to me. I had so much fun with it. Usually I'm shy and don't participate in a lot of things like that, but this was something I enjoyed.
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  • oliviaester1991oliviaester1991 member
    10 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary
    tcnoble said:
    We booked Shutterbooth for our wedding. They provide a host, props, guests get prints, and we are going with an option that has guests using the photo strips to create our guest book! We think it will be a lot of fun. I agree with PPs, go with the "real deal" if you're going to have one.
    I got Shutterbooth too! I got a great deal on my package, I really think it will be worth it! I kinda had trouble validating the cost with my mom (which shouldnt matter anyway because i'm paying for my wedding) because i think a lot of older people dont really get why it is becoming so popular, but i am really excited about it!
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  • melbelleupmelbelleup member
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments Second Anniversary First Answer
    I have never been to one, but we're having a professional one, also through my photographer's company. We're doing the guest book with photos from it plus a traditional guest book :)
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  • melbelleupmelbelleup member
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments Second Anniversary First Answer
    oliviaester1991 said:
    tcnoble said:
    We booked Shutterbooth for our wedding. They provide a host, props, guests get prints, and we are going with an option that has guests using the photo strips to create our guest book! We think it will be a lot of fun. I agree with PPs, go with the "real deal" if you're going to have one.
    I got Shutterbooth too! I got a great deal on my package, I really think it will be worth it! I kinda had trouble validating the cost with my mom (which shouldnt matter anyway because i'm paying for my wedding) because i think a lot of older people dont really get why it is becoming so popular, but i am really excited about it!
    I hear you here. My dad told my grandfather we'll have one and my grandpa said it would only be cool if they had cut outs of me and my FI to pose with... oi! It's okay, I'll make sure to use the photobooth with my grandpa and make him happy.
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  • MayDay513MayDay513 member
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments 5 Answers First Anniversary
    I had one, I loved it. Used it for our guest book, got an entire cd with all the photos. It was awesome. Well worth the money. Always 2-3 people in line for it.

    I HIGHLY SUGGEST FINDING ONE THAT PRINTS FAST. I can't remember the time, but 30 sec is wayyy too long. We had a lot of success with ours because guests didn't have to wait forever to get their pics. Also if you can do unlimited photo strips. We had a little under 200 guests and I think it averaged out to about 3 -4 strips/visits a person. Also the double strips are awesome.
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