Thursday, April 26, 2012

Hired vs. DIY Photo Booth

Why hello there!

Tonight I'd like to talk about photo booths. Such a fantastic wedding trend. Although, I daresay it's no longer considered a trend and is more of a staple! This just in- the photo booth is here to stay! Photo booths are a great addition to a wedding because #1 they're fun for the guests, #2 it provides an entertainment option besides dancing for when you get tired and need a minor break, or if you don't like dancing (but who doesn't like dancing? Craziness.) #3 it's a great memento for the bride and groom to keep! Having not yet been married (duh) I'm not sure that the following statement is true, but it's a guess... At your own wedding you are crazy busy talking to everyone, living it up, and getting your dance on! It passes by in a flash and you don't necessarily get to be a part of ALL the fun, nor will you remember everything when it's over! The photo booth book of everyone's pictures is a great way to see what was going on with your guests all night! The pictures are probably hilarious (assuming your friends are hilarious, and let's be honest... mine are) and will give you something to look at until you get your professional pictures back (you know, once the post wedding blues set in). So I'm saying this is a total DO! Now, the real question is... DIY your photo booth? Or, hire a professional booth? 

Why I'm for a professional booth: 
  • Easy to use
  • Low maintenance- i.e. someone else watches the booth all night and makes sure things are going smoothly
  • Prints for your guests to take home with them that night- a fun souvenir and a great way for people to remember the great times they had at your wedding! 
  • Bride and groom have a book of all the pics to look at right after the wedding! (Or, the next day...)
Why I'm for DIYing a booth:
  • Original backdrop. You get to choose your own backdrop! Now, for someone who looooooves patterns like nobody's business, it thrills me to think I could pick out an awesome fabric pattern to back my booth pics! It looks cool in the pictures and it adds to your wedding's decor!
  • Original props! Who wants the standard box set of props when you can scour the internet, etsy, and flea markets for your own props that represent your event! 
  • It's more cost effective! 
  • It has bigger space so more people can squeeze in and get more creative!
Ok, now that we've talked about why both are so awesome!! Here are some pics to inspire you further!

The first picture is the only real picture I could come up with  to support the professional booth. It is of me and my mister at my friends Alex and Randi's wedding! (Thanks for a great time Alex and Randi)! 



See! So much fun! I got to take it home with me that night and it's been in my cube at work every since! 

Now, for DIY I first have backdrop inspiration, then props!!



  
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See how much fun it is to be able to fit so many people into your "booth"? And wow, these backdrops are so fun and pretty and really show off your personal style! I love how you can make any style work whether it be rustic (#2) or glam (#5)! And yes, now that I have seen #5 I will be making more yarn and glitter letters to be used in our booth! What a fantastic idea! Wondering about the practical side of how exactly do you get a backdrop up without nailing it to the wall? (Which your venue probably won't let you do!) This next picture should sum it up pretty well!


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Voilla! 

And now for the many different props you can include! 






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How fun are they? I'm particularly loving the pirate and James Bond props! I love them especially because I'm not really into the mustache trend and these are a fun and different option! Loving that sign to direct people to your handiwork too! 

Ok, so now the question is... which way am I leaning? 

I'm thinking about doing a hybrid. Hire a boothmaster (for the ease) and buy my own props! I gotta tell you, I was thinking about setting up my own booth pretty much up until yesterday. We were going to buy a tripod and hook up our camera on self timer and then send the pictures out with the thank you notes. Which is still a possibility... but as of now, I'm thinking I'd rather have the convenience of hiring someone. We shall see! It would be fabulous to pick out my own backdrop though ;) 

<3


1 comment:

  1. FYI - the professional photobooths will give you a CD with all of the pictures as well (which is how Randi uploaded yours to facebook)....although if you go the DIY route, presumably you'd be using a digital camera and would be able to do the same. Nice themes, by the way. I haven't seen anything like that before and that'd be pretty awesome to have custom props!

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