Hiring a Photo Booth for Your Wedding

Party Photo Booths in the UK

What about a Party Photo Booth for your wedding?

As you go through your planning list, there are some essentials that appear on almost all; rings, dress, venue, flowers, photographer etc., more and more though, budgets include some form of activities or entertainment for your guests, over and above the traditional DJ.

Trying to provide appropriate entertainment, often when the diversity of the guest list has several generations, can prove a daunting task! Fortunately, this is something that the internet has helped change and at the click of a page, thousands of ideas and service providers spring onto the screen, with many willing and able to travel throughout the country especially for you!

One of the most recent additions to this list is are Party Photo Booths, which is usually hired for a fixed period of time. Having gained a degree of popularity in the south they are now proliferating throughout England, Scotland & Wales and indeed one or two now available in Ireland available for hire in Northern Ireland. There isn't a single national operator, currently most vendors are in the event management or wedding photography business, and this is an additional service.

"So why would you hire a Photo Booth"? Distinctly a Photo Booth is neither a photographer nor a substitute for one, indeed the two couldn't be further apart. True, when booking one, you should always ensure they are both using high-resolution, quality digital cameras but the key difference is one provides a service and the other fun entertainment!

Photo Booths themselves come in a variety of guises and sizes, the traditional or retro, which resemble the passport booths found in supermarket foyers, or alternatively a softer booth enclosed by curtains. Some may have a more contemporary appearance; others still a theme or design element. Unlike in the high street these aren't coin operated, instead it's free for your guests with the push of a button. Ultimately they all do the same thing, take a series of images behind an enclosed curtain and produce them as an instant print!

Additionally the vendors will also supply a myriad of accessories and extras either as part of the booth hire package or as additional options.

"Does the type of booth change what it does"? No, is the short answer, but it may have an impact on the images! You can't, for example, get many people in some of the smaller traditional solid booths.

As a standard with any hire, you should expect unlimited photos throughout the duration of the hire period and an optional prop box full of silly hats, glasses, wigs etc intended to add to the entertainment.

To help you and your guests get the most from the hire, generally the Party Photo Booths will come with an attendant or two. In most instances though the booth operation will be controlled by the guests themselves, who when ready, simply press a button to start the sequence. There may even be print options such as colour, black & white or sepia?

The next thing to consider is the prints themselves, modern software allows for these to be changed relatively simply. Most providers will have a range of designs likely to include standard, double strip passport-sized images together with a range of other options. In addition, almost without exception, they will offer some kind of personalisation of the final print such as your names, date etc. These are likely to be displayed on the vendors website, and will need to be ordered well in advance of the event. If you want something specific, it's worth asking and if your not sure ask for some samples electronically or by post!

Many companies provide an array of options perhaps the most popular being a 'guest book'! A brilliant keepsake.

Another popular option are online galleries. If you want privacy, check that the vendor can offer this password-protected, you may prefer however, to have your images available via a social networking site such as Facebook and or on CD or DVD.

Key rings, USB memory wristbands, duplicate prints, enlargements, projected images, montages and mosaics feature as standard options with many providers, several others strive to find more unique options.

Prices across the country vary from vendor to vendor and depending on your venue, in relation to them, some travel costs may form part of the equation. As for the cost of hire, expect to pay at least 500 to 800 for a package from a reputable company, dependent on location. Remembering that like the photographer, this uniquely offers a permanent keepsake to you and your guests long after the event.