Photobooths have been a hot trend in weddings these past years, and why not?  They are a great, fun item to incorporate into your wedding to keep guests entertained throughout the evening.  Moreover, it can also serve as a party favor!  We have the silliest and most amazing photos from my wedding, seriously I was cracking up when I saw one at the wedding of my uncle and his colleagues, the best photo ever 🙂  And the one where our sheikh is wearing a a jester hat & huge clown glasses (true story!) makes us laugh every time we see it.

After doing lots of research, I decided to have a photobooth at my wedding (it was a total surprise to everyone–including my husband!).  Pakistani weddings are typically not that exciting, so I decided to incorporate this into our wedding so there could be something people will remember it by.  I was very concerned about how our Pakistani guests would react to the booth since no one in recent knowledge had one at their wedding, so, I was pleasantly surprised when it was so well received.  I did a lot of research on pricing and saw things from $800 up to $1400, but had no idea where things differed between companies.  I went to a few wedding shows and saw that there truly was a difference in the quality of the booths, so I learned a lot before making my choice.  I’ll share that knowledge with you!!

Something all brides should know: Not all Photobooths are the same!  This is so essential because while everyone assumes that all photobooths are created equal, they definitely are not!  Be as picky when you choose your photobooth as you are with every other vendor!

Here Are 9 Things You MUST Consider Before Choosing a Photobooth:

1)  Quality of the photos:  If you cannot physically try out the booth, ask the vendor to send you copies of photos from the booth.  This will let you see the brightness of the camera, the quality of paper they use, and the photo quality.  Most companies are happy to mail you a physical copy of photos they print.
2)  Layouts Offered:  Sometimes companies will offer you “Double Prints” but not clarify that the double prints really mean one 4×6 print cut in two to print off 2 strips.  It was my preference to have two 4×6 copies printed and sometimes companies charge extra for this feature.  DGEvent offered many different layout options which is why I went with them.
3)  How Many People Will It Hold?:  This was something that was very important to me– I didn’t want a booth that was restricted by walls and held only 2 people and could maybe squeeze in 3 people.  I wanted the booth to comfortably seat up to 5 people, which it did.  Be sure to ask and see samples!
4)  How Fast Will it Print:  This is VERY important to ask.  You don’t want a backup at the booths, and you want to ensure that your guests get their prints quickly.  There is nothing worst than having to wait over a minute to get a print (fine there are worst things…. but you get my point!).
5)  How Much Space Do You Need?:  This is also something that is very important to consider, so remember to ask and remember to clear it up with your venue!
6) Friendliness of the Attendant:  Almost all companies will send along an attendant to make sure the booth runs on time, so, talk to the attendant and make sure they will provide you with the best customer service.
7) Online Gallery: Where is It Hosted?:  I was shocked to learn that some company’s idea of an online gallery was to host them on a Facebook page.  Always ask.  It doesn’t cost them much to host the photos for a year, so, ask the company where the photos are hosted, and, ask to see existing galleries.  Some companies like RedCheese offer password protected galleries.
8) Scrapbook:  I love my scrapbook, but I do wish my attendant asked everyone to place their photo in the scrapbook.  Many pages of my book were empty because the attendant did not ask guests to leave a copy at the booth–if this is important to you, ask your attendant to request guests leave a copy along with a note.  I find that increasingly, the scrapbook is taking over the Guest Books’ job!

Photo via Mint Photo Lounge

9)  Type of Booth:  I have heard of people making their booths look “too DIY”…. be careful.  You just want to know what you’re getting into.  It is essential to see what the booth looks like.  I personally love Pipe & Drape booths like Mint Photo Lounge‘s chic booths (right), but, make sure you know what you’re getting!

Overall, the photobooth is a really fun element to a wedding.  Some say it is a trend that is slowly dying out, and while that may be true, if you want something a little out of the ordinary, just do it!  I think it is definitely a trend that South Asian Weddings can use, and I predict a lot more weddings will have this in the coming years.   So, have fun and I encourage brides to add this aspect to your wedding!

Did you have a photobooth at your wedding? How did your guests like it?