Let’s get something straight from the off. A photo booth you hire for an event is nothing, let’s just underlined that, nothing, like a booth in a mall used mainly for passport photos. Sure, you can have fun in one of these basic booths – who hasn’t played the “let’s see how many people we can squash in the booth and get their faces in the photo” game? - but there’s so much more fun factor when you hire a photo booth for a special event.
You might think that in the age of selfies, a static photo booth is somewhat passé. Not so! Read on to find out why you all the reasons to rent a photo booth for your next party, fiesta, celebration, fete …
Ok, so maybe not a funeral … but a photo booth is a fun addition to a wedding, prom, birthday party, anniversary party, bar mitzvah, Sweet Sixteen, Quinceañera, christening/baptism, retirement party or engagement party. They add a little extra to family and friends events and an entertaining touch to corporate celebrations such as a holiday or Christmas party. Any time people gather together is a good time for photos.
Thanks to their increasing popularity photo booths for hire have become affordable. Obviously there is a cost involved but consider a photo booth rental fee vs the cost of wedding favors or hiring a professional photographer. You can also find discounts on daily deal sites like Groupon – you know, one of the things you click past thinking, great offer but why would I ever need one of those.
When you decide to rent a photo booth, very little effort is required before, during and after your event. This is ideal for the event host who wants to be able to enjoy the party and who probably also has dozens of other things to keep an eye on. The booking process is usually simple, the hire company will do the set up and provide a staff member on site for the duration of the hire and then they will also do the close down and clear up. Check with the hire company if set up and removal is part of your rental time and also see if you have options to split rental into periods. For example, you might want to close the booth when food is being served and reopen again afterwards.
We live in a world where instant gratification seems to have become the norm and people are more and more demanding in having their entertainment needs fulfilled. These days you can’t just pick a venue, throw some food together, stuck up a few balloons and streamers, hire a mobile disco and call it a party. If you don’t have something like a photo booth you might have to consider a magician, wedding singer or children’s entertainer to make it a stand-out event that will be talked out for months to come.
You should also bear in mind that some hire companies offer great packages that combine a photo booth with other options. You might find a bundle that includes the booth and other entertainments. Imagine a bundle that includes the booth, a DJ, a live band, a live photographer/videographer and even a master of ceremonies. That’s so much of your event planning accomplished in one fell swoop and without pain.
Put the image of one of those staid mall photo booths out of your mind because photo booths for hire are so much more; not a single swivel stool or dodgy curtain in sight. When you search online for photo booths to rent, you will find all different sizes and styles. You will find open air booths, curtained booths as well as standard enclosed booths. Some companies even offer inflatable photo booths.
It’s nice to take away a piece of cake, or a match book engraved with the bride and groom’s names and kids love goodie bags from parties. Or let’s be fair, wedding and party favors are a whole new world of imagination these days and you never know what special gift you might leave with. Whatever it is, and the event planner will have put a good deal of thought into it, you might not like it or find a use for it. What’s more fun? Photographic memories or something that gets consigned to a drawer never to see the light of day or even gets dumped in the trash? Photographs are such fabulous keepsakes.
Talking of fabulous keepsakes, life is in the detail and photo booths can add in extra little features to make the photographs even more special. Look for options that enable you to customize photos to your event. If you have a specific color theme you might find a company that provides photo strips in your colors. Others might add in a logo. There are also companies that even provide crafting and scrapbook supplies so your guests can make a truly memorable keepsake right on site. Others might provide sleeves or photo frames at extra costs to the guests. And let’s not forget the props. Props turn plain photos into sassy photos. Most photo booth rental companies provide hats, masks, goofy glasses and other props that really get the party rockin’. Some companies will provide themed props on request. Be sure to check if photos are available to buy online after your event too.
The whole point about photo booth rental is that it isn’t one size fits all. There are plenty of options and it’s really just about finding the right provider to fit your event’s needs. You deliver something fun, creative and entertaining with little effort and your guests feel like celebrities and have a time they won’t soon forget.