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DIY Wedding Photo Booth


Having a photo booth at your wedding is a great way to entertain your guests and put them to work as memory makers on your special day. While professional photography is nice, it doesn’t always capture your family and friends being themselves. When they set the terms for the photo, they will likely be their goofy, crazy, silly, possibly inebriated self! And who doesn’t want that moment caught on film! At VW, we’ve done some searching for tips and advice on building your own photo booth.

The Essentials:
Camera, tripod or selfie stick, backdrop, friends!

The Extras:
Props and prop table, portable photo printers, empty albums & glue sticks, pens

The Details:
Your photo booth set up can be as elaborate or as simple as you’d like it to be. At HipHipHooray.com, you will find lots of photos of couples in front of their homemade photo backdrops. Consider how much time & money you want to invest in the creation of your backdrop, where it will be placed at your reception site (somewhere with lots of light!), and how you will get it to stand or hang. This can be as simple as empty picture frames hanging from a tree branch! Just make sure it’s secure and not going to fall over and crush your guests.

As far as the camera goes you have a few options. The first is to set up a regular camera with a time delay setting. Your guest would hit the button and be given a few seconds-my camera has setting from 3-20 seconds- to get into place before the picture is taken. There is also the option of purchasing a shutter release button, which is a remote for taking pictures that your guest could hold and push when they are ready (you can find these buttons at most online photography supply stores). If you choose this option, consider having a portable printer nearby for guests to receive their photos or have a sign informing them that the photos will be uploaded to an online album for them to admire and share.
The other option is to use an android or smart phone. In the article, 5-minute Photo Booth, you will find directions on using a tripod mounted android and an app called Party Photo Booth App available from the Google Play Store. Make sure you read the article comments for some more pointers and advice from people who’ve tried this approach. If you would rather not use your camera or phone, have your guests use their to take photos of each other and then share with the #YourWeddingName. With this option you have the least to worry about, no printer, no technical glitches, no tripod or camera settings, etc.

The Props (optional):
 There are tons of free printables online you can find with a quick search for “photo booth printables. HGTV.com has a very indepth & inspiring artiucle with links to prop printables. You also have the option of thrift shopping for props or digging some great options out of your closet. You can arrange the props on a prop table next to the photo booth to entice guests to partake, or give them something to do while they wait in line to say “cheese.”

Additional Equipment to Consider:
If you choose to set up a camera on a tripod, consider supplying boxes for youngsters to stand on so no one is tempted to adjust the tripod.

One of our favorite things we’ve seen professional photo booths offer is an empty album on a table with glue sticks and pens for your guests to write messages and add their photos. (Of course you could always do this later with photo uploads to an online album & your guest book). If you choose to have a portable printer as part of your photo booth, it might be best to designate someone to manage it. That way you don’t have leave so many instructions to overwhelm or intimidate your guests. If you are wondering what kind of printer works well this article by a real bride on APracticalWedding.com recommends a INSTAX SHARE SP-1 PHOTO PRINTER. You should check out her article for other valuable pointers and pitfalls to avoid. We also did some research on “portable Bluetooth printers” from Best Buy to get an idea of price (the low end was around $120).
 
Hope these suggestions inspire, assist, and help you decide if a DIY photo booth is for you!

How to Set Up Your Own DIY Photo Booth
http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/entertaining/how-to-set-up-your-own-diy-photo-booth
Has links to printable props, in depth directions, materials list, inspiring photos, great ideas & suggestions.

http://apracticalwedding.com/2015/06/fool-proof-diy-photo-booth/
A real life bride shares her experience of a DIY photo booth; pitfalls & recommendations for success.

http://www.hiphiphooray.com/blog/wedding-inspiration/diy-photo-booth-ideas-and-free-printable-props/
Great links to printable props and lots of photos of sample backdrops & props!

5-minute Photo Booth by Finding Pie

http://www.instructables.com/id/5-minute-Photo-Booth/

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