The photo booth has become a fixture at wedding receptions as a form of entertainment and a way to generate unique keepsakes for the couple and their guests. Demand for photo booths has increase dramatically over the past few years.

It’s interactive for all of your guests, It adds that pop of fun and excitement to your wedding reception. It isn’t just fun for the kids either; a bride’s 95-year-old grandmother even enjoys the photo booth. Couples are also moving toward photo booth guestbooks instead of traditional guestbooks.

Photo strips are replacing favors. More couples are choosing this specialty at their wedding because it gives their guest something tangible to take away from their wedding that they can scrapbook, frame, or hang on their fridge.

Once you’ve decided to include a photo booth as part of your festivities, exploring the different types will help you choose a vendor to capture your wedding memories.

NO WALLS, STUDIO STYLE PHOTO BOOTHS
These “booths” doesn’t have walls; it simply consists of a taped square on the floor for guests to stand in, a backdrop, a lively photographer, and professional studio lights.You get to see people from the wedding, your friends and family you wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. And the photo resolution is awesome.

Pros to no-walls: Room to move/less claustrophobia, more-animated photos because the photographer is interacting with guests.
Cons: No photo strips on the spot, so guests can’t take them home as a souvenir or see them right away.

MODERN DIGITAL PHOTO BOOTHS
These booths, will feature high-resolution cameras and printers, print photos in less than 20 seconds.

The photos have a nostalgic feel, however, with black borders on black-and-white photos, white borders on color photos and vignetting along the border. It’s the best of both worlds—bridging the old and new.

Inside each booth the screen displays a video of what’s going on between each shot so guests can see themselves. If anyone’s getting cut out of the frame, they can adjust before pushing the button to take the photo.

Features can include a back curtain that opens up, allowing room for a number of guests (sometimes up to 20), a 45-degree threshold, and a spacious bench to accommodate older guests.

The booths can print two identical photo strips of three photos each, so the guests get a copy as a party favor and the bride and groom get a copy for their guestbook or photo album. Generally a Photo Booth attendant helps guests with questions and helps build the guestbook for the bride and groom.

This Photo Booth can also provides a password-protected online gallery that acts as a virtual guestbook where visitors can view photo strips or purchase a CD of images. Some companies can also customize photo strips with the bride and groom’s names and wedding date.

Pros of a digital photography booth: Quick processing time, customization with wedding date and couple’s names, option for color or black-and-white photos, ability to share photos online with guests.
Cons: Less of an antique feel. Guests can see what the photo will look like as it’s being taken, so it might be less candid.

ANTIQUE PHOTO BOOTHS
These will feature photo booths from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s in a classic, Art Deco style, with porcelain doors and seats, hardwood tops and rounded edges. There are only a few dozen such booths left in the country, which adds to their vintage appeal, and they’re often a draw for couples getting married in an older building. The nostalgia factor’s can be a huge thing.

Although it can take up to two minutes and 35 seconds for photos to be printed in this type of booth, they can usually process up to seven photos at one time. These booths can take over 150 wallet-size strips per hour, with four photos per strip.

Pros of an antique photo booth: Vintage appeal, conversation piece, detailed photos that don’t fade, Underwriters Laboratories-approved for safety.
Cons: It’s not easy to duplicate photos after the event because there is no copy other than the original strip.

Photo Booth Tips
Do:

• Check out vendors’ photos and test the booth you’re going to rent.
• Get the photo booth for enough time. The standard three hours may be too short, especially if you have 200 guests or more. Find out how many strips the booth can take per hour.
• Find props like glasses and hats at thrift or discount stores to increase the fun.
• Make sure guests are aware of the photo booth; have someone mention it during his/her toast.
• Allot some photos for your guestbook and allow guests to take the rest home.
• Get a CD of all of the photos later if it’s an option.

Don’t:

• Wait until the last minute to reserve a booth. Vendors’ calendars fill quickly, especially during the warmer months.
• Be shy about asking questions about pricing, including whether there are discounts for off-season or Friday or Sunday weddings.
• Put the photo booth in a location that is not convenient for guests (e.g., outside, on a different floor, or in an isolated corner away from the festivities).
• Try to squeeze too many people into a photo booth at one time; heads might get cut out of the frame and expressions might be hidden.
• Have the photo booth set up too late in the evening, or you’ll miss older guests and families with children.
• Forget to join in the fun! It will encourage guests’ participation.