So, you have an event coming up. You already have a list of food and music that will keep the guests entertained. But you can dial up the celebration with a photo booth. In recent years, photo booths have rapidly become a must-have for parties simply because they can enliven an event. People love taking pictures of themselves with friends and loved ones. Photo booths provide a fun way of taking photos without a photographer following them around.
If you are still searching for an effective way to entertain your guests, hiring a photo booth is the answer.
PHOTO BOOTH HIRE GUIDE
One thing that many people don’t know about hiring a photo booth is that it shouldn’t become a complicated task. Whilst it often involves more than just Google searches for companies that offer photo booth rentals, ringing them and scheduling delivery for your event. Customers tend to look for the lowest price to book – and that’s it.
But hiring a photo booth is both a science and an art. The science part is where you understand the elements of the hiring process so you can execute it properly. Making the final decision, on the other hand, is more of an art. After evaluating all the aspects involved, you take your pick from the available options that you feel best meets your needs.
Don’t feel intimidated, though. We know you want your event to be as successful as planned. And that’s why we’re here to give guidance and help make photo booth rentals much simpler for you. Below, you will find seven important questions to ask yourself and a photo booth vendor before hiring one for your event:
1. What Style of Event are You Hosting?
First things first, you need to evaluate your event. Don’t worry; it’s quite easy to determine the style you’re going for. Usually, it’s either of the three:
- Cocktail Party: This event style is more relaxed, with your guests enjoying hors d’oeuvres throughout the party. It’s a common theme for birthdays and other informal occasions, especially when the guests are essentially made up of your close friends and families. But cocktail dinners are also becoming more popular in wedding receptions and even corporate parties.
- Sit-Down Dinner: For your formal event, a sit-down or seated dinner may be more appropriate. Perhaps you have invited your boss, colleagues, and clients. Traditionally, your guests plated food. Others have buffet-style feasts, but people still have a designated spot at a table. Sit-down dinners usually involve many speeches and a big screen to assist with the visuals.
- Large Format Event: Often for a corporate client, large scale events could be a sporting event, a concert or even a community fair. This style of event perhaps has the most varied objectives and maybe have critical times that you need to ensure your photo booth is operating. It is important to know your event objectives with large scale events as the complexity of delivering a photo experience increases with the scale of the event.
Apart from the mentioned styles, the best photo booth to rent will also depend on the event’s location. Will it take place indoors or outdoors? Is there a possibility of a weather disturbance if you have an outdoor event? Will the party start during the day, or do you need additional light for your evening party?
Figuring out the answers to the questions above beforehand will help you achieve the best photo experience.
2. Will You Have Access to Power?
Almost all photo booths require access to mains power. That means you should have a good location for it. A standard cannot just set it up anywhere you want, such as outdoors at a local sports ground. As a result, some companies do not allow installations outside unless there is a weather-proof shelter available.
Meanwhile, if it’s generally sunny, we recommend using a generator. But you should note that some generators can be quite noisy which has the potential to impact some events.
While the rental company may permit you to use the photo booth outdoors, you should also consider its size and weight. Many can be heavy and cumbersome, so relocating the photo booth indoors due to poor weather conditions can be a hassle during an event and result in downtime.
The good news is that there are mobile options now, including roaming photo booths, which solve any power access issues. A roaming photo booth is a handheld digital device that works exactly like a stationary actual photo booth.
3. Will There Be Any Event Features That May Have a Direct Effect on Your Photo Booth Rental?
Certain features in your party can either help or limit how you use the photo booth for hire. For example, if the venue does not have sufficient lighting (usually due to preference), you may have to disclose this detail when hiring. As you may already know, you need good lighting to produce the best pictures.
Will there be a big screen? Having one can make the photo booth experience more exciting. You can broadcast the photos taken from the photo booth to the screen. Your guests will surely be thrilled as their pictures are displayed as a feature of the event on a screen. You can use either a huge TV or a projector and even have multiple screens around the venue.
Another way to make it more interesting is to have a suitable backdrop for the pictures. If your event has a feature wall, you can use it as a background. It’s easy to create a feature wall using themed elements for the event such as an entry statement. Your event may also have a particular theme or colour scheme, which you may have the background to match. Many people love a stunning floral wall because it can be used in any event, including birthdays, anniversaries, and even corporate parties.
A ceremony arch in the venue is a good choice for wedding photo booths. If you plan to build your backdrop, you should consult with the company to know the ideal background sizing. Otherwise, you should enquire if the photo booth hire includes setting up a wall background.
4. Who Are Your Guests?
Will you have tech-savvy people at your event? Or do you mostly have older people and those who prefer a more conventional approach to photography? Knowing your audience will help you create the best experience for everyone. For instance, if your guests are generally young people who are active on social media, they will likely want to share the pictures online. Photo booths offer online sharing capabilities, allowing you to cater to your audience including SMS and email straight from the photo booth itself.
Some people, though, prefer printed photos. Guest books and memory books are great choices here where the prints can be glued to the pages, along with messages from your guests. It’s a fun way to incorporate a traditional experience into your event for a very personal outcome.
Knowing your audience will also let you choose the most appropriate aesthetic. There are plenty of options, such as vintage, classic, modern, fun, romantic, and just about anything you can think of. You can choose digital props for the tech-savvy audience to add effects, change the backdrop, and other customisation capabilities.
You can also have printed pictures with a design that matches your event. Ask about the available options when printing photos. You may be surprised by the vast number of custom styles you can use for the actual prints.
5. Will the Photo Booth Company Provide Spare Equipment?
One thing that sets professional companies apart from the part-timers and hobby businesses is that they have business continuity plans in place. Service and operation disruptions are a reality that many businesses can face at any time. Photo booth companies can face certain disruptions, which include adverse weather, transport issues, and technology damage or failure.
But it does not mean your event should necessarily be negatively impacted due to supplier interruptions. A reliable business should have contingencies in place to still deliver the photo booth and service you need on the agreed schedule for most scenarios.
The continuity plan should address this potential issue. In the case of camera failure, broken cables, or lighting problems, there should be spare equipment to ensure your event continues smoothly.
The photo booth may be the centre of your guest entertainment. If it suddenly malfunctions, attendees will surely be disappointed. That’s why it is necessary to have a spare booth ready if ever an unforeseen situation arises. Technology, while more advanced than before, can still fail. Be sure to enquire about the company’s plans if ever such disruption occurs for your peace of mind.
6. Is the Photo Booth Company Compliant with Local Laws and Regulations?
Photo booth companies are just like other businesses that should be aware of the legalities concerning their operations. It’s important to ask pertinent questions and gather information, such as the following, to avoid dealing with sketchy companies:
- Insurance: For many, insurance is simply a cost of doing business. Unfortunately, some event suppliers arent fully compliant which can put the risk back on you. Take the time to research the company and ask relevant insurance questions, including whether the insurance meets the minimum legal requirements or that of your venue. It is not good practice to hire any provider that’s merely offering photo booths as a hobby. If something goes wrong at your event, the company may not give any assistance. You could end up paying more despite the inexpensive upfront cost.
- Equipment Testing: Providing complaint photo booth equipment includes testing and tagging the equipment to ensure all plugs are safe and meet insurance and venue requirements.
It always pays to do your research before hiring a photo booth. “You get what you pay for” is something you may have heard a lot, and it’s true with photo booth companies. Don’t just look at the price and promises of the business. Find out more about the provider, how long they have been operating, and their customer reviews. Spend a lot of time inspecting their website and make sure they focus on customer communication. It is important to go with your gut sometimes when dealing with suppliers.
7. Is the Photo Booth Provider On-Board in Helping Deliver YOUR Event Objectives?
Photo booths have come a long way with so many options on style, feature, and customisation to choose from. A good company can provide you with a tailored package that suits your needs, preferences, and budget.
The photo booth can complement your event, no matter what its theme may be. You can select the show-stopping 360 Photo Booth, unique Mosaic Wall, or the more traditional Open Photo Booth. There may also be additional props and backdrops that can match what you’re celebrating.
While it is your event and you get to decide how to run it, you can never go wrong with professional advice. Seek the help of an expert for recommendations on which photo booth works best for your event. Certain photo booths are designed for specific occasions, such as birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, school balls, and social or corporate functions.
