A DIY Photobooth is becoming an option amongst many couples for their big day with the main aim on reducing overall costs for a wedding. And whilst a DIY Photo Booth can have its cost benefits, there can be disadvantages of doing this yourself VS booking through a company such as ourselves. Today we go through the benefits of “doing yourself” and “booking a company”…

What is a DIY Photobooth

A DIY photobooth can consist of multiple variations – however in most cases they are made up of…

• An iPad on a stand or in a DIY booth frame
• A few simple props from the local discount store
• A pinned up backdrop sourced from an online marketplace.

DIY photobooths are a great way to capture those silly moments, and those photos that would not otherwise be taken by your wedding photographer. They are also great at keeping costs low when planning your big day whilst ensuring your guests also have fun and have some fun moments.

How do they compare to booking through a company?

The biggest advantage of the DIY photobooth comes down to cost, however this is where a physical company and their Photo Booth packages can be a better choice…

• DIY photo booths tend to not include physical prints, where as booking a Photo Booth with a company such as ourselves – we provide physical 6×4 or 6×2 prints throughout the booking. This allows your guests to take away a special print and memory with them.
• DIY photo booths may use inferior cameras / webcams. When doing your own Photo Booth you are relying on the in-built cameras and webcams included with the tablets or phones. Whilst these have stepped up in quality over the years, they also don’t compare to the quality of a physical DSLR camera which is what we ONLY use here at Jellybean. In addition to that, the DIY booths are more reliant on there being adequate ambient lighting in your venue as otherwise the photos will appear grainy in the dark – where as our photo booths and mirrors use flash strobes to ensure photos are taken in any light conditions.
• Guest engagement is very important, and with a DIY Photo Booth, you have no physical way of getting your guests up for a photo unless you do it yourself. Booking a Photo Booth with Jellybean you will have two members of our fully trained and award winning team who will physically grab those members of the family reluctant to have a photo, and will be on hand having fun and ensuring people come back time and time again. There is nothing better than getting to the end of the night with a guest book full of memories!
• The other little details really do stand out when booking an actual photobooth vs DIY… These include; having tonnes of props, hats, wigs, masks and inflatables to act silly with… having a gorgeous backdrop to have your photos in-front of… and of course having something stand out in your venue so everyone knows where to go to have their photos taken.

If DIY is still your thing…

Booking a Photo Booth might not be at the top of your list, and your budget might no stretch when that all important dress, and rings tops your list. So if a DIY Photo Booth is still your thing, here is a list of essential top tips to ensure you get the best experience when doing yourself.

• Purchase a holder / DIY Photo Booth kit from Amazon or similar to house your own iPad, this will make your own Photo Booth stand out a little better and appear to be more premium.
  (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BHWZXHQG/)
• Shop around on the marketplaces and purchase a cheap backdrop, this will give something nice for your guests to stand at for their photo to be taken and will help them identify that it is indeed a photo booth.
• If you are not intending on using any particular Photo Booth app, use a camera trigger or similar using a bluetooth receiver for your guests to remotely take the photo. If you do intend on using apps steer away of FREE apps to ensure your privacy is kept secure and your photos are of the highest quality.
• Make yourself a sign that says PHOTO BOOTH HERE, that way people will instantly be drawn to have a selfie.
• And finally, take a trip to a discounter such as B&M, or Poundland and grab yourself some inflatable guitars and microphones to place near your booth.