Diy Wedding Photo Booth: Fun, Affordable, And Memorable

A DIY photo booth is a great way to entertain your wedding guests and capture some unforgettable memories without breaking the bank. While renting a photo booth can be expensive, you can create your own photo station with a few simple steps. Here are some tips to make a cheap wedding photo booth:

1. Choose a visible and accessible location for your photo booth. Consider the space available and ensure it doesn't interrupt the flow of your event.

2. Create an eye-catching backdrop that complements your wedding theme or colour scheme. You can use ribbons, fabric, balloons, flowers, or even a simple solid-colour wall.

3. Provide good lighting. Ensure your photo booth area is well-lit, especially if using camera equipment that requires adequate lighting for the best results.

4. Gather props! Props add fun and interest to your photos. You can use toys, costumes, inflatable pool floats, animal masks, or anything else that will make your guests smile.

5. Consider providing a camera or printing options. While guests can use their phones, you might want to supply disposable cameras, Polaroid cameras, or an Instax Share SP-2 photo printer for instant prints.

6. Encourage guests to share their photos. Create a unique hashtag for your wedding or provide a guest book where guests can paste their photos and leave a message.

Choose a backdrop

The backdrop is the focal point of your photo booth, so you'll want to make it eye-catching without being too distracting. Think about using ribbons, fabric, balloons, streamers, flowers, or anything you can find at a craft store to transform a plain wall into a stunning DIY photo booth backdrop. If you're feeling creative, you can even try making your own backdrop using origami, paper pom-poms, or paper fans.

If you're looking for a more simple option, a solid-colour wall can also work well. White, black, or blue can provide a nice, neutral background for your photos. You can also use pre-designed photo backdrops, which are available at many online stores. Another low-cost option is to use tinsel curtains from a party store, layering at least two curtains to create a colourful and festive backdrop.

For a boho-themed wedding, consider using a wooden folding frame decorated with free-form florals, trailing ribbons, soft pampas grass, or macrame creations. A rustic wedding could feature a floral hanging backdrop with rustic props like a watering can, milk churns, wooden crates, and buckets of seasonal blooms.

If you want to add a pop of colour to your photos, consider a backdrop with splashes of vibrant shades. This will stand out in the photos and bring a playful flair to the keepsakes. You can also incorporate a neon sign with your names, a favourite line of poetry, symbolic song lyrics, or a fun catchphrase.

For a romantic vibe, keep things simple with a relaxed photo booth backdrop like a metallic frame decorated with draped voiles and trailing flower arrangements. A vintage-themed wedding could feature a backdrop with gold foil and white tassels, accompanied by props such as feather bowers, fake cigars, strings of pearls, and trilby hats.

If you're getting married outdoors, a pretty flower wall or a backdrop made from exposed brick can be a great option. Just be sure to consider the weather when planning your backdrop, and try to position it somewhere undercover.

Whatever backdrop you choose, make sure it's at least 6 feet by 4 feet to match the dimensions of most camera formats automatically. You can affix the backdrop to a wall using gaffer tape or purchase a backdrop stand.

Lighting

The lighting of your photo booth is crucial to getting good pictures. You want to make sure the area is very well-lit and glowingly bright. If your wedding is during the day, this won't be a problem, but if it's at night or in a room with little-to-no windows, you'll need to bring in additional light sources.

For an easy and affordable lighting setup, you can use a cheap dorm lamp with any bulbs that say "daylight" on the package or have a colour temperature between 5000K and 6500K. These bulbs are available at most big-box stores and are designed to mimic daylight. You can also use coloured light bulbs to add a unique twist while still ensuring the area is well-lit.

If you want to go for a more professional look, you can invest in some studio lights. This will make your photo booth feel less DIY and give your pictures a polished look.

Another option is to use fairy lights, lanterns, curtains of lights, exposed Edison bulbs, or globe bulbs to create a magical atmosphere in your photo booth. A lightbox or a bespoke neon sign can also add a fun and personalised touch to your setup.

Don't forget to consider the lighting for your camera as well. A ring light or Speedlite flash can help ensure your guests' faces are visible in the photos, especially if you're using a DSLR camera.

If you're using a selfie stick or having guests use their phones, make sure the lighting is bright enough so that the pictures don't come out blurry or grainy.

Finally, if you're setting up your photo booth outdoors, be sure to consider the time of day and the position of the sun to avoid harsh shadows or glare in your photos.

Props

The best part of any photo booth is the props, so make sure to provide as much variety as possible. You can find a range of photo booth props online, especially on Etsy. However, you can also find props at thrift stores, second-hand shops, costume shops, or even your own closet. The sillier and more outrageous, the better!

Toys, costumes, and inflatable pool floats are all great options for photo booth props. Animal masks are always a big hit, and so is anything that's way too big or oversized, like sunglasses or jewellery. If you're feeling creative, you can even make your own props by hitting up the craft store and making your own paper cut-outs.

If you want to add a more personal touch to your photo booth, you can include photo face masks of you and your partner or make some signs for your guests to pose with that have your names and wedding date on them. You can also provide fun sunglasses, personalised with your initials and wedding date.

Another way to add some colour and fun to your photo booth is by providing inflatable props. Popular choices include microphone and instrument sets. Throw in some long-haired wigs and let your guests form their own comedy rock band!

For a wedding with a festival theme, a glitter station is a great way to add some sparkle to your photo booth pics. It's also a popular activity with adults and children alike.

Location

The location of your DIY photo booth is key. You want it to be in a place that is easily accessible and visible to your guests, but not somewhere that will interrupt the flow of your event. A good option is to set it up in a corner of the reception dance floor, or in an unused coat closet, so that it's out of the way but still accessible. If your wedding is during the warmer months, you could set up your photo booth outside in a courtyard, gazebo, or pop-up bell tent.

If you're setting up your photo booth indoors, look for a blank wall, or an area with cool exposed brickwork, that can act as your backdrop. If you're setting up outside, a romantic garden setting or pretty flower wall could be the perfect backdrop. You could even craft your own flower wall, or hire one, or head online to sites like Etsy or Not On The High Street to find ready-made options.

If you're setting up your photo booth in a corner, make sure it's well-lit so that your guests' faces are visible in the photos. Natural light is best, but if your wedding is in the evening or in a room with little-to-no windows, you can use lamps or request lighting from your photographer or venue.

If you're setting up your photo booth outdoors, be sure to consider the weather. While a flower wall can be the perfect backdrop for an outdoor photo booth, it might not withstand strong winds or heavy rain. Consider setting up your outdoor photo booth in a covered area, or have a backup plan in case of bad weather.

Once you've found the perfect spot for your photo booth, be sure to take some measurements so that you know how much space you have to work with when creating your backdrop and sourcing props.

Cameras

There are several options for cameras to use in your DIY photo booth. Here are some ideas to consider:

Instax Camera

The Instax camera is a simple option that allows guests to take pictures of each other, with the added benefit of instant printing. This means guests can take home a physical print as a wedding favour, and you can also create a photo guest book where they can stick their photos alongside a special message. However, it's worth noting that the film for these cameras can be quite expensive, so this option may end up being pricier than expected. For example, the Mini Instax camera costs £75, and an instant film with 20 shots costs £14.99.

DSLR camera

If you or someone you know already owns a DSLR camera, this can be a great option for your photo booth. You'll need to set it up on a tripod and have a remote control for taking pictures, or ask someone to stand behind the camera. It's also important to periodically check the settings, especially as the lighting changes throughout the day. Avoid using a glaring flash; instead, consider setting up a ring light or buying a Speedlite flash. This option will give you digital copies of all the photos, which you can then share in an online album with your guests.

Smartphone

Another simple option is to let your guests use their smartphones, either with or without a selfie stick, to take pictures in front of the photo booth backdrop. You can also provide a selfie stick stand to give guests more room to pose and capture large group shots. Just be sure to let guests know how to share their photos, either by using a specific hashtag or uploading them to a shared photostream.

Polaroid Camera

Polaroid cameras are a low-tech and easy way to get printouts of your guests' photo booth snaps. Most people know how to use them, and they provide instant photos that your guests can take home or leave in an album as a guest book. Just be sure to stock up on extra film to last all night.

Frequently asked questions