These days, no party or event will be complete without a Photo Booth on site. Some couples may choose to set up a DIY photo opportunity for their wedding while others prefer to hire an all inclusive photo booth service. If you’re planning your wedding, or hosting a birthday or Christmas party this year, would you consider a photo booth hire or would you like to DIY instead?
On this post, let’s do a comparison of these two options and consider the pros & cons of both so you can make the best decision:
DIY PHOTO BOOTH PROS & CONS
PERSONALISED SETUP DOWN TO THE LITTLEST DETAILS.
The best thing about setting up a photo booth yourself is the experience of being able to create your own design from scratch, add your personal touches, and the freedom to customise every little detail according to your liking.
You can be sure all designs used – from your backdrop, to the props and prints are uniquely your own and not a copy of anybody else. If you are a creative person, take advantage of the freedom to put together something that is truly one-of-a-kind. As they say, the only limit is your imagination. It’s the perfect opportunity to exercise your creative muscles and enjoy the process at the same time.
One setback with DIY-ing a photobooth is that it can be time consuming. Apart from planning and drafting your own designs, you need to set aside time for creating your props, buying supplies and the actual setting up of the booth on the day of the event.
Another challenge in setting up a DIY photo booth is gathering all the equipment you need such as a polaroid camera or a DSLR cam, lighting, and printer. Do you have these devices on hand or are you able to borrow from family or friends? Do you know how to set up these devices? Making sure that the booth has great lighting and that the camera is configured correctly is crucial to make sure you won’t have any problems with your photos.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY?
Many people choose to DIY their photo booth set up with the intention of saving money. This could be a valid point if you already have the equipment needed to set up a photo booth. However, if you are planning to buy a camera or a printer just for this one-time event, DIY-ing might not be the practical solution. Even if you already have the camera, you might still need to buy additional lighting or a lighting umbrella to keep your photos from looking dull and blurry.
Also, don’t forget to consider the cost of supplies you will need such as the photo paper if you’re planning on printing the photos straight from the booth. Not to mention the hours you need to spend for all the preparations which you could very well just spend on other duties like working or running your business.
Sit down and calculate the costs. Know the details and be realistic about your expectations. Would it really save you that much amount of money, or would renting be a more practical, worthwhile investment?
PHOTO BOOTH HIRE WITH AN ATTENDANT PROS & CONS
NO FUSS. NO STRESS.
The best thing about hiring a photo booth service is that everything is taken care of for you. You don’t have to worry about anything. You may sit back and relax, knowing that your photo booth will be waiting for you, all set up and ready to use on the day of your event.
When the party is done, you don’t need to think about dismantling or packing up anything from your photobooth as this will be taken care of for you by your photobooth provider.
AT HEARTBREAK HOTEL, WE DELIVER, INSTALL, AND PACK UP EVERYTHING FOR YOU, INCLUDING TIDYING UP THE PROPS TABLE SO YOU CAN FOCUS ON YOUR GUESTS AND JUST HAVE FUN! BUT DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OUR PREVIOUS CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT OUR PHOTO BOOTH HIRE SERVICE.
PROFESSIONAL QUALITY PHOTO PRINTS.
This is something we think is of utmost importance when choosing a photo booth rental provider. You want to make sure that your photos will actually come out of high quality and will last a lifetime.
Our team at Heartbreak ensures that our customers get only the best photo prints that they deserve. We don’t do ordinary polaroids which are often poor quality and our setup uses a flash which is important to make your photos look like they could grace the cover of a magazine. Our photobooth prints are instant-prints, like polaroids, but done better and with top quality finish.
NO CRAPPY LIGHTING OR BAD PHOTO PRINT.
When you hire the right photo booth rental company you’ll never be concerned about crappy lighting, bad photo prints or an attendant who doesn’t WANT to be there.
This is a Heartbreak Hotel guarantee. When you book a photo booth with us, you can be assured that you only get the best of prints & people – photos with vivid colours and great lighting to preserve those precious, precious moments.
“Cannot recommend Heartbreak Hotel photo booth and DJ highly enough! Sarah and Josh made our wedding so much fun. The dancefloor was pumping and everyone loved the photobooth (with its wacky props!)”
– Chris + Grainne 🖤
CUSTOMISABLE BACKDROP AND PRINTABLES.
Who says you wouldn’t have the luxury of customising details when you opt for a photo booth rental? Most photo booth hire companies do offer the option to customise. It’s just that the range of choices and flexibility might be limited, depending on your chosen provider.
How do we do it at Heartbreak? We offer a customisable photobooth backdrop and personalised printables as well. You may choose any colour or any colour combo you like, frame styles, and personalise your message too! Whatever your heart desires, just let us know. Our in-house design team is more than happy to help bring your cool ideas to life.
BEYOND CRAFTY BACKDROP & PROPS
Sure, DIY backdrops and props can look great but sometimes they might also look too crafty and too obviously DIYed. At Heartbreak, we offer fabulous backdrop options that you can choose from. And you can be sure these backdrops have been tried and tested to look great in photos. We also provide you with a nice set of props to add that funk and glam to your pics!
A DEDICATED PHOTO BOOTH ATTENDANT.
Another great thing about a photo booth rental is that the service often includes a dedicated attendant who will make sure the photos are turning out well, and who will encourage guests to actually use the booth and make the most out of the props, and have a fun time at the booth.
ON THE SPOT PRINTING
We love the fact that you can make fun faces in a photo booth and leave with your actual polaroids on hand in real time! As a guest, you get to bring home a souvenir from the event that you can treasure for all time. If you are the celebrant, it’s the perfect way to ensure that you have a tangible memory from everyone who attended your party. Our booth isn’t limited to 2 print like most others either. Each session can print as many as needed.
UNLIMITED PRINTS.
This may not always be an option offered by photo booth hire companies but at Heartbreak Hotel, it is included in all our photo booth rental packages. That’s right! It is a basic offering when you book with us!
EXTRA PERKS
When you choose a photo booth rental service, you’ll be happy to know that you can enjoy additional perks. When you book with us for instance, we provide you with your own online gallery which you and your guests can access from anywhere and any devices. You can even email and text photos straight from the booth to your phone and post to social media.
Add-ons can also make your photo booth extra, extra glam. At Heartbreak, we have a smoke machine and a bubble machine available for hire. Or you can add a guestbook for your guests to sign and stick their polaroids in. It would make the perfect keepsake for a wedding or any special occasion.
THE CONS OF PHOTO BOOTH HIRE
Can we think of any cons of hiring a photo booth? There can be a few such as the design not meeting up to your expectations, paying for more than the service you get, poor quality prints, issues with getting the booth ready on time for the event, among other possible problems. However, it ultimately boils down to choosing the right company.
How can you be sure that you will not be making a mistake with choosing a photo booth rental provider? Do your research. Make sure that company is known in the business for their reliable service. It would help to get to know what previous clients say about a certain provider.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Find out what exactly you can expect from the package they offer. Do not make assumptions. Communicate your expectations openly. When you do find the right photo booth rental service, then you can enjoy all of the above advantages without the cons.
Have you tried a photo booth rental service before? Would you recommend it over DIY? Or have you tried DIY-ing a photo booth before? If so, what tips can you share for those who are considering this option?