A photobooth is a great addition to your wedding that guests will have tons of fun with creating lots of candid and silly photos. It doesn't have to be an expensive hire though as we look at easy ways you can create an awesome DIY photobooth without breaking the bank (and works for a destination wedding too!)
Whether you're getting married on a budget or not, it's nice to add some personal touches to your big day and setting up your own photobooth is the perfect opportunity for this! It will allow you to have some fun in the evening with your guests and everyone will get some great extra photos that are natural (and maybe a bit silly!) without everyone getting bored of having to stand still posing for the photographer. There are plenty of companies in Cyprus from which you can hire a photobooth but we're going to show you how you can make your own just as easy!
Camera Setup
All you need to get started is a camera and a tripod. If you have a good DSLR (by Canon or Nikon for instance) or can borrow one from a friend the results will be much better than a simple point and shoot. Set the camera up on a tripod and get someone to stand in position. Switch the camera to manual focus (there'll be a switch on the lens called AF/MF – switch it to MF) and then focus on the person standing in front by twisting the lens rings. Mark the spot to ensure people always stand in the right place and you won't have to worry about the camera switching focus! For operating the camera, you can either leave it for someone to manually push the shutter button or you can pick up a small remote that people can hold to take photos so they don't have to touch the camera – just make sure you write some instructions for how to use it!
Backdrop
This is where you can have tons of fun and be super creative! A lot of photobooths use either a white backdrop or red 'curtain' effect backdrop but that doesn't mean you have to do the same. Take inspiration from your colour scheme and theme if you have one to create something really unique. It doesn't have to be indoors either, you could use a gorgeous garden for your backdrop or an old wall for a rustic look. A simple white sheet with strings of fairy lights can make a lovely twinkly backdrop for an evening or you could tear strips of ribbon in your colour scheme and hang them for a colourful background. If you're really extra crafty you could create a flower wall by using fake flowers or make your own bunting for the occasion! The sky really is the limit for this and you can be as creative as you want!
Lights
Depending on the time of day that you have your photobooth may affect whether you need to consider lighting for your booth. If you have your photobooth in the afternoon you can easily use daylight but in the evening it is a different matter. If you have a good camera you may be able to increase the ISO on the camera (check your camera's manual for how to do this) enough to avoid needing to use extra lighting or the evening disco lighting may be suitable but make sure to test this beforehand! Otherwise you might need to look into having some form of lighting in the area so it is bright enough to take some great photos.
Props
Another opportunity to have lots of fun! You can buy boxes of props quite cheaply such as hats and glasses but you may like to make your own. You could do this by going online and finding props which you can download. Then print them onto some thick card and attach a stick handle and voilà! Another fun idea is to create a giant polaroid frame using a big piece of card mounted onto foamboard or mountboard. On the frame at the bottom you can have your own wedding hashtag or your names and the date, whatever you like! Then all you need to do is to get everyone posing inside the frame for some photos!
Photo Printing
Everyone will want to see their photos as soon as possible and have copies so you will have to think about how you want to share them. You could buy a small photo printer and put it on a table allowing people to get their photos immediately or otherwise look into an app such as Wedpics where you can upload the images the next day. People can then logon and see the photos and even order prints directly from the app as well as share some of their own snaps from the day!