5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Photo Booth at Your Wedding

---

Weddings are a celebration of life, of love, and of two families becoming one. These celebrations are for the bride & groom, their families, friends, and relatives, and brides are increasingly thinking about 'how can I entertain my guest's at the reception'. There are many options out there, but one of the most popular, and in my option the best, are photo booths. I recently got to chat with a fellow business owner here in Seattle about why every bride should have a photo booth at their wedding. Nicolette with Photo Booths by Nicolette is an incredible resource for brides, and well, just fun! So, here goes the amazing 5 reasons that you SHOULD have a photo booth at your wedding! 

---

View fullsize

1. They’re FUN!

Photo booths provide memorable entertainment for your guests.  It’s the perfect break between dance songs, and a great activity for guests to do during a cocktail hour while you are finishing up your formal portraits.  Friends and family of all ages will enjoy getting their pictures taken in a relaxed, fun-filled way!

2. Personalized Wedding Favors

Photo booth prints are the perfect personalized wedding favor.  Your guests will keep their prints for years to come and remember how much fun they had at your wedding.  You can personalize prints with your name, wedding date, a special message for your guests, plus colors, fonts and graphics to match your unique wedding theme.

View fullsize

3. Preserve Memories

You and your guests can close the curtain and let loose your inner child for images that would not regularly be captured in your formal wedding photography.  Add props to add inspire creativity in your guests!  You can also purchase a guest scrapbook to take home at the end of your reception that includes copies of the photo booth prints with handwritten messages from your guests.  Online galleries provide free guest downloads and make it easy to share their images online via e-mail or social network sites.  A disc of digital image files is also available for reprints and archival purposes.

View fullsize

4. Flexibility to Meet Your Unique Wedding Needs

Photo Booths by Nicolette are flexible to accommodate larger groups of guests with either a black curtain or open air setup.  Our black curtain stand-up booth can comfortably fit 5-6 people per session.  Choose an open air setup if you’d like to feature a great view of your venue in your images.  Custom backdrops can also be ordered.  Our booths feature a touchscreen interface so guests have control over when their pictures begin, and even whether their instant prints will come in color or black and white.  Our booth features constant lighting so there is no distracting flash, and a live view screen so you can see exactly what your photo will look like.  Guests take four pictures per session, and there is no limit to the number of sessions during your service period.  A convenient countdown allows guests to get ready for their next pose and change up their props!

5. It’s More Affordable Than You Think

With monthly specials and photography packages available from Photo Booths By Nicolette, a photo booth for your reception is more affordable than you think.  For a limited time, I am offering up to 3 hours of service with basic prints and a professional attendant for only $450.00!  Contact Nicolette today for availability at (360) 463-9731 or photobooths@bynicolette.com!

By Nicolette Oliver, Photo Booths by Nicolette (http://photobooths.bynicolette.com)

Biggest Things Brides Forget

Brides ask me 'What am I forgetting?'. Well if you've got the dress, the rings, and the soon to be husband, you have got everything you need to tie the knot. Although, if this is all you have prepared, the day could be a little bumpy. I have chatted with many industry leaders, and I have picked up a few tips over the years.

I recently got to work with an incredible planner on a wonderful wedding this past season. The wedding was set along the beautiful Puget Sound, in Des Moines, Washington, which is a just a hop, skip & a jump from downtown Seattle. Janis with Greatest of Day's Event Planning & Design put together incredible day. Janis has an eye for details, and a pen that is mightier than the sword. Here are her tips & tricks that you most likely have completely forgotten about on your wedding day. 

I'll Bet You Didn't Think of These People as Wedding Vendors! Think Again!

View fullsize

1.  Pet Sitters:

(Somebody has to take care of Fido and Felix)  This last year I had I don't know how many people show up at weddings with their dogs.  It's okay if they are planned for, but some people just assume that they can bring a dog along without thinking even once.  Not compatible in so many ways and I love dogs!  This little dog that's pictured was perfectly welcome.  His Mom and Dad were getting married!  He didn't make it to ringbearer status, but he was so sweet.  He had to dive into the pond just before the wedding!

View fullsize

2. Childcare:  

(Somebody has to take care of the munchkins, sometimes on site)

View fullsize

3. Cleanup:  

(the ones that thanklessly help clients get their deposit back).  I'll tell you right now that anyone who thinks that being an Event/Wedding Coordinator is glamorous should follow me after the reception is over and the vendors and guests are long gone and I'm working on the 16th hour on my feet.  You would have oh so much fun pouring out wine glasses, beer bottles (which might be anywhere at the venue), gathering unwanted cutesy or half-eaten favors, flowers, finding forgotten shoes, sweaters, and other stuff of a grosser variety.  Vendors seldom, but occasionally will leave items behind, but that's because they're sober and worn out.  Sometimes it's getting down on your hands and knees with a lint roller because glitter got on the carpet and the venue rules stated absolutely no glitter!  This is similar to removing rose petals from the floor right after the ceremony so that they won't stain the flooring if everyone danced on them.  The sad part is that this is often the scenario that was supposed to include a volunteer army of helpers who were going to do all of this after-party clean up!  Sure!  When I hear someone say our friend will do this or our friend will do that, I prepare for disaster.  What disgusts me is when a group will leave a mess and decide it's worth it to just pay the deposit and not clean up.

What's better yet is when the venue requires that all trash be removed.  Inevitably there will be a time when I get to go home in a car at 1:00 in the morning with a car that smells like alcohol, if I didn't have room in the trunk for everything.  By then, I can't guarantee I could walk a straight line without even consuming alcohol.  I'm also changing my contract and putting a time limit on retrieval of items left behind or they are gone and lost forever or I'm changing my name to something with storage unit in it or Greatest of Garbage Collection Days!  I'm this close to adding that a professional clean up crew will be hired at venues that are totally self-serve.  I think it's the only think I truly don't like about being an Event/Wedding Coordinator, but sometimes somebody's got to do it.  

But guess what... 99% of the time I love what I get to do!  How many people can say that?  When asked if I could do anything that I wanted and what would it be, I tell them that I am doing it!

Thanks to Janis Flagg with Greatest of Day's Event Planning & Design for the wonderful article. You can click here to check out other wonderful planning articles on her website. 

xo

Love Caren 

A+S

Ashley & Steve had a beautiful vision in mind for their wedding day, an elegant and modern day set in downtown Seattle. These two were amazing to photograph, and an even more amazing couple to work with. They were fun, relaxed, and in love! You can see that come through in their images.It was an honor being a part of their day, and I hope I get to work with them again soon! xo

A + B

Anne & Brian are so sweet! They had an elegant & simple wedding with their closest family and friends in the beautiful Cottage Lake area here in Washington. The day was perfect and relaxed, and the lovely couple got to spend quality time with all of there guests. What a beautiful day you two, thank-you for letting me be a part of it! xo