A party photo booth is a fun, interactive experience where guests can take a series of photos (usually three or four) that are immediately printed out on a strip as a keepsake. When you rent a party photo booth, the company sets up the booth or photo station at your event; a photographer staffs the booth and coaches guests on how to use it throughout the event. Often the photo booth rental company provides props like silly hats, wigs and glasses. There are different types of party photo booth rentals. An open-air booth has a curtain or backdrop that allows more freedom of movement and enables more people to use it at one time. The traditional enclosed photo booths that you may have seen at the mall or the fair tend to cost more to rent, as they are harder to transport and also cost more for the pros to purchase. The national average cost for party photo booth rentals is $400-$500.

Creative or DIY-savvy couples can make a wedding photo booth backdrop in no time. You can ask your rental company to incorporate a custom backdrop into your rental party photo booth, or do your own custom photo booth with a friend serving as photographer. It’s easiest to make your own backdrop for an open air photo booth, which you can hang on a wall at an indoor reception, or hang from a tree or in a homemade frame at an outdoor reception.

One simple yet glamorous option is a tinsel curtain. Choose silver or gold for classic elegance, or go for a wild color like bright pink. For a more refined look, you can purchase three or four yards of a luxe fabric that fits your wedding color theme. Creative couples may want to get funky and spray-paint or hand-paint designs onto a cotton canvas backdrop. Don’t forget to provide props for your guests; the props are half the fun and encourage guests to get playful for the camera. Paint an oversized picture frame gold (don’t forget to take out the glass!) for your guests to hold up. Provide a chalkboard where they can write cute messages to hold in their photo, and colorful items from your costume box: think hats, wigs, funky sunglasses, and sequined accessories.

Renting a party photo booth for your next event will get your guests engaged and provide a take-home favor for attendees. The cost to rent a party photo booth will vary depending on the type of booth, the day and time of year, the length of the rental, and any add-ons you select. The national average cost for party photo booth rentals is $400-$500. Here are some examples of average party photo booth rental costs:

• Weekday packages: $300-$550, depending on features included and length of rental. A three-hour weekday package for $500 could include guest book, personalized photo strips and DVD of all the photos.
• Weekend packages: $450-$700, depending on features included and length of rental.
• Additional hours: $100-$150 per extra hour.
• Add-on features:
• Photo guest album services: $75.
• Personalized photo strips: $30-$50.
• Custom photo backdrops or vinyl skin branding of the booth: $150-$300.
• Live social media connectivity (ability to share photos to social media accounts): $100-$250.