How To Setup DIY Photo Booth For Events, Conferences & Weddings

Event + DIY Photo Booth = Instant Memories, Engagement, and UGC Gold. 

Why? DIY photo booths at events do more than just capture selfies—they bring an interactive experience to the events and create shareable memories. A DIY photo booth is a self-set-up photography station where guests can make fun, themed pictures using props, backdrops, and digital effects. 

Besides that, DIY photo booths are cost-effective and customizable per your event theme. 

They are fun and viral-worthy. 

However, setting up a DIY photo booth comes with its challenges. If not executed well, the photo booth might not attract participants and can become a missed opportunity to create UGC.

In this blog, we will explain how to reap the benefits of DIY photo booths and set up a photo booth for your next event. Let’s get into it.  

Why Should You Use a DIY Photo Booth For Your Next Event?

A DIY photo booth can incorporate entertainment and create memories at your event. No matter what event you are organizing, setting up a photo booth provides numerous benefits to the event organizers. Let us look at some advantages of using a DIY photo booth.

Affordable 

Let’s face it. Professional photo booth rentals are costly, charging hundreds of dollars for just a few hours. Using a DIY photo booth helps you save some extra cash and also provides a quality guest experience. You can use easily accessible materials, a camera or iPad, and free or low-cost photo booth apps to set up your booth.

Customization

You get full control over the arrangement when you create a DIY photo booth. 

You can change the background, color, and templates to match your event themes. 

Event marketers should also allow people to personalize their photo booths to add an extra dimension to their events. So whether it is a corporate photo booth or one created for a Graduation ceremony, you can customize it according to the event.

Easier To Set Up and Manage

With the help of tools and imagination, installing an at-home photo booth is relatively easy. Most contemporary solutions involve little effort and no technical know-how. Furthermore, you won’t need a specific attendant. Your visitors can shoot with a touchscreen or remote control.

DIY Photo Booth offers Instant Social Sharing  

DIY photo booths allow users to share their pictures on social media platforms in real-time, which helps to create brand awareness and engagement for events. Event marketers can also use Social Walls to fetch all this content and showcase it as a live feed on any digital display. 

Materials You Need To Create a DIY Photo Booth

Here are some of the unskippable materials you need to create a DIY photo booth. 

• Camera or Smartphone: A high-quality camera or smartphone is needed to take pictures. 

• Tripod: This helps to keep the camera steady and at the correct angle. 

• Backdrop: A printed fabric to go with the theme of your event. 

• Lighting: Ring, LED string, or softbox lights for proper illumination.

• Props: Hats, glasses, funny signs, and masks for the guests. 

Step By Step Guide On Setup A DIY Photo Booth For Your Events

Here is a step-by-step walkthrough on creating a DIY- event photo booth.

Get The Photo Booth App

Select a simple-to-use photo booth app that supports filters, social sharing, and virtual props. For example – SimpleBooth. 

Install The Smartphone or iPad.

Start the process with adjusting the device to your eye level. Next, open the Photo Booth application and tune the settings for higher quality. You can also use a self-time or tap-to-shoot option.

Bring The Backdrop

Select a bright and colorful backdrop, which may be a curtain fabric. Make sure that the fabric is non- reflective. 

Get The Printer

Use an instant printer so the visitors can have physical copies of their photos. Connect it to your iPad for effortless printing.

Prepare To Have Fun 

Organize enjoyable props for the visitors, like hats,and other theme accessories. Set a small instructions with steps on how to operate the photo booth. Test the app and install the lighting before the event starts.

Tips for a Successful DIY Photo Booth Experience

Having a DIY photo booth can be a fun addition to any event. A photo booth entertains guests and acts as a creative outlet for capturing moments. Here are some tips to ensure your DIY photo booth experience is successful and enjoyable.

Select The Right Location For Your Photo Booth 

Believe it or not, selecting the right location for your photo booth is an important step. Look for a spacious, well-lit area at your event, as this will result in great pictures. Natural lighting is essential for photos, so place your photo booth near a window or outdoors if your event is during the day. 

If your event is during the night, try adding a softbox and more lighting sources for better picture quality. 

Create Your Own Backdrops 

The background is where you set the mood for your photographs; therefore, come up with a unique idea for a photo booth’s backdrop. You can use fabric, balloons, or even a wall covered with fairy lights. 

While you are creating your backdrop, combine the theme of your event with the backdrop so that it resonates with your event. You can also print out large images, quotes, or designs that speak to you or the event for that extra personal touch.

Gather More Props

Props add fun to your DIY photo booth. Therefore,  try to gather a variety of props, such as hats and signs related to the event’s theme.

You can also encourage guests to bring their props or offer fun accessories to break the ice. It is also recommended to have a mix of silly and elegant props so that the DIY photo booth resonates with all the personalities. 

Design a Layout for Prints 

There are chances your guests will want to take the physical copies.If you desire to provide your visitors with prints, it is highly recommended that you design a personalized layout for the prints. Don’t forget to have space for your visitors to sign their names to make the image memorable.

Post-Event Ways For Using DIY Photo Booth 

Here are some of the best ways to follow up with your event attendees. 

1. Share On Social Media Platforms 

Since social media platforms have become a significant touchpoint for marketing, sharing your event-related content on these platforms is fruitful. 

After all, if you didn’t post, it did not happen, right? 

Keeping that in mind, encourage event attendees to share their pictures taken with your DIY photo booth setup. You can also launch an event hashtag and use it to share photos. 

For instance, if you organize a conference event, initiate a hashtag named #SummerConference25. Ask your target audience to upload content using this hashtag on social media platforms. 

2. Create a Digital Album

Unlike traditional physical albums,  digital albums don’t need physical media. They can be watched from any connected network . This gives attendees an easy way to access all the pictures they have taken with the DIY photo booth.

Collect all the pictures from the DIY photo booth into a digital album using services like Google Photos. Later on, share this album with your guests via email or social media. This enables them to look back at their experiences and download their preferred pictures.

3. Send Thank You Emails

Add a gallery of photographs as a feature in your thank-you messages to attendees and participants. Not only will this one-on-one aspect prove you’re thankful, but it also allows you to highlight the enjoyment everyone had at your event. It is possible even to create a slideshow or quick video highlighting some of the fun times that have been recorded. 

4. Leverage User-Generated Content

User-generated content has become a social currency. And using it for your event can be even more fruitful. Before the event happens, brands can feature past user-generated content for their event and generate needed attention for the upcoming event. They can also ask to create content for the event and win tickets and VIP access to the event. 

5. Embed On Your Website 

One of the best ways to use captures from DIY photo booths is to embed them on your website. This is where tools like Social Walls come in handy. Social Walls help event marketers aggregate and showcase photos taken during the event on their website. This helps them generate more engagement on their website and create a photo booth for virtual attendees as well. 

6. Generate Feedback and Engagement

As an event marketer, you can use the photograph to create buzz for your event. Take consent from your attendees, use these picture emails and social media platforms, and ask what was fun and how it could be enhanced. This can be triggered through interactive social media updates or questionnaires.

The Final Word 

No matter what age we are, taking pictures is something all of us have enjoyed. This is why using a DIY photo booth for an event can take it to the next level. We have mentioned how you can install a Do It Yourself Photo booth for your event and how you can use the captures for your post event follow ups. 

So, what is stopping you now? Go ahead and install a DIY photo booth for your event, and see it get three times the traction it usually does.