Modern weddings are moving beyond stiff, overly formal traditions and focusing on the fun, spontaneous, light-hearted side of love. The modern bride and groom are embracing silly props, new connections and genuine laughter. Step into the booth with Melbourne Wedding & Bride’s Hannah McDonald as she chats with Grant Higgins, owner of Photo Haus (the Photobooth Department of the GNE Group), to illuminate why photobooths are a wedding must-have – bringing guests together and capturing joy, one playful pose at a time.
As photobooth aficionados, Photo Haus provides modern, sleek and high-end photobooths for weddings, corporate functions and private events. “Our booths can be hired separately with their own unique packages, a la carte or in conjunction with a photographer, DJ or GNE’s wedding fusion packages,” Higgins explains.
In today’s wedding landscape, the focus has shifted to prioritising guest entertainment. “People are hiring mobile DJs with large lighting packages, smoke machines, fireworks – an almost festival experience. The reception needs to ensure that it entertains the guests, not just feeds them,” Higgins says. “A photobooth is the simplest, most effective add-on to any event to ensure that the guests remain entertained regardless of whether they are introverted, extroverted, older or younger, and everybody leaves the event with a keepsake to remember it by.”
Image courtesy of GNE Group
FRAMED ELEGANCE, FLASH FUN
While some may think a wedding photographer is sufficient, photobooths ensure the cheeky, relaxed side of the celebration is captured. “They allow the guests to get those ‘strike a pose’ moments that they individually want to capture throughout the evening at their own pleasure, allowing the photographer to roam around and capture the candid moments,” Higgins describes. “The photobooths we provide also very often have props, filters and video options, as well as the instant gratification of receiving a print or digital copy immediately rather than waiting for the official gallery to come out and be shared by the couple.”
As in many industries, new technology has propelled photobooths into fun and innovative territory, expanding their capabilities in exciting ways. “The classic 2×6 photo strip that you see in malls or public events require you to take three Our drop off Social Booth package is great value and it’s a lot of fun for everyone, but it can’t guarantee the consistent quality of a backdrop, lighting and an attendant to monitor the changing elements around the booth,” he cautions. Snapping Pics, Breaking Ice photos in one session, encouraging a different pose every time. Our modern booths add even more options, like GIFs and Boomerangs, that encourage not only returning guests to cover all the options but also promotes group creativity,” Higgins notes. Essentially, photobooths are often the unsung heroes of weddings, capturing a spectrum of emotions and poses that a traditional photographer might miss in search of professional shots.
PICK A BOOTH, STRIKE A POSE
When people think of photobooths, they often picture the classic ones found in shopping centres or fairs – but today, there are many more options available. “Photo Haus began with an all-digital booth – the Social Booth – which is still our most popular. But a trend that I’ve noticed is a move towards more extravagant and niche options,” Higgins observes. “One such option is our Glam Booth, which is essentially the same as our Social Booth in function, but primarily gets booked for closeup headshots. People only choose one or two options and make sure they have the red carpet and extra lighting, almost like a full-on photoshoot.”
Another choice that dazzles and delights is the 360 Booth. “This option tends to interest guests, as they don’t know what it is a lot of the time. They’re then surprised – they take it for a spin, and they love the video they made. The more we add to the presentation of this booth – the more flashing lights and neon signs the guests see – that process is amplified, and the videos they take are, by proxy, more energetic,” he reports.
When deciding which photobooth is your perfect match, there are a few factors to weigh up. Higgins advises that “the booth you’re looking at should suit the venue you’ve booked, and make sure you book a package that includes at least an attendant.
Our drop off Social Booth package is great value and it’s a lot of fun for everyone, but it can’t guarantee the consistent quality of a backdrop, lighting and an attendant to monitor the changing elements around the booth,” he cautions.
SNAPPING PICS, BREAKING ICE
Besides the classic, ‘So how do you know the bride and groom?’, there aren’t many ways to naturally form connections with other guests at a wedding, which is why photobooths are the perfect conversation starter. “It inevitably becomes a big source of fun at a wedding. People queueing up will very likely mingle while they wait to either take their photo or for their prints to come out. Groups may need one more person to cover the props they are grabbing, and brave people may feel a compulsion to just jump in with strangers. The biggest one at a wedding, however, would be people taking shots with the couple themselves,” Higgins says.
Photobooths are a tool, not just to provide heartfelt mementos for guests, but to tell the story of a wedding with flash, light and colour. Higgins elaborates: “It provides a visible timeline from start to finish. You can see people arriving and taking their initial shots, which tend to be more posed, smiling, formal, and then gradually you begin to see people get into the party – more filters, more props, more group shots. At the end of the day, it gives everybody content from the big day. Something to share, something visceral to remember the day by, and something that they can book again!”