I LOVE the photobooth idea... I've seen them so many times at my RAF dos and at wedding fayres... However, I just cannot justify the £300-£700 companies are asking for.
I'm just wondering if anybody did anything similar but on a budget?
I'm thinking of setting up a laptop (tied to something sturdy with a cable to protect against theft) with a webcam and some software running on it or one of these clever data link cameras that then stream live to a projection so people can see their photos up there through the evening! In addition, they can then leave little videos and messages for me and Chris (I may even provide my own "prop box") that we can see later. I of course would have this for after the first dance (we're having an afternoon ceremony, late afternoon wedding breakfast which rolls straight into the evening do near enough without that awkward "gap".) so I don't have to pay for as many hours with the photographer! (Gotta keep the costs down!)
Has anyone else done similar and how did you do it?
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthormrsV2013
I love this idea :) I think I'll be looking into doing something like this
hicory vicary dock i will be mrs rachel vicary :)
CommentAuthorVelcro
im sure i read in one of these threads recently that you can get a remote for the camera.
I was thinking of going down the DIY route myself, but after thinking about it I decided I couldn't actually be bothered lol. I'm prepared to pay around 500 quid (my mums paying for my dress so its given me ''free'' money) getting the props and setting it all up would be easy enough, its just running the risk of guets getting abit lairy and knocking over what will be an expensive bit of equipment and breaking it.
Your laptop idea is a good one as you could keep that much more sturdy, all you'd need to do really is rope the area off, or maybe get one of those folding blind thingies to make it more confined and booth like and just get a load of props in a box from the quid shop or somethng
That's what I was gunna do but I came to the conclusion I just couldn't be bothered to set it up and also worry about the camera getting knackerd. Well, that and the money I wasnt expecting off the mothership lol
Oh, Id also consider waterproofing the laptop somehow. Theres alwasy one that will try to balance their drink next to it.
Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey
*Kelbel* is my wedding twinny!
CommentAuthorValentinaK
I think the sectioning off idea is great! My mum and dad have some of those partitioning boards that can be used as displays in their offices and mum has a large format printing supplies company so am sure she'll have some of those pop up backdrops or something and can arrange with a client to help us out with discount for a backdrop being made up! I might put the laptop in a locvkable case /cabinet and have a non integrated laptop plugged in via USB exposed... any idea where the remote thing to take pictures was from or how to do it?!
I might use my very old laptop that I no longer use so if it does get damaged I won't be too upset... plus its still insured!
Lucky for me my folks and H2Bs folks are paying for most of the wedding but I don't want to fleece them and the reason they are is because the H2B has some debt and I'm saving so they want to make sure we have a lovely day and start married life out on the best foot possible seeing as money worries are probably one of the greatsest causes for relationship breakdowns.
Saved onthe reception venue as we got it for free and the whole of the church ceremony and fees is £200. My dress is probably the most extortionate thing at £1400 all in.
I wasnt bothered about a glam reception venue as I'm going tohave my photos taken at home and the Yorkshire Sculpture park and I'm getting married later in the day so need a photographer for less time. However, I want me and him to feel really good on the day and have a hell of a celebration! I want it to be fun and interactive and to help make memories!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorbarbie86
Here are a few DIY options:
Buy a tripod and remote, and set up a digital camera on the tripod and let guests take their own. If you're worried about theft (I'd hope you wouldn't need to TBH given that these are your guests), you could always just buy a cheap one (you can get them for about £25). So, with that option, you'd be looking at about £50 (£25 for the camera, £15 ish for a tripod, £10-ish for a remote)
If you're getting a professional photographer, see how much they'll charge to stay on for a bit in the evening (if evening coverage isn't already included in your package), and ask them to set up in a side room/section of the reception room, for 45 minutes or so. We're doing this as we have two photographers and unlimited coverage, so basically, it's costing us nothing. This might cost you £100 or so depending on what your package includes
See if one of your guests/friends would be willing to act as amateur photographer for a short time; then you only need to provide them with a camera.
We have looked at photographers and generally they charge extra for that and we intend on not having them beyond the first dance... most charge more if you want them beyond that ... Like the idea of tripod and camera which is what I was thinking but need the screen really so they can see what they're taking... so thinking of linkingit up with a laptop or projector type thing.
I'm lucky that I have a cheap old digi cam I can link and a webcam thats USB and on a long lead plus an old laptop. And I have one of those gorilla tripods. I'd like to think my guests wouldn't nick anything but there are a handful of "PLUS ONES" That I don't know and I've been reading horror stories on here!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorsarah
I think since you have kit that wouldn't be a major loss if something happens to it I think DIY might be a good idea. There are so many websites out there with instructions on how to do this. I hope you find a set up that works for you.
CommentAuthorbarbie86
Speak to the photographers you're looking at as you might be surprised; we spoke to quite a few and though their packages stated that coverage was only included to the first dance, a lot said they'd stay on for an hour or so for free, and others only charged a nominal sum (eg £100) to stay on for a couple of hours (and these were pricier photographers ie you'd think they'd charge a lot more for extra hours). If you don't ask, you won't know, so I'd def ask before deciding as they'll also be able to bring a screen.
But otherwise, I think the camera/tripod or lap-top would both work well. As far as theft goes, like you said you can use a cable to secure the lap-top (and if it's an expensive one, make sure your insurance covers you for both loss/theft and also accidental damage (damage would be a much bigger concern to me personally than theft)), and if you use a cheap/old camera, it'd be annoying if it 'went missing'/broke, but not the end of the world.
CommentAuthorValentinaK
I've had a new thought! Could use an iPad on a tripod thing so that way there are very few cables, people can literally press the button, it can also send to a printer wirelessly near by and loads of apps for it too!!!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthormrsV2013
My h2b said last night that he's going to ask someone to film the wedding on my iPad but unsure about that. What if it gets damaged :/
hicory vicary dock i will be mrs rachel vicary :)
CommentAuthorValentinaK
If ours gets damaged it is insured and we will back up beforehand... there is always the risk with any technology it could all go wrong and at least when you hire someone they are the ones accountable if it does... I wouldn't be devestated if it dodn't work out with my DIY photobooth so long as the actual formal photos are done well...so therefore the photobooth is a "nice to have" so if it goes wrong, hey ho, and at least the iPad can be secured and is insured if it does go wrong!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorbarbie86
Yeah that's exactly how I'd look at it: it's nice to have, but not essential, so if it doesn't work great, hey ho, it was worth a try!
CommentAuthorValentinaK
Yeah exactly... H2B is trying to overcomplicate things at the mo... wanting to spend £100 on a better webcam to then link through the iPad... I had to remind him that it defeated the point and that we would probably have to pay £100 on consumables for the printer...plus it means a more complicated setup...thus more to go wrong! So I've vetoed that idea!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorbarbie86
Re printing: I'm not sure I'd bother. You can always email people the photos after/buy a load of discs and send people a disc with their photos on along with thank-you cards.
I just think printing could get complicated, not to mention costly if you use proper photo paper.
CommentAuthorValentinaK
You're probably right ... I'm going to investigate it though... I went to a cocktail and canapes party at Tiffany & Co. on Bond street and they took photos, instagrammed and tweeted them plus displayed them on a screen in store which was lovely!
And we lived happily ever after!
CommentAuthorBobsi
A friend of mine had a photographer at her night do doing key rings for the guests and she got a disc with all the pics on at the end. X
Got together June 11th 2006
Getting married June 11th 2014
8 years to the day and I'll be Mrs T.
CommentAuthorVelcro
If you start spending all that extra money as well, you'd be as well just hiring a booth in, which completley defeats the point of doing the DIY one lol. Men eh, im sure its just an excuse to get new gadgets.
Though, I suppose you could keep the extra equip you may buy. It's just whether you'd get your monies worth from it after the day or if it just takes up space like most of out crap does ha!
Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey
*Kelbel* is my wedding twinny!
