Is the cost of a photo booth worth it?

[stepcutgirl]

I posted on another thread but I think it will get lost as it''s at the bottom and an old thread so I decided to start a fresh one here.

I booked a fantastic photographer and she has two packages, they are $1,000 different in price and the one that is 1k more includes a large photo album and a photo booth. I don''t really care much about the album so in all honesty I''d be spending 1k on a photo booth. That being said her 1k more than basic including the photo booth is just about the same price as most local to me photographers more basic package. I know you can''t know if it will be worth it to me in the end and all that but in general, especially to those who had one, is it worth it?

 

[katamari]

Yes! YES! YES!!!

You get hundreds of photos of you from the package you buy. You get much fewer photos of your guests--especially with them as the focus and especially if you hired an artistic photographer. I enjoy having photos of our guests. It helps me remember the feel of the day so much better. It is especially cool having photos of everyone being silly particularly because the people who are meaningful in our life are so because they are fun and wonderful.

My suggestion is to ask your photographer the price to add a photo booth to the package you want. My guess is that this will be negotiable. Or, at least try to negotiate something you would want, like prints or extra time instead of the album.

 

[hoofbeats95]

I''m getting a photobooth. Separate from the photographer. It will cost around 1K. I think it will be worth it 100%!

 

[jaylex]

We''re getting a photobooth.. But I think it''s more like $650. I can''t wait to see the photos and I couldn''t think of a better "favor" for our guests! Our friends are really excited too!

I agree with katamari''s suggestion of trying to negotiate more "service" instead of the album.

But I would make sure your photographer will bring along an assistant to run the photobooth so you don''t have to worry about your photog missing really important "photo ops" because of manning the booth.

 

[Clairitek]

If we had done a large wedding, we most definitely would have done a photobooth. I LOVE looking through photobooth pictures! I think they are so interesting, especially with some fun props and once the alcohol is flowing.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions! I had already asked her about the cost and it saves me about $250 to get the more expensive package vs adding it onto the lesser package. I am going to email her about the assistant thing but I believe it does because I get the photo booth for 4 hours and she will be there from 3pm to midnight.

What other services could I negotiate for? My package includes an esession and she is coming at 3pm and staying till midnight (nye wedding).

 

[turboflgrl]

Our package as it stands is $2800 but we are adding a photobooth from our photographer for an extra $500. Our photographer does a "photojournalistic" style and in keeping with that, I really like the idea of guests taking candid, less formalized pictures at our wedding. I say DO it!

 

[stepcutgirl]

I''m going to do it I just needed some reassuring. Sometimes I stop and think but I could use that 1k for so many other things but when FI says ok, then don''t get it I''m like "but I really want it"!

It isn''t that expensive either. The basic package is 2499. The more expensive with photo booth is 3250, so after tax it will be close to 3500. However for the length of coverage I''m getting no one close to me''s price was even close to that!

 

[turboflgrl]

Don''t worry - I do the same thing. But you just have to keep in mind that you only get to do this once and you don''t want to regret things later. Unless it would really put you in a tough financial situation, do whatever makes you and your fiance happy.

I''m actually shocked at all the "extra''s" I''m getting for our price and the quality of photography. Most of the photographers in my area that are on par with the one we chose were well over $5000...... starting.

 

[stepcutgirl]

You are in FL? What part? I''m on the Treasure Coast, South East Florida but my photographer is coming down from Orlando. I''m using Elegant Imagery.

 

[Prana]

I basically copy and pasted my reply to the older thread of mine that you responded to, so I''m sorry if some of it is not relevant to your new post.....

Stepcutgirl-

My photographer was running a promo where if we paid in full before a certain date, we got photobooth for free! I wasn''t going to have it because it was $1,000.00, and not a necessity, but I''m so happy we were able to have it, and would gladly pay the price knowing what I know now. It was a blast! It adds another form of entertainment to the night, and give guests something to look forward to (getting the pictures!) We bought a bunch of props (beards, mustaches, huge glasses, doofy hats, masks etc). Our photobooth was basically just a white sheet sort of setup with a camera manned by the second photographer.

Definitely worth it, in my opinion.

 

[stepcutgirl]

Thanks!

ETA-I got an email back saying there will be an attendant there with it!

 

[turboflgrl]

Date: 6/22/2010 11:45:37 AM
Author: stepcutgirl
You are in FL? What part? I''m on the Treasure Coast, South East Florida but my photographer is coming down from Orlando. I''m using Elegant Imagery.

Yup

I''m a bit south of Jacksonville and we are using Lanier Star Photography out of Orange Park (near Jax). I just checked out Elegant Imagery - such pretty photos!