Photo Booths are all the rage these days, so, when it came time to decorate for my parent’s 50th Anniversary Celebration (read: Part 1 on how to decorate)…I knew it would be the perfect way to capture my family in action…every bit of laughter, the foolishness, the love…in all its glory!
THAT…and there’s just something fabulous about seeing your loved ones enjoying one another’s company.
The next time you’re planning an event, throwing a party, or hosting a BBQ …create a DIY Photo Booth…you won’t be disappointed.
Step 1: The Backdrop
A plain white wall is BLAH…so, the first step in putting together a photo booth is coming up with the look for your background. We were celebrating a 50th Anniversary where GOLD is the colour of choice and considering I’m like a crow with shiny things…finding a gold backdrop was EASY! We found two “curtain streamers” at our local party store and hung them next to one another so they’d be nice and full. (We could have probably used a third.)
You could also use:
- Plastic table cloths
- Fabric
- Foliage
- Streamers
- Wrapping paper
- Pom poms
- Balloons and much, much more
Pinterest is FULL of ideas for Photo Booths so do a little searching and you’ll come up with some great ideas.
While the streamers were fine on their own, since it was an occasion, the addition of the Anniversary Banner really personalized the look (plus, we used the same banner in the decor the night before…see how I made it here.)
Step 2: The Props
This is probably where we had the most fun. Imagine my brother and I in the party shop, dollar store and craft store…searching for every imaginable ridiculous prop in our theme colours of black and gold! There was just about as much laughter in the shopping as there was when the photos were being taken.
Think ridiculous…big glasses, boas, hats of numerous sizes and shapes, beads, head bands with crazy things on them, signs and more.
Then…there’s the props on sticks! We found a kit (that was a little expensive) at our local craft shop that was specifically meant for Wedding and worked well for our for anniversary theme…and it also happened to be in the colours we wanted! There are a ton of kits available and you can also make your own with some creativity, cardstock papers and bamboo kabob sticks.
Step 3: The Equipment
In our case, we left people to their own devices…their smart phones. HOWEVER, you could easily set up an iPad or camera on a tripod with a blue tooth remote to make it a bit more “professional.” It would also cut down on the paparazzi as we found that there were multiple people taking pictures and it was a little bit hard to know what camera you should be looking at!
Step 4: The People
This was the BEST PART! Seeing the laughter from the people you love, joking over costumes and making silly faces…photos that capture a whole whack of love and admiration for one another…it was the PERFECT way to add a bit of fun to the evening.
Photo Credit: Monika Nosek
Photo Credit: Monika Nosek
Nothing warms my heart more than spending time with family…and last month’s gathering was absolutely FANTASTIC!
Family First…Always. xo