Wedding Reception Photo Booth Alternatives

While photo booths remain popular for wedding receptions, many couples are seeking fun and cheaper photo booth alternatives. Before paying photo booth rental fees, consider these ideas for reception photos. These wedding reception photo ideas are much more enjoyable, personal, and useful than posing for a string of photo booth shots.

Include a white board and dry erase markers in an area for guest photos. Invite them to write a sign to be used at the background for their photos. Guests can write the date, the newlywed’s names, or location. Some couples get into writing goofy signs.

A fun twist on this idea is to have two thought bubble signs with dry erase or chalkboard paint surface. Chalkboard paint makes it easy to have a sign cut from wood and turned into a chalkboard. You may want to use a surface preparing paint depending on what is used to make the sign. Chalkboard paint requires a specific drying time before use such as seven days. Be sure to follow the directions and allow the appropriate time.

Instead of a booth, some couples create a white frame reminiscent of Polaroid photos. It can be a simple white board with a large square cutout. The white frame should be slightly larger at the bottom. The frame can be suspended from the ceiling. Guests stand behind the frame for their photos. On the bottom section of the white frame is the perfect place to put the newlywed’s names and date.

Text is commonly used for space in art and even on clothing. You can use this same style for your wedding photo booth. If you want a unique backdrop for guest photos without breaking the budget, make a backdrop by writing the lyrics to a love song or poem on white paper. One couple took a roll of white paper and wrote a sonnet by Pablo Neruda followed by another love poem in black ink. The one poem served as a backdrop while the other lay on the floor for the newlyweds and guests to stand on for a great photo.

A great alternative to photo booths is to hire a caricaturist. The caricature artist can make sketches of the guests that sit before them. Instead of a string of useless tiny photos, the guests receive an artistic rendering of themselves. If you don’t want the comical caricature style, you can hire a portrait artist working in a medium like charcoal to create more realistic sketches.

One couple set up a wonderful photo area with family mementos, an old desk, antiques, and a sign with the names of the newlyweds. Guests could use some of the items as props if they choose. The photo setting can reflect the theme of the wedding as well as the personalities of the couple.

For more ideas for your wedding day, visit the Best for Bride blog. There you will find many fun and new ideas for wedding ceremonies and receptions.