Why You Should Hire a Magic Mirror Photo Booth for Your Wedding

Looking for your ideal wedding photo booth? How about a fun and interactive magic mirror photo booth for your wedding, or perhaps a video 360 photo booth?

If you are unsure what kind of photo booth you’d like for your wedding. Then you are in for a treat, as I am speaking to photo booth pro, Johnny. Johnny is the owner of Booths By Lux and he is giving us the low-down on what’s hot at wedding parties right now.

As well as answering some questions all about his services and at the end, I’ve answered some photo booth FAQ questions too. First up though, why should you hire a magic mirror photo booth or 360 video booth?

 

Why Hire A Wedding Magic Mirror or 360 Photo Booth?

Let’s look at the alternative options, going DIY and providing your own set-up. Or hiring a traditional point and shoot photo booth.

Going DIY is always going to take more work and time on your part. You’ll need to invest in equipment, props, lighting and a backdrop, as well as find an attendant to keep it running. That’s a lot of organisation and costs can add up quickly.

Then there is the point and shoot photo booth, it’s a simple and straightforward option. But when was simple and straightforward ever more fun? That’s where the magic mirror and 360 photo booths come in. They level up the entertainment, with interactive digital elements such as custom messages and custom templates. Not to mention the portrait orientation shots (hello social media sharing!).

The 360 booths give an even more powerful entertainment factor, with their unique video experience. It could also be something new for your guests to experience and can become quite the talking point.

Let’s hear more from Booths By Lux owner Johnny.

Hi Johnny, could you first tell us a little bit about you?

Sure! So I’m a thirty-something small business owner based in North London. I’ve been in the events industry now for just over a decade, and have loved every minute of it!

I mostly work more on the weddings side of things, but also dabble in a bit of TV and corporate work when the opportunity arises. I’m a keen runner (did my first marathon last year), and have a great little cat called Holly!

Tell us about your 360 Wedding Photo Booths…

360 Booths have absolutely changed the game! We bought our first platform in January 2020, unfortunately just before the world changed. We knew we were ahead of the curve, but having seen just how incredible a service they provided, we knew we had to get the ball rolling. We picked up quite a lot of work straight away, and it’s been a rollercoaster ever since the lockdowns ended!

I think what’s so exciting about 360 Booths are that they are totally different from any other kind of booth conceptually. Photo Booths, Mirrors, Selfie Pods, Roaming Booths, GIF Booths etc etc – are all providing a similar service, but in a slightly different format – photographs. Now don’t get me wrong – these are still fantastic, but the 360 is different in that it’s actually taking videos, rather than photos.

To see exactly what the 360 booth does – please check out our promo video: 360 Photo Booths.

Tell us about your Photo Magic Mirror Wedding Photo Booths..

Although they’ve been around slightly longer, the Photo Magic Mirrors still remain one of our most popular services. The classic booths with an enclosure have really started to feel slightly dated in recent years, and this is where Photo Magic Mirrors have stepped in.

One of the best parts of not having an enclosure is that you feel can fit a lot more people into your photos. Instead of being limited to 4 or 5 people, you can comfortably fit twice that in a Mirror Photo – everyone just needs to take a step back!

We also find that couples LOVE being able to see their full outfit in the photos. The Magic Mirrors generally take portrait photos instead of landscape, which solves this problem! You can learn more about our Magic Mirrors here – Photo Magic Mirror Photo Booth.

Do you have any tips for couples in selecting their wedding photo booth?

I would say first of all – decide whether you want a video service or a photo service. If you can afford both, then absolutely go for both.

If it were my wedding, that’s what I’d do. But if that isn’t doable, perhaps for reasons of space, budget etc – then you have to make a call. You could also go for something like a 360 running the video side of things, with a self-service selfie pod taking photos. This would keep the cost down a bit, and means your guests can get the best of both worlds!

How was Booths By Lux founded?

Sure! So I initially got into the wedding/event industry via the DJ and band route.

We ended up adding our first photo booth in early 2016 – and absolutely loved it! So much so that over time, we found we were actually enjoying providing photo booths and magic mirrors more than DJing – which led to us winding down the latter and focusing on booths full time from 2019.

What do you love the most about creating booth experiences at weddings?

We work really hard to give our clients an outstanding experience. Clients can choose from a range of photo (or video) templates, their e-mail sharing template, their online gallery design, selection of backdrops – even which filters they want to have available on the day.

We have some really professional designs, and I think people are sometimes surprised at how good the final output can be when you really put the work in!

Tell us about your typical wedding or event day…

It depends slightly on what we’re providing.

For some weddings – we’re there all day, perhaps providing speaker/sound services for the ceremony, LOVE letters, with a booth and/or chocolate fountain etc in the evening.

These days are fantastic – we often get to have a bit of a chat with some of the guests and build up some rapport throughout the day.

If we’re booked just for the reception – which for most of the events is usually the case, then we’re on-site around an hour and a half before start time to get everything set up. In truth, the booths don’t really take anywhere near that long to get ready, but it’s always good to allow ample contingency time, and let’s face it – no one likes being in a rush!

We get everything set up, do a few test shots and bam, the booth is good to go!

What do you aim to achieve for your clients?

First of all – we want them to be really clear on what they’re receiving from us. We work really hard on providing exceptional service, and we want our clients to expect the best. So no matter how many questions they may have, or how many changes they want to make to their template draft, we’re always more than happy to help.

Nothing makes our Monday morning more than seeing a nice review from a happy customer!

Which is your most popular photo booth?

Since the lockdowns finally ended, the 360 booths have gone absolutely mad. We must have done at least 70-80 last year – which considering how much of the year events weren’t allowed to take place, plus Omicron causing chaos in December – we were really pleased with.

How much do your Magic Mirror and 360 Photo Booths cost to hire?

Prices for the 360 start at £495, and the Magic Mirror starts at £450. Please note – location and date are a factor in the cost, and all of our quotes are bespoke/tailored to the requirements of each couple 🙂

When should couples get in touch to book their wedding photo booth?

The magic question! Of course, we’d always suggest getting in touch as soon as possible. That way, we can run you through all of the options we have available, and see which booth works best for you and your wedding!

That’s not to say we can’t turn things around close to the date though. If you’ve unfortunately been let down by another supplier, we’ll be more than happy to help (providing we have availability of course)!

Are you seeing any wedding trends for the year ahead?

Last year was very much the year of the 360, and I think this year will be the same, perhaps even more so. We only really got half a wedding season last year, so I think these will really just be absolutely flying this year!

Aside from that, I’m expecting a lot more digital interaction – it’s incredible what software can do with photos now, in terms of digital props, AI etc!

Can you give us a teaser about what you are working on next?

Oh gosh, we have something insanely exciting in the works at the moment! It’s definitely the most ambitious thing we’ve ever done, so I’m expecting/hoping to launch in early 2023. If you’re getting married next year or the year after, watch this space!

How can we get in touch with you?

Sure! The best way is always via e-mail, which is team@boothsbylux.co.uk. Alternatively, you can call us on 01727 261005 or reach out to us at BoothsByLux on Instagram or Facebook!

Wedding Photo Booth FAQ

Are photo booths worth it at weddings?

Short answer – yes photo booths are totally worth getting for your wedding! Entertaining your guests is, in my opinion, much more important than the aesthetic of your wedding. What do you remember from a wedding – the details? Or how much fun you had, the atmosphere and the emotions?

What’s more is that everyone can enjoy the photo booth, all ages and perfect for those guests who don’t fancy hitting the dancefloor. Not to mention just how brilliant it is to have those photos to keep as another memento from your wedding.

When should you do a photo booth at a wedding?

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to when to do your wedding photo booth. Typically the evening works best as a great party starter and it may be a good idea to get your booth up and running after the formalities of the cake cutting and first dance. That way it’s easier to keep your guests in the right place at the right time.

It’s best to speak to your photo booth provider like Booths By Lux, to get the best advice individual for your day.

How do you do a photo booth at a wedding?

To set up a photo booth, it’s easiest to bring in the pros. Speak to your venue about the ideal spot, choose your backdrop and props, then allow your booth pros to set it up.

Are photo booths still popular at weddings?

Photo booths are still proving popular at weddings. The majority of real wedding features I share include a wedding photo booth. It’s an experience that adds so much fun to a wedding and really entertains.