It's a fair question. You've got a venue timeline to plan, suppliers arriving all day and probably a coordinator asking when everyone needs access. The short version: most of our booths take around 60 minutes to set up and test. Here's what affects that, and how we plan around your venue.
The short answer
Around 60 minutes for most of our booths, from unloading to tested and ready. We agree an arrival time with you and your venue well before the day, based on the booth you've chosen and how easy the venue is to get into. The aim is always the same: be set up, tested and ready before your guests get anywhere near it.
You shouldn't have to think about it on the day. That's our job.
What affects setup time
The type of booth
Booths are not all built the same. An open-air booth, like our ICON or Retro Booth, is a camera unit with lighting, a printer and a backdrop. An enclosed booth is a bigger piece of kit.
Our Photomatic, for example, is a one-of-a-kind enclosed vintage booth. It's heavier and bulkier to move than an open-air setup, so it needs more thought about access and where it'll live for the day.
The backdrop
Backdrops need putting up, straightening and lighting properly. A simple backdrop is quick. Something more elaborate, or a branded backdrop at a corporate event, takes a little longer to get looking right.
Getting into the venue
This is often the biggest factor, and it's the one people don't think about. Things that make a real difference:
- Stairs and lifts. A first-floor function room with no lift means carrying everything up by hand. Fine, but it takes longer.
- Parking and load-in. Can we park close to a door? Is there a loading area, or are we wheeling kit across a car park or courtyard?
- Distance to the room. Some venues have long corridors, gravel paths or several doors between the van and the room.
- Venue access windows. Many venues only let suppliers in at set times, or have another event in the room beforehand. That decides when we can start.
Where the socket is
The booth needs one standard socket, ideally within 2m. We can run extensions up to 10m, but cables have to be routed and taped down safely so nobody trips. A socket right next to the booth spot keeps things simple.
Setting up while guests are busy
Lots of couples worry about a supplier wandering around with boxes while guests are mingling. It doesn't need to happen.
We usually set up while your guests are somewhere else: during the ceremony, the drinks reception in another space or the wedding breakfast. By the time people come through, the booth is just there, lit and ready, and nobody has seen it go up.
If the booth is going into the same room as your meal, we'll talk to the venue about the best moment to do it quietly. If you're still deciding when the booth should actually be running, have a read of when should the photo booth run at a wedding.
What to tell us before the day
The more we know, the smoother it goes. When you book, or nearer the date, it helps to let us know:
- Venue access times, including the earliest suppliers can get in
- Which room the booth is going in, and roughly where
- Where the nearest socket is to that spot
- Any stairs, lifts or tricky access between parking and the room
- Parking or loading arrangements the venue has for suppliers
- Your timings for the ceremony, meal and evening, so we can plan around them
- Your venue coordinator's details, so we can check things directly
If you don't know some of this, don't worry. Point us at your venue and we'll ask them.
Space the booth needs
As a guide, allow about 8ft x 8ft for the booth and the people using it, in an indoor spot. Marquees are looked at case by case, because power, flooring and weather all play a part. Tell us early if you're in a marquee and we'll talk it through.
Packing down at the end
When the hire finishes, we pack everything away carefully and take it out the way it came in. Again, how long that takes depends on the booth and the venue access.
A few things worth knowing:
- We work around your venue's closing time and any rules about when suppliers must be out.
- If the booth is in a busy spot, we'll wait for the dance floor to settle or work around guests rather than barging through.
- If you want the booth to keep running a bit longer on the night, ask your host. An extra hour is £100, as long as the venue allows it.
Why we still plan every venue
Sixty minutes is the norm, but venues vary. A ground-floor barn with parking at the door is a very different job from a top-floor city room with a goods lift and a strict access slot. So we plan arrival around your venue rather than just turning up an hour before.
The result you care about doesn't change: the booth is ready before your guests are, and it's gone after they've left. You can find out more about how we work on our wedding photo booth hire page.
Ready to check your date?
If you've got a venue and a date in mind, send us the details or call 0114 470 1215. We'll check availability and let you know what we'd need from your venue to get everything set up in time.
