HOW-TO: Plan a Wedding Photo Booth with a Vintage Style

Wondering how to tailor a photo booth for a vintage wedding theme? Wonder no more! You can actually assemble one yourselves—using props you already own, can borrow from family and friends, or can gather from antique stores, Goodwill, or yard sales. The trick is selecting pieces that will all work together to create the perfect vintage vignette of a photo booth from way back when! So, what are you waiting for? Grab a prop and strike a pose!

Here are our suggestions for planning your own photo booth:

1 – Add chalkboard word bubbles. – Just the thing for guests to personalize their poses! You could DIY these using an online tutorial and some chalkboard paint. Or else stock up on some (they’re definitely reusable anyway!) from sites like Hello Lucky.

2 – Assemble assorted vintage frames. – Gather what you have, or buy from thrift shops and yard sales. Then hang them on a rod at the reception venue as your photo booth! Poptastic Bride shows how in this desert wedding inspiration shoot.

3 – Have photo booth tickets. – Such a fun way to remind guests to take their turn at having souvenir pics taken! This customizable ticket is offered by Cheer Up Cherup on etsy.

4 – Prepare face props on sticks. – These mustaches are everywhere! Just add some cute lips and funky bow ties. There are dozens of downloadable versions online (like these found via Pinterest, attributed to My Photo Booth.nl) or you can simply make your own!

5 – Dig up an antique traveling trunk. – This would make the perfect display case for all your photo props. We found this example via a real wedding featured on Whimsical Wonderland Weddings.

6 – Hang a selection of fun hats, caps, and headpieces on an old window frame. – These can be more yard sale and thrift shop finds, plus a DIY re-purposing project like this one by Arte Styling (easy how-to included). Then, add some scarves and ties for adding a fashionable spin! Alternatively, you can also use a coat stand to hold up the props.

7 – Set out actual eyeglasses and bow ties. – Prefer the real thing? Collect vintage-style glasses and colorful printed bow ties for guests to put on and pose with, and display them in a wooden drawer. Inspiration image found via The President Wears Prada.

8 – Display faux vintage necklaces, brooches, bangles – Pull these out of your personal stash or from Mom’s, plus borrow or ‘thrift’ some more. Then, find an old dressmaker’s dummy to hang these all on, like in this pretty pic from Smart Girl Consulting. A great decorative piece for your booth, too!

Looking for a low-budget idea? Check out our post on using your Ipad as a photo booth! Will you be incorporating a photo booth at your wedding? Tell us how you plan to make it fun and interactive!