Photo Booth Rental in San Diego- The Essential Guide for Booking

As photo booths have evolved over the years, many private and corporate events are still utilizing photo booth rentals to create an interactive and engaging photo experience for guests.

San Diego is home to some amazing venues, including the Convention Center, tons of hotels and resorts, and others. For those of you planning on or are considering a San Diego photo booth rental for a wedding, party or corporate event, here is your essential guide for determining which company to use and which type of photo booth would be best!

As you begin your search, you may notice that there are tons of options when Googling things like “photo booth rental” “photo booth San Diego” or “San Diego photo booth rental.” As you click through the ads and websites, you come across various companies and products that want to earn your business.

Here are the key things to look for and consider:

1. What type of photo booth equipment do they offer?

Clicking through different websites makes you aware that many companies have various set ups and equipment. From high end and high quality booths to lower end options that may not fit the decor and theme of your event.

Be sure to find and view photos of their booths from previous events to get an idea of how it might look at your venue.

Does the booth look professional? Does it use high quality cameras, printers and lighting? Do they offer different booth styles like enclosed photo booths and open air kiosks with backdrops?

2. How long has the business been in business?

Over the years we have seen many photo booth rentals come and go in San Diego. There have only been a few long standing companies that have continued to stay in business so it is a good idea to check that.

If a company is brand new, they might not have much experience but are likely to be eager to earn your business through aggressive pricing. If the company has been around for years, clients have continually trusted and they continue to earn new business which is a good sign.

3. What photo booth features and options do they provide?

Animated GIFs, Boomerangs, green screens, video booth recording, hashtag printing, enclosed sit down booths, stand up open air style booths… as technology changes, photo booth companies should also be evolving and providing various options for your event.

If you are looking for a step and repeat banner backdrop, red carpet type photo booth experience, be sure they have provided that service and ask for examples and photos. Looking for a green screen booth? Be sure that they can handle your ideas and needs.

4. Are they trusted by event professionals, wedding planners and brands?

When researching, it is always a good idea to get a feel of the past clients that the business has worked with. If they are trusted by professional event planners, private companies and other reputable customers, you can likely sleep better at night knowing you’re in good hands.

On the other hand, if all you see are a few past weddings and events and the business can not provide any referrals, it is time to look for someone else.

Who wants to risk their event by choosing a new and/or inexperienced photo booth rental company to provide services at their San Diego event?

5. Is the business insured?

Many San Diego photo booth rental companies are small mom and pop, weekend warrior type businesses. With that said, many do not have the proper business insurance (ex. Certificate of Liability Insurance) that many venues may request.

Be sure to ask anyone that you are considering using if they are fully insured and if they can provide their liability insurance if needed. If they can not, it is not worth saving some money and using an uninsured company.

Lastly, we have seen other renters scramble after booking someone once they realized they were not insured and the venue required that. This lead to them having to deal with getting a refund and trying to find a replacement a week prior to their big event.

BONUS TIP: Pricing should not be the only factor

We get it, we all like to save money and sometimes go for the lowest cost option to do so. However, when it comes to important events like weddings, trade shows, conferences and music festivals, trusting the lowest priced photo booth rental companies is risky.

There is likely a reason that the company is priced low; you don’t want to find out that reason on your event day. Don’t get us wrong, there may be some great photo booth companies in San Diego that have low pricing… if you do opt in for that company be sure that they have many references and the experience needed to execute flawlessly.