Everyone loves a photo booth. For event organisers, they’re a simple and fun way to entertain guests, drive social engagement, and provide a lasting memory of your event.

If you don’t have the space or budget for an automated photo booth, creating your own backdrop is simple (and cheap!) to do. Best of all, it’s portable and can be used again if you hold regular events.

Free Download: The Ultimate Guide to Event Photography

What you’ll need:

  • Studio backdrop stand
  • Fabric background/s
  • Fun props
  • A small table

Where to shop:

Backdrop stands are readily available from eBay from $30 – $80, and most will include a backdrop to get you started. Hanging fairy lights or streamers are also an effective alternative, and clips from a hardware store will keep everything in place.  

Novelty accessories can be picked up very cheaply from local party and discount stores, thrift shops or even DIY. Wooden skewers and foam-paper sheets make striking props in any shape your imagination allows.

Stationery store Typo has a good range of budget-friendly lightboxes and chalkboards to help with communicating event messages or hashtags to guests, with the bonus of looking great in photos.

3 budget prop picks:

Who is taking the photo?

Before your event, decide who will be taking photos. Most guests will be comfortable with taking photos themselves on their smartphones, or you could have a staff member with a Polaroid camera for instant snaps.

Printing photos:

If you wanted to provide printed snaps, keep it simple! There are a variety of instant smartphone printers on the market. The catch is that they usually require third party software to run, which may be a challenge or annoyance for your guests. Having a nominated staff member with a smartphone to take and print each photo is easier than asking all guests to install software onto their phones.

Portable smartphone printers:

Got some extra cash for your event and really want to capture every moment? New technology like TagsSnaps will print every Instagram snap on your event hashtag within seconds ⁠— your guests simply use your hashtags, and the photo prints for their collection.

More budget-friendly tips

Looking for other ways to reduce your event costs? Check out 5 Ways to Promote Your Event Without Blowing Your Budget.