Questions
The things everyone asks
If your question is not here, call and ask. We would rather you knew before you booked.
Booking and payment
- How much does a photo booth rental cost?
- Packages run from $499 for 2 hours up to $1,125 for 5 hours. Everything is included in that price — prints, props, backdrops, the attendant and your gallery. Saturdays add $150 and peak season dates add $100. Travel beyond 20 miles is charged in bands, and all of it is shown before you pay anything.
- How do I book, and how much is the deposit?
- Pick your date on the booking page and you will see the full price straight away. A 30% retainer holds the date, and the balance is due 14 days before your event. We invoice the balance automatically, so there is nothing for you to remember.
- How far ahead should I book?
- Weekend dates in peak season go first, often six to nine months out. If your date is inside a week we confirm by hand rather than instantly, so send an inquiry and we will come straight back to you.
- What if I need to cancel or move my date?
- You can reschedule once to an available date within twelve months at no extra charge, as long as you ask at least 30 days before. Cancellations are on a sliding scale depending on how close to the event you are, and the full terms are on the rental agreement page.
- Do you take corporate bookings?
- Yes. Corporate events and brand activations are quoted individually rather than through instant booking, because branding, data capture and multi-day runs all change the scope. Send an inquiry and we will price it properly.
On the day
- Is an attendant included?
- Always, for your entire rental. They set up beforehand, run the line, reset the props, help guests, and pack down afterwards. You will never be asked to staff your own booth.
- How long does setup take, and does it use up my hours?
- We arrive about 90 minutes before your start time and need roughly 45 minutes to pack down afterwards. Neither counts against your booked hours — your time starts when the booth opens to guests.
- What space and power do you need?
- About 10 by 10 feet of level floor. We carry our own battery power, so we are not dependent on your venue's outlets, which matters at older properties and outdoors where the nearest socket is a long run away. Where mains power is available and convenient we will use it. Tell us your venue and we will confirm the details with their coordinator directly.
- Do you need a dedicated outlet, or will you trip our breakers?
- Neither is a problem for us. We bring a battery power system rather than relying on the venue, so a shared circuit or a distant outlet does not stop the booth running. This is one of the questions coordinators ask most, and the answer is that we come self-sufficient.
- Is there a minimum booking?
- Two hours for the photo booth and three hours for the 360 booth. Below that the setup and pack-down take up most of the visit, and the booth barely gets used. Most weddings book three or four hours.
- Can the booth go outside?
- Yes, with complete overhead cover and cover on at least two sides, protecting the equipment from sun, wind and rain. Direct sun and gusty wind are the two things that spoil outdoor photos, so we will talk through placement with you beforehand.
- What if we want to keep the booth longer on the night?
- If the schedule allows it we can usually extend on the spot, charged by the hour. If you already know you want a longer run, adding the hours when you book works out simpler.
- Can we pause the booth during dinner?
- Yes. Idle time keeps the booth set up but paused, which suits a seated dinner or a speeches block, and it is charged at a lower hourly rate than active time.
Photos and prints
- How many prints do guests get?
- Unlimited, for the whole rental. Every group that steps in gets a print, and if six people crowd in together they can all have one.
- Can we customise the print design?
- Yes, and it is included. We design the print template and the tap-to-start screen to match your invitation, colours or brand. Send us anything you already have and we will work from it.
- How do guests get their photos digitally?
- They can send them to themselves by text or email at the booth. That depends on the venue's signal, which we cannot control — if coverage is poor on the night, everything still arrives in your gallery afterwards.
- When do we get the full gallery?
- Within three business days, at no additional charge. You get everything, and you are free to share, print and post it however you like.
- Do you do GIFs and boomerangs?
- Yes, included in every package. They tend to be what guests actually post, so they are on by default unless you would rather stick to stills.
Planning and costs
- How much does a photo booth cost for a wedding in Los Angeles?
- Packages run from $499 for 2 hours up to $1,125 for 5 hours. In the Los Angeles market most couples spend somewhere between $700 and $1,300 depending on how many hours they book. Sweet Moments Photobooth includes prints, props, backdrops, an attendant and the full gallery in that price rather than charging separately, so the quoted figure is close to the final one. Saturdays add $150 and peak season dates in June, July and October through December add $100.
- How many hours should you book a photo booth for a wedding?
- Three hours suits most weddings, and it is the package we book most often. The booth usually opens once dinner service ends and runs through the dancing, which is when guests actually use it. Two hours works for a smaller reception or a cocktail hour, and four hours suits a long evening or a guest list above 200. Four hours is our longest photo booth package; if you need longer, add extra hours to it at $200 an hour. Setup and takedown happen outside your booked hours.
- Is a photo booth worth it at a wedding?
- It is worth it if you want your guests to leave with something in their hands. A photographer documents the ceremony, the speeches and the first dance; a photo booth catches the part of the night nobody is shooting, when people have relaxed. The practical difference is that every guest takes home a print on the night, and you receive several hundred candid photos of your own guests that you would not otherwise have. It is less worth it at a very small or very short event, where a booth can sit idle.
- How far in advance should you book a photo booth?
- Six to nine months ahead for a Saturday in peak season, and one to three months for a weekday or off-season date. Photo booth companies usually run a small number of booths, so a given date can only be sold once. Sweet Moments Photobooth runs a single booth, which means a booked Saturday is genuinely gone. Bookings inside seven days are still possible but are confirmed by hand rather than instantly.
- How much space does a photo booth need?
- About 10 feet by 10 feet of level floor, plus a standard 110v outlet within 25 feet. The outlet should be on a circuit that is not already carrying catering equipment or the DJ, because a tripped breaker mid-reception is the one failure that is hard to recover from quickly. Ceiling height is rarely an issue, but the area should be reachable without carrying equipment up stairs.
- Do photo booths need wifi?
- No, a photo booth does not need wifi to take or print photos. Wifi or mobile signal is only needed for guests to text or email their photos to themselves at the event. If the venue has poor coverage, prints still come out normally and every photo is delivered in the gallery afterwards, so nothing is lost.
- What is the difference between a photo booth and a 360 booth?
- A photo booth takes still photographs and prints them on the spot; a 360 booth records a short slow-motion video as a camera arm spins around guests standing on a platform. A photo booth produces something guests physically take home, and moves a line faster. A 360 booth produces video made for social media and typically needs more floor space, around 12 by 12 feet with a level surface. Sweet Moments Photobooth runs both, so you can pick whichever suits your event, or ask about having both at a larger one.
- Do you tip a photo booth attendant?
- Tipping is not expected and is never built into the price, but it is appreciated. Where couples do tip, $20 to $50 for the attendant is typical in the Los Angeles market. Gratuity is not added to invoices from Sweet Moments Photobooth.
- How many photos does a photo booth take in an hour?
- Published figures from photo booth operators put it at around 25 sessions an hour, which works out at roughly 75 sessions across a three hour booking. Each session produces several frames, so expect a few hundred photographs across an evening. Throughput varies with how many people crowd in at once. Because prints are unlimited, a group of six can each take a copy without holding up the queue much.
- Who provides the photo booth props and backdrop?
- We do, and both are included. Props are selected to suit your event theme, and you choose from our standard backdrop range at no extra cost. Flower wall backdrops are available as a $100 upgrade. You are welcome to bring your own props as well, and many people do for themed events.
Venues and logistics
- Can you send my venue a certificate of insurance?
- We are a fully insured business and issue certificates naming your venue as additional insured, at no charge. Send us the venue's requirements, or just their coordinator's email, and we will deal with them directly. Most venues have this on file within 24 hours.
- How far do you travel?
- Across Los Angeles and Orange County. The first 20 miles are included, then travel is charged in bands up to 100 miles. Beyond that we still say yes — it just needs a quote rather than an instant price.
- Have you worked at my venue before?
- Quite possibly. Tell us where you are holding your event and we will let you know, and either way we coordinate load-in, parking and power with the venue before the day. Call Lorraine on (323) 899-8856 if you would rather just ask.
- Do you need anything from us on the day?
- Access to the space at the agreed time, somewhere to park within reasonable reach of the setup area, and a meal for the attendant on events longer than five hours. That is all.