If you’re looking to grow your photo booth business, learning how to get photo booth bookings from wedding venues is one of the smartest moves you can make. Weddings are one of the most consistent and lucrative markets in the events industry, and venues are often the first place couples turn to when looking for suppliers. Get yourself in front of the right venues and you could have a steady stream of referrals coming in without spending a penny on advertising.
When a couple books a wedding venue, they often ask the venue coordinator for supplier recommendations. Venues build up trusted lists of photographers, caterers, DJs, and yes, photo booth companies. If your business is on that list, you’re being recommended to warm leads who are already spending money and already planning an event. Getting photo booth bookings from wedding venues through referrals like this is far easier than cold outreach because the trust is already there.
Before you approach any venue, do your homework. Look at their website and social media, understand the style of weddings they host, and check whether they already work with a photo booth company. If they do, that doesn’t mean you can’t approach them, but it does mean you need to think about what makes you different. A venue that hosts rustic barn weddings might love a vintage photo booth. A modern city venue might be more drawn to a sleek iPad selfie booth or a 360 setup.
The best way to get photo booth bookings from wedding venues is to build a genuine relationship rather than just sending a generic email. Here are a few approaches that work well:
A face-to-face introduction is far more memorable than an email. Bring a brochure, a business card, and, if you can, a small sample print or demo video on your phone. Show them what the experience looks like for guests.
If you can’t visit, make sure your email is tailored to that specific venue. Mention something you noticed about their space or their events, and explain clearly why your booth would be a great fit for their couples.
Some venue coordinators will want to see your booth in action before recommending you. Offering to attend one of their open days or styled shoots at a reduced rate can be a great way to get your foot in the door.
Many venues host their own wedding open days where couples come along to meet suppliers. Getting a spot at one of these, even as a guest rather than an exhibitor, is a brilliant way to meet venue staff and other suppliers face to face. The more people in the wedding industry who know your name, the more likely you are to get photo booth bookings from wedding venues through word of mouth.
Getting photo booth bookings from wedding venues isn’t always instant. Some venues take time to warm up, and some won’t be the right fit at all. Keep track of who you’ve approached, follow up after a few weeks if you haven’t heard back, and always be professional. Over time, even a handful of strong venue relationships can transform your booking calendar.
Getting photo booth bookings from wedding venues takes a bit of patience and persistence but the payoff is well worth it. A handful of strong venue relationships can fill your diary with warm, high quality referrals year after year without you having to spend a penny on advertising. Do your research, show up professionally, deliver a brilliant experience every time, and the bookings will follow. Wedding venues are one of the most valuable assets a photo booth business can have.
Start building those relationships today.
Unsure what photo booth you want? We have videos over on our YouTube where you can see how they work.