How Long Should You Rent a Photo Booth?

Most photo booth rentals are booked in blocks of two to four hours. For many events, three hours is the sweet spot: long enough for most guests to take a turn without long stretches where the booth sits unused.

Think about when guests will actually be free to use the booth. At a wedding, the booth usually gets the most traffic during cocktail hour and the reception, not during dinner or formal speeches. Many couples book the booth to start around cocktail hour and run through most of the reception.

For corporate events, the booth is often busiest during a specific window, such as a happy hour or a break between sessions, rather than the entire event.

• Under 75 guests: 2 hours is often enough.
• 75 to 150 guests: 3 hours gives most guests a comfortable window to use the booth more than once.
• 150+ guests: Consider 3 to 4 hours, or ask about a second booth or attendant to keep lines manageable.

Ask whether setup and breakdown are included in your rental hours or happen outside of them. If the booth needs to be set up an hour before guests arrive, make sure that time isn’t eating into the hours you’re paying for.

If your event has a natural lull, such as a long dinner service, the booth may sit idle during that time. Some vendors offer a lower idle-hour rate, which can be a way to keep the booth available across a longer event without paying the full active rate the whole time.

If your event regularly runs long, or you know guests will be there until the very end, ask about hourly extension rates before the event so there are no surprises if you decide to keep the booth running.