Every great party needs a space where guests can let loose, get creative, and capture memories. That’s where a DIY photo booth comes in. Whether you’re hosting a wedding, birthday, school formal, or corporate event, a do-it-yourself booth can be just as fun (and sometimes even better) than a hired setup.

The best part? A DIY picture booth is budget-friendly, customisable, and surprisingly easy to pull together. All you need are a few simple materials, some creativity, and a clear plan for backdrops, props, and a camera setup.

If you’re looking for something more professional, you can hire a photo booth via Bark today!

Our 8 step guide to having your very own photo booth

This guide will walk you through how to create your own do it yourself photo booth, complete with photo booth frames and styling tips that will wow your guests.

Step 1: Choose your photo booth location

When setting up your DIY photo booth, location is everything. Look for:

• Space: Allow at least 2–3 metres of clear space so groups can fit comfortably.
• Lighting: Natural light is best, but ring lights or LED panels work perfectly indoors.
• Backdrop potential: Position your booth against a wall or space you can decorate.

Example: For an outdoor backyard party, use a garden wall covered with fairy lights as your backdrop! 

Step 2: Build your backdrop

A backdrop sets the tone for your booth and helps photos pop. Here are some DIY picture booth backdrop ideas:

• Balloon arch or garland: Perfect for birthdays or kids’ parties. You can order a balloon arch off amazon and in front of a brick wall, it creates a perfect backdrop. 
• Sequin curtains or drapes: A cheap and cheerful option could be ordering a tinsel curtain and sticking it to your chosen wall! This creates a glamorous wedding or gala vibe.
• Flower wall: Use artificial (or real) flowers for a luxe but affordable effect
• DIY fabric wall: Drape fabric over a simple timber or PVC frame, simple but effective. You can also choose different colours to change it up throughout the night! 

Tip: If you’re handy, Bunnings has great tutorials on making a sturdy freestanding frame that you can reuse at multiple events.

Step 3: Make a photo booth frame

The photo booth frame is a must-have for fun, Instagram-worthy shots. It gives guests a prop to hold, creating instant structure and playfulness in photos.

DIY photo booth frame ideas:

• Cardboard or foam board frames: Cut out a frame shape from a piece of cardboard or foam board and paint them to look like Polaroids and add event details (like your names and date).
• Timber frames: Spray paint a timber cut out frame in metallics for an elegant booth.
• Chalkboard frame: Use a simple chalkboard that guests pose in front of, guests can then write their own messages before posing.
• Theme-specific frames: Create a frame that suits your party theme! For example, tropical leaves for a summer party or glitter stars for New Year’s Eve.
• Purchase a large frame: Head to a op shop and purchase a large frame, remove the glass and background, and stick onto two pieces of pallet wood for an easy to DIY photo booth frame! 

This works especially well as a photo frame photo booth setup, giving every picture a fun, personalised border.

Step 4: Add props and accessories

Props are where the laughter happens. You don’t need to spend a fortune, most can be DIY or sourced from party shops.

• Signs and speech bubbles: Print phrases like “Best Day Ever” or “Team Groom.”
• Costume pieces: Hats, wigs, boas, and funny glasses.
• Event-specific props: Surfboards for a beach wedding, sombreros for a fiesta.
• Musical extras: Microphones or inflatable guitars tie in well with live band entertainment or a DJ.

Example: At one Sydney wedding, guests loved the inflatable saxophones, especially when the band took a break, it kept the musical theme alive on the dance floor and in the booth.

Step 5: Camera setup

A DIY photo booth doesn’t need expensive cameras. Here are options for all budgets:

• Smartphone + tripod: Add a Bluetooth remote for easy group shots.
• Tablet booth: Apps let guests snap photos and even add digital props.
• DSLR setup: For high-quality images, pair with a ring light and tether to a laptop for instant sharing.
• Polaroid camera: Purchase a classic new (but old school) polaroid camera for instant prints (and you can even have a book people stick their photos in with an extra message!) 

For a do it yourself photo booth, most parties rely on smartphones paired with instant printers (like Instax or Polaroid) to give guests physical keepsakes.

Step 6: Printing and sharing options

• Instant printers: Guests walk away with physical photos straight away.
• Digital gallery: Share a Dropbox or QR code link after the event.
• Guestbook option: Guests paste their photos into a scrapbook alongside a message.

Pair this with your DJ or band making announcements throughout the night to encourage people to visit the booth between dance sessions.

10 styling ideas for your DIY photo booth

1. Rustic Chic

• Vibe: Warm, natural, and romantic.
• Essentials: Wooden crates or pallets, burlap and lace, fairy lights in mason jars, and chalkboard signs.
• Best For: Barn weddings, engagement parties, and bridal showers.

2. Tropical Summer

• Vibe: Bright, high-energy, and fun.
• Essentials: Palm leaf or bright floral backdrop, inflatable flamingos, colourful leis, and oversized novelty sunglasses.
• Best For: Pool parties, summer birthdays, and BBQs.

3. Hollywood Glamour

• Vibe: Sophisticated, dramatic, and VIP.
• Essentials: Sequin or velvet curtain backdrop, a red carpet runner, feather boas, and prop "Oscar" trophies.
• Best For: New Year's Eve, milestone birthdays, and galas.

4. Boho Festival

• Vibe: Free-spirited, eclectic, and relaxed.
• Essentials: Macramé or ribbon backdrop, colourful rugs and floor pillows, flower crowns, and round sunglasses.
• Best For: Backyard weddings, 21st birthdays, and relaxed outdoor parties.

5. 1920s Speakeasy

• Vibe: Opulent, roaring twenties, and secretive fun.
• Essentials: Art Deco or gold fringe backdrop, flapper headbands, fedoras, pearl necklaces, and "Wanted" poster frames.
• Best For: Themed birthdays, New Year's Eve, and corporate events.

6. 80s/90s Retro

• Vibe: Neon, nostalgic, and totally awesome.
• Essentials: Graffiti or geometric print backdrop, inflatable boombox, neon "stunner" shades, and signs like "Rad!" or "As If!"
• Best For: Throwback parties, high school reunions, and 30th/40th birthdays.

7. Superhero Comic Book

• Vibe: Action-packed, heroic, and playful.
• Essentials: Cityscape backdrop, "Pow!" and "Bam!" cutout signs, superhero masks (Batman, Spider-Man, etc.), and capes.
• Best For: Kids' parties, themed adult birthdays, and conventions.

8. Enchanted Forest

• Vibe: Magical, whimsical, and ethereal.
• Essentials: Flower wall or mossy green backdrop, fairy wings, flower crowns, butterfly props, and animal masks (fox, deer).
• Best For: Fairytale weddings, baby showers, and garden parties.

9. Parisian Romance

• Vibe: Chic, sophisticated, and romantic.
• Essentials: Eiffel Tower backdrop, black berets, curly mustaches on sticks, red roses, and "Bonjour!" signs.
• Best For: Bridal showers, anniversaries, and Valentine's Day events.

10. Sci-Fi Space

• Vibe: Futuristic, geeky, and adventurous.
• Essentials: Starry "galaxy" fabric, astronaut helmets (or masks), alien antennae, and toy laser swords or blasters.
• Best For: Themed parties, kid's birthdays, and sci-fi fan gatherings.

Budget-friendly tips for creating a photo booth

1. Borrow from friends 

Before you hit the shops, ask around. Friends and family are often happy to lend you things. We're talking props (think old hats, silly glasses, feather boas) or even bigger items like a cool vintage armchair or a full-length mirror. Every bit you don't have to buy saves you cash.

Also, don't assume buying is always cheaper. Check out local wedding hire companies or fancy dress shops. Sometimes, hiring a few key items from a stylist can work out cheaper (and be way less hassle) than buying everything new yourself.

2. Use what your venue's already got

If your venue already looks amazing, you're halfway there. Have a good look around for a spot that already has plenty of character—like an exposed brick wall, a lush corner of the garden, or a grand fireplace. This means you won't need to spend as much on a backdrop. You might just need to string up some fairy lights or hang a personalised neon sign, and you're set.

3. Recycle your ceremony bits

This is a wedding-specific tip, but don't let those gorgeous ceremony decorations go to waste after you've said "I do"! That beautiful arbour you got married under? That's your new photo booth backdrop. Grab the floral arrangements from the aisle or the signing table and move them over too. It saves money and means you get to enjoy them all night long.

4. Seriously, just get the pros in

This might sound odd for a DIY tip, but hear us out. By the time you buy a backdrop, source all the props, sort out a decent camera, and figure out the lighting, the costs (and the stress) can really add up.

Do the maths first. Get a few quotes from professional photo booth companies. You might be surprised to find it doesn't cost that much more than doing it all yourself, and it saves you a massive headache on the day.

Capture memories the DIY way

A DIY photo booth is more than a budget-friendly solution; it’s a creative way to add fun, laughter, and personality to your event. With a backdrop, props, a photo booth frame, and a simple camera setup, you can design a booth that looks professional and keeps guests engaged. Pair it with live entertainment like DJs or bands, and your celebration will have both the music and the memories to match.